Karate Punchers Push Paper for Peace

Boston (Allston) MA — Accustomed to throwing punches and kicks during their classes, the karate students at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts in Boston's Allston neighborhood are trying something completely different: they're working on sending out a message of peace. As part of a dojo (karate school) community service project led by Brown Belt candidate Greg Mudarri, the students are attempting to fold 1,000 origami paper cranes in time to send them to Hiroshima to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on that city, which is coming up on August 6.

To successfully pass their test for Brown Belt, the students at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts are required to conceive of, plan, and lead a community service project of their own choosing to demonstrate their character, leadership ability, and their commitment to community.

"Greg's project is incredibly ambitious," says Sensei Jason Gould, chief instructor at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts. "In this day and age, it's also incredibly important. Greg's efforts and leadership speak volumes about the nonviolent philosophy behind our martial arts training, and I'm very proud of him."

To help him reach the goal of 1,000 folded paper cranes, Mudarri has enlisted the aid of local school children. Over the past two months, he has been teaching crane folding in a number of elementary schools in Boston and in his hometown of North Andover. Part of Mudarri's origami lesson includes relating the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who contracted leukemia from the Hiroshima bombing radiation. Sadako did not survive her illness, but she folded over 1,000 paper cranes in hopes that her illness would be cured. And today, the paper crane is known around the world as a symbol of peace. To date, Mudarri has collected several hundred cranes for the project.

"To try to do a movement for world peace is so hard, but it's similar to recycling," Mudarri says. "Everyone can do their part to make a difference."

Anyone wishing to contribute to the dojo's peace project is invited to contact Sensei Jason Gould at (617) 230-1973.

Martial Artists Help House Boston’s Elderly Homeless

BOSTON, MA – Collaborating with Hearth, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides shelter and services for the community’s elderly homeless, karate students from Boston’s Emerald Necklace Martial Arts are volunteering to renovate a housing unit in the city’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Working side-by-side with other volunteers from across the city, the karate students hope to see the project — which involves light demolition, painting, and cleaning -- completed by mid-December.

"Truly, we could not have made this a reality without the help of these volunteers,” said Jennifer Bonardi, Associate Director of Grants and Volunteer Manager at Hearth, Inc. “Thanks to them, 14 elders will be coming off of the streets of Boston and into a home for good this winter."

The students at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts regularly participate in community service activities as part of their Black Belt training. In order to earn their Brown Belts, students at the dojo (karate school) are required to conceive of, plan, and lead their own community service project.

Coordinating the Hearth service project for the dojo was the idea of Brown Belt candidate Joe Polcari. “I have a special place in my heart for the elderly,” Polcari says. “In America, they are often overlooked. Like most of us, I sometimes take my situation for granted, and I can’t imagine what it’s like to feel the pain of old age without a roof over my head.”

“In addition to teaching the physical aspects of karate at our school, we heavily emphasize developing character, and fostering a sense of community,” says Sensei Jason Gould, Dojo Director and Chief Instructor. “During this project, we’re helping to build community in a very literal sense, and it’s a fantastic feeling knowing that our efforts here will have a direct and significant impact on people’s lives.”

Other community service projects recently launched by Brown Belt candidates at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts include developing a free self-defense program for women, organizing a day of service at an urban food pantry, and collecting toys for needy children during the holiday season.