With their thousands of kicks now behind them for another year, the Western Karate Academy’s annual kickathon fundraiser has come to an end.
Sensei and owner Jim Doan visited Kamloops This Week to deliver a cheque totaling $9,600 for the KTW Christmas Cheer Fund.
“The students have had a great time,” Doan said.
Doan and the Western Karate Academy have been raising money for the Christmas Cheer Fund for more than a decade.
After this year’s results, the organization has raised a total of $102,325 over the past 16 years, all while teaching the value of giving to the academy’s students.
For many students, the generosity doesn’t end there
Top money-raisers get to choose prizes that have been donated by local businesses. Doan said many of the kids at the academy will use those prizes as Christmas gifts for friends or family instead of rewarding themselves.
“The idea is they get Christmas presents to give away,” Doan said. “That’s what some kids’ motivation is.”
With thousands of dollars of donated prizes available, every student who participated will likely get something for their hard work.
The kickathon has had a tremendous amount of support from the community, both in cash donations and prizes for the students, and Doan thinks there are a few reasons for that.
“I don’t know where I read it,” he said. “It was probably about a year ago or two years ago. They said the number one reason people who don’t usually give to charity don’t give because nobody asked them.”
With a few weeks still left to donate to the Cheer Fund, Doan is encouraging those who have not yet supported the cause to consider chipping in.
“It’s a great way to enhance your mental well-being at any time of the year,” he said.
“But at Christmas, that much more. There is no better feeling in giving your money to someone who has less than you do. And there are a lot of people out there with less. If you haven’t tried it, I’d say give it a try.”
Donations can be made online at kamloopsthisweek.com/cheer or at KTW’s office, 1365B Dalhousie Dr.
