Martial arts school and local businesses raise $1,240 for food pantry

WARWICK — When you think of most martial arts schools you think of punching, kicking and fighting.

You don’t normally think about selflessness, charity and community.

“When my wife Teresa and I opened the doors to UMAC almost 20 years ago we made a decision to give back to the community we live in” said Grand Master Edmund Ciarfella Jr., president and CEO of UMAC. "Every year for the past 20 years UMAC has done fund raisers for D.A.R.E. Child Help, M.D.A and the Warwick Food Pantry."

This holiday season UMAC raised $1,240 - plus a large quantity of food.

United Martial Arts Centers joined forces with local businesses and offered a special gift: a “Belt in a Bag” Two weeks of Classes, a white belt, and a drawstring equipment bag for a $5 donation.

This year many local businesses made additional contributions to the “Bag.” Fetch Bar and Grill 10 percent off any dinner; Village Billiards offered a free drink with a pool table rental; La Petite Cuisine offered a free crepe; Apple a Day offered one hour of organization; Sunny’s Nail Salon provided a 10 percent off nail treatments; Giant Copy had 10 percent off T-shirt order, and many more.

This brings the value of the Belt in the Bag to $500 for a $5 donation to the Warwick Food Pantry.

The money will go toward buying a local family in need a holiday dinner and gifts.