Tae Kwon Do enthusiasts gathered yesterday in Swift Current to raise funds for a good cause.

The Swift Current Christian Tae Kwon Do Club held their fourth annual "Breaking Boards, Breaking Chains" fundraiser, a chance for students aged 4 to 64 to practice their skills and break boards for a cause.

Gary Voysey is the owner of the Club. He says all the funds raised go to a very important cause.

"IJM (International Justice Mission] is a non-profit organization involved with freeing human slaves and stopping the trafficking and sex trade," he said. "One of my old instructors came up with the idea that being martial artists, we should be about freedom and justice. Out there in the world, we know there are groups out there, especially in the third-world countries, where they don't have the resources, so there are victims of sexual abuse.

"There's no police, no government, no politicians, so we wanted to help IJM, who does go in there, and work with local authorities to free these people."

This was the Club's fourth ever event, and its biggest fundraising goal to date.

"Every year, we've been building ever since," he said. "This morning, we were at 10,500. Our target goal was 10,000, which is a blessing from God. Swift Current and the area is just so generous and so giving, which speaks volumes about the community we live in."

All participants had a chance to tackle two different types of boards based on skill level. Great Plains College donated the smaller boards, and Trailview Builders donated the bigger boards. Voysey says both present an opportunity for kids to challenge themselves and their skill levels.

"They learn a lot, they gain a whole lot of confidence," he said. "When they realize they can break a board, they walk out feeling pretty good."

 

Update, April 25- Voysey says the total amount raised at the event is $12,000