Valuable lessons for life and self defense
By Danielle Abbott
The city of Washburn offers so many different options for its residents. From businesses, organizations and clubs, the community has countless options for spending their time, and enjoying their evenings. One of the near-hidden gems of the Washburn area is the Tae Kwon Do program. Though many residents have seen children and adults scurrying into the Memorial Building on Monday nights, dressed in their white Tae Kwon Do uniforms, many people have never seriously considered joining the program. Whether you never thought Tae Kwon Do was for you, or you have considered joining but are too intimidated to make that step; now is the perfect time to get started. Instructor and second degree black belt, Charles Smith has run the program in Washburn since its grand opening last November. A year after the program opened its doors and offered its services to the community, Smith is pleased with the results. "This first year is going very well, we have had a great response," Smith said. The school is broken down into two separate programs, the children’s and adult classes. The children’s classes are booming with positive feedback, and about 20 children attend the weekly classes. The adult class has between six and eight participants. "It used to be the other way around, but now we are seeing a lot more kids involved," Smith said. He encourages people of all ages to come and give Tae Kwon Do a try. The benefits of Tae Kwon Do are nearly endless. "Students gain the ability to have confidence and self respect, and they learn how to interact well with other people," Smith said.
