Every year my Karate students have the opportunity to earn their American Flag patch by conducting an “Act of Patriotism”. This year we have been invited this Saturday, September 8, 2012 to participate in the 9th Annual Patriot’s Award Banquet by leading in song "God Bless America”.
After the song, students will presented their earned American Flag patch by Sergeant Garcia, US Marine Corp, and Former Norwalk Mayor and Korean War Veteran, Mr. Jesse Luera.
This is a very important tradition in our Karate Dojo since our mainland teachers are U.S. War Veterans who brought Karate from Okinawa to the United States. My Karate Instructor Jim Richardson is a Navy Veteran and my U.S. Karate Master, Tony Sandoval, is the second highest decorated enlisted man in the Marine Corp and was the Hand-to-hand Combat Drill Instructor for Force Recon for over 30 years.
Our Karate Grand Master Fusei Kise is still teaching US Marines on Bases on Okinawa. http://www.kenshin-kan.com/instructors/hanshi-fusei-kise/ . Before him,Great Grandmaster O’Sensei Hohan Soken (5-25-1889 to 11-30-1982) was the sole inheritor of his family’s secret Okinawan Karate System, Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito. In 1952, he began to teach non-family and to select US Military personnel his families secret martial art.
So, this is our tradition of honoring our history, our line of teachers and showing respect for all they endured to give us the privilege of studing this art of Okinawan Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito Karate-Do. My students are our countries third generation of Karate students.
Details:
When: Saturday, September 8, 2012
Time: 10:00 am sharp
Where: American Red Cross Building
6706 S. Friends Ave
Whittier, CA 90601
(Uptown Whittier, Near corner of Bailey & Friends, across from central park. )
Students should start practicing the song: God Bless America:
God bless America,
Land that I love,
Stand beside her and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above;
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America,
My home, sweet home.
God bless America,
My home, sweet home.
