The Carmi Rotary met off-site on Thursday as the group assembled at the Carmi Taekwondo Center on Main Street.
New Rotarian Patty Mills had the program for the day, and invited the members to meet at CTC to get a quick look at the facility and a short demo of what is being taught there.
Patty explained to the Rotarians that the Carmi Center has been in business since 2004, when Master Ryan Marx opened on main street. Master Marx is an 8th degree black belt who started Taekwondo when he was eight years old, staying active and advancing for the past 32 years. Patty told the club that she is a fourth degree black belt, and didn’t start Taekwondo until she was 51 years old!
The Carmi “Do Jang” has various levels for students. The youngest begin at age four, remaining in the club until they are six. This group meets once a week for thirty minutes, and Patty said that it is a lot like herding cats, but that the kids love the action and are extremely enthusiastic to learn.
Next, the youth group kicks off with kids seven years old, meeting twice per week. There are also advanced classes open to all ages, a black-belt club, and an adult club meeting at various times through the week. One of the newer classes being taught is a Krav Maga class in self-defense.
The CTC also offers a ladies kick boxing class on Saturday mornings, and is open to other group classes of five or more. Private lessons are also available upon request.
Parents and Grandparents can hold birthday parties at the downtown location, which can be much better than having to travel to Evansville for a party.
For more information on the Carmi Taekwondo Center, contact Ryan Marx at 384-2884 or drop by the center to observe an actual class.
In club business, plans are being made for the Spring Trivia contest. This year’s spring event will be held on Saturday, March 7th at the American Legion in Carmi. As in year’s past, teams need to be made up of four players each, entry fee is just forty dollars per team. There will be four rounds of ten questions, with questions from categories such as: Pop culture, history, sports, the Bible, food, geography, and more. There will be cash prizes awarded to the top three teams, and there will be plenty of food and drink available for players and spectators. The first question will be asked at six pm, and the night should wrap up around eight.
The Carmi Rotary club meets every Thursday at noon at the First United Methodist Church on Main Street in Carmi. Anyone wishing to learn more about this civic organization is welcome to attend a meeting or speak with any Carmi Rotarian.
Story provided by Randy Adams
