Mark Preread taught every facet of martial arts since he started teaching at Hollister in 2006. While Preader, the founder of the Enterprise Academy of Martial Arts, said it is important to learn the physical skills of martial arts , he also wants his students to understand that martial arts is “not just punches and kicks.”

“It’s taking your special power that you have and using it for good, and it’s being the best person you can be,” he explained.

Preader provided a learning opportunity for his students on October 30, when the academy hosted its kick-a-thon fundraiser, the third annual Thanksgiving Basket Brigade, to benefit the County of County Community Food Bank. San Benito. From 10 o’clock, several stations with punching mats were set up for students to kick while parents count the kicks.

In 2019, the school’s kick-a-thon raised nearly $ 2,500. Last year it brought in $ 4,100. This year it brought in $ 4,872.

All funds will go to the Community Food Bank to provide Thanksgiving meals to families in San Benito County.

“The goal is to hit 540 kicks in a group, which takes about an hour and a half,” Preader explained. “Children kick to help feed the needy, and every kick they give is for their promise or donation. So they work for what they do.

About twenty students aged 4 to 12 took part in the event. Families and students who were unable to participate, but who still received donations, have already raised over $ 1,500.

Kat Nobile’s son, Emmitt, 6, joined the academy two months ago.

“He was very excited [about the kick-a-thon], “she said.” We made a video to send to our family with him in his uniform, saying, “Sponsor me please. My academy is raising funds for families in need.

Nobile is particularly impressed with this type of fundraising event in which her son is involved.

“They had to work for it, which I think is great,” she said. “Then they will have seen the finished product and will see the person who should have the final product. I thought that was a really different idea than a fundraiser: giving back to the community.

Sarah Nordwick, director of the community food bank, said the agency plans to distribute between 1,500 and 2,000 turkeys to families in need for Thanksgiving.

“I don’t know if this will be enough for everyone, but I hope that with more donations we can give more,” she said.

She said the number of people served by the food bank has tripled since the start of the pandemic and the amount of food and donations received by the food bank during that time has declined.

“So things like this are very helpful to us,” she said of the kick-a-thon.

The last two Thanksgiving Basket Brigade fundraisers have asked Preader to shop on his own to fill each one basket with a Thanksgiving meal for four that included turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and more.

“It has become extremely difficult to do it now because you are trying to buy meals for 200 families,” he said.

This year, the academy partnered with the Community Food Bank “to Streamline Things” for its annual fundraiser.

Nordwick said the Community Food Bank has partners and networks to buy food, which allows it to buy at a discount.

“Because of the mass and volume of food that we buy, we are able to stretch that dollar a little more so that we can buy more food,” Norwick said. “So the power of a dollar is pretty great. But we always appreciate food donations as well.

She said that a day will be established where students can distribute the food baskets to customers directly. It used to be on Thanksgiving Day.

Preader said drive-thru will be provided to families and members of the academy will place baskets in each vehicle.

“For them to see it will be a really powerful thing.

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