Chosun Taekwondo Academy raises funds for Lions Club holiday party

WARWICK — Twenty-two members of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy Leadership Team, along with directors Cheryl Crouchen, Pam Pyke and Nadine Desiderio, recently collected over $3,000 in donations for the Warwick Lions Club. Funds were used to purchase dozens of toys and clothing items which were then gift-wrapped by team members and distributed to local-area, underprivileged children and their families during the annual Lions Club Holiday Party held on Dec. 14 at the Warwick Reformed Church. The Chosun Leadership Team, along with Lions Club coordinator Claire Gabelmann and Lions Club members decorated the facility in preparation for the festivities.

“The Chosun team and their directors were nothing short of amazing," said Gabelmann, chairperson for the holiday project. "They were well organized in their fundraising efforts and while shopping for children in need. We were thoroughly impressed by their abilities and enthusiasm. Without a doubt, the project could not have been a success without the help of the Chosun Leadership Team.”

Master Doug Cook, owner and head instructor of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy, described the volunteer program as “a vehicle within the framework of our school where young martial artists cultivate leadership skills while providing humanitarian services to our community at large. Time and time again these young people have demonstrated their maturity and compassion in successfully meeting these goals.”

Earlier events sponsored by the Chosun Leadership Team have included refurbishing plantings in the Warwick Town Park, village beautification, and assistance with tree planting, providing home-cooked meals for area residents through the Warwick Community Kitchen, generating funds for the Brian Ahearn Children’s Fund, the Warwick Historical Society, the Warwick Humane Society, and the Warwick Ambulance Corp.

For information about classes in taekwondo and hatha yoga offered by the Chosun Taekwondo Academy, located at 62 Main St. in Warwick, call 845-986-2288, or visit their Web site at www.chosuntkd.com.