Martial arts club raises over $3,000 by kicking for a cause

July 5, 2017 8:00 am
Contributed photo — Back row, from left to right: Sensei Wendi Barker, Michelle Durr, Makenna Parsell, Waylan Parsell, Jack Cussen, Kathy McLaughlin McCabe, Aidan Cussen, Magnus Christensen, Olivia Livingstone. Front row, from left to right: Adelynn Franks, Logan Schnobrich and Aleah Livingstone.
Contributed photo — Back row, from left to right: Sensei Wendi Barker, Michelle Durr, Makenna Parsell, Waylan Parsell, Jack Cussen, Kathy McLaughlin McCabe, Aidan Cussen, Magnus Christensen, Olivia Livingstone. Front row, from left to right: Adelynn Franks, Logan Schnobrich and Aleah Livingstone.

The Tiger Martial Arts’ Black Belt Club recently kicked for a cause.

The Black Belt Club helped kick hunger off Whidbey Island with a “Kickathon,” where students, family and community members came to Tiger Martial Arts’ dojo and raised money for the Good Cheer Food Bank by kicking as long as they could. The club logged 68,000 kicks in total and raised $3,305.15.

One student, Logan Schnobrich, logged 8,910 kicks by herself through almost two hours of straight kicking, according to Tiger Martial Arts owner Wendi Barker.

Kathy McLaughlin-McCabe and Shawn Nowlin of Good Cheer came to the Freeland-based dojo and were given a “huge” check by the club’s members.

“Kathy was very impressed by their fundraising skills and told the kids that their $3,305.15 would buy $29,745 worth of food for those in need on Whidbey!” Barker wrote. “The kids were amazed that they could make such a difference and are excited about their next community project!”

The Black Belt Club consists of a group of kids who joined Tiger Martial Arts’ leadership and weapons class and “are our school role models,” Barker said.