Local Children Learn That Kindness is the Ultimate Self Defense

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 30, 2009 --
Warren, Mi – According to local karate instructor Andrea Strecker, the martial arts are about a lot more than punches, kicks, and blocks. To help make that point to students at Great Oaks Academy last week, Strecker spent two days teaching them about martial arts philosophy, most specifically about kindness.

“Kindness is, really, the ultimate self-defense,” says Strecker. To make her point clear, Strecker challenged all of the school’s classes to an acts of kindness contest. For 30 days students will be performing and recording acts of kindness; the class that completes the most acts will win some prizes.


“It’s not just about kindness, it’s also about the power of little acts and how they can add up to be big accomplishments,” says Andrea. “By working together to reach their goal, the students will get a lesson in teamwork as well.”


The program was created by Andrea’s husband, Denny Strecker, chief instructor of Denny Strecker’s Karate. Strecker loves the project at Great Oaks Academy, but he has his eyes on an even bigger goal. “I’m shooting for a million acts of kindness in the Warren area in the next five years.”

According to Strecker, the Random Acts of Kindness Challenge started in 2004 and has continued to grow each year. So far, the program has been a catalyst for over 40,000 acts of kindness, most of them completed by his karate students between the ages of 4 and 15.

“Just this year, we expanded our program to include local elementary schools.” says Strecker. “It took some time to get the administrators to understand what acts of kindness had to do with karate, but now they’re very enthusiastic.”


Andrea is scheduled to return to Great Oaks Academy at the beginning of June to see how many acts the students have completed. For more information on program or to get your own acts of kindness challenge started, contact Mr. Denny Strecker at

(586) 573-3881.

Acts of Kindness     Denny Strecker s Karate