Annual fundraising event for Calgary Counselling Centre held at SAIT
On April 14 at SAIT, a group of Calgarians are hoping to set a record for the “Guinness Book of World Records.”
But this is not a hotdog-eating contest. Instead a local karate club is hoping for the largest number of people – 250 – to break boards at the same time.
This is the fourth annual event known as “Break the Cycle” was established to raise funds and awareness for the Calgary Counselling Centre.
Richard Fossey, of the Karate club at SAIT and the Ohtsuka Amateur Karate Foundation, and wife Trudy Fossey, also a karate instructor, are hosting the upcoming event.
Richard Fossey, Break the Cycle organizer practices breaking boards for the April 14 event.
Photo by: Olivia Guy-McCarvill
Richard Fossey says, “Raising awareness helps people deal with issues” – whether they need counselling or think they are abusive themselves.
Ben Lewis, 31, is planning to participate for the first time in the event. For the past few months he has been teaching the “Little Dragons” – a karate class at SAIT made up of four and five-year-old children.
Lewis says, “When you look at the statistics, there’s too much domestic violence going on in the community. It’s a hidden thing that people don’t want to talk about.”
Trudy Fossey, in an email, says, often, most women in domestic relationships refuse to talk about it because it’s embarrassing.
But, if they admit that something is going on in their relationships, there is help and support available, she says.
The Break the Cycle event takes place in the main gym at SAIT between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – with the attempt to break the world record from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Anyone over the age of 13 is allowed to participate, and no experience in the martial arts is required.
For more information visit akfkarate.com.