It is important to "Give Back" to the community where we live and thrive.   We are all very fortunate to be healthy, to have warm homes in which we live, good food that we eat, and nice clothes to wear.  There are many others that may not be as fortunate as we are.  There are families, and individuals that could use a helping hand in our midst.  This is an opportunity to share.

 1).  Food Drive  :  Due by Tuesday, November 18, 2008 ... If you missed this 11/18/08 due date, that's ok, just bring in your  food donation the next time you attend class.  Please be sure you let Mrs. M know that you brought in a donation so that    you can receive credit for your contribution.         

Bring in at least 3 of any combination of the following  :            
a.  ANY canned goods;  Not dented, not opened                   
Examples : Soup, Vegetables, Pasta, Tuna, Canned Fruit, Juice, Spam, etc.            b.  Pasta in boxes;  Factory Sealed                    
Examples : Spaghetti, Macaroni, Mac & Cheese, Rice, Lipton Cup-O-Soup, Noodles, etc. 

2).  Coat Drive  :  Due by Friday, December 12, 2008         
 Coats and Jackets must be in good condition, no rips, no stains.  Also accepted are warm hats, gloves, scarves, ear muffs.

 3).  Skills Demonstration at a Children's Ward of a Hospital, or at an Senior Citizen Facility        

Date is to be determined;  Possibly in Spring of 2009, definately before school ends. 

Dear Sensei Ray,

I am very happy to know you as a friend and I would like to thank you Sensei Ray, Sensei George, and Sensei Tracy for your appreciation of the work that my brother, Hanz and I did on the flags and patches.

I am very happy for your acceptance of me as external member of Piscataway Martial Arts dojo. As an external member, I am ready to help what I can. 

Thank you for the photo. It looks really nice with the flag in the background.

Our dojo in Padang, is one of the many small Karate Clubs in Indonesia. The style is Full Body Contact from Japan developed by Master OYAMA and has small followers due to the nature of the style. It just happens that in Padang, I am the head administrator under the leadership of Indonesia Shihan Nardi T. Nirwanto SA who studied under Master Oyama. For complete info, please see our website at www.kyokushin.or.id

I am enclosing 5 photos. In Photo 1, I am the one with the red shirt with members during Mar. 9 2008 Kumite Tournament in Jakarta. Our group won the Junior Teens class. Photo 2 and 3 were taken during group promotion. Photo 4 and 5 were taken during demonstration of Jiyu Kumite.

Our members and I, are very happy to have Piscataway Martial Arts's members as our brothers and sisters. May our friendship last forever.

Oss..

Martin Makmur
Padang Head Administrator 

 
Piscataway Martial Arts Students and Parents,
 
As you see, our small dojo has already been able to reach to the other side of the earth, to Indonesia, and make a connection with martial arts students there.  In case you didn't already know, our new flag and patches for the uniforms was embroidered by Hanz Makmur's brother Martin Makmur, in Indonesia.  As it turns out, Martin is the Head Administrator for Kyokushinkai Dojo in Indonesia!  Students, as you can see by the pictures, the students in Indonesia take their training very seriously.  They train outdoors, in the grass, in the mud, running barefoot on the street, on a tile floor, on a cement floor of a garage, and on a tennis court!  From Sensei Martin's letter (above), this is a Full-Body-Contact style of martial arts, so the training must be very intense.   And still you can feel the energy, the power, the intensity, the spirit of their effort, their "ki", even through pictures.  And look at how straight their lines are for lining-up, and attention or natural stance.  I'm sure nobody was fidgeting around once they arrived at their spot in the line-up;  they immediately stood at natural stance, standing still, waiting for the sensei's next instruction.  I ask all our students to find some inspiration from the pictures above;  focus, dedication, and determination to improve yourself a little bit every day, inspired by your brothers and sisters from Indonesia.
 
Sensei Ray