Proceeds to benefit Women’s Hope Family Clinic
BY KADIE VICK | FOR THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — Red Wolf School of Martial Arts is hosting a Dad’s Day event on June 16 to help teach local families how to protect each other against harmful situations. The event costs $25 and registration ends on June 13.
“The reason that we wanted to do something special for families is because we had noticed that in Auburn there were a couple of situations in which there were attackers to multiple people, and we got to thinking about how important it was for family to protect each other in addition to self defense,” said Red Wolf School co-owner and head coach Elisabethe Allen.
During the seminar, parents will learn how to watch out for their children and protect them in case of an emergency. Through this training, families can build community with other local families.
“We’re going to teach parents how to protect each other, but also how to protect their kiddos when they’re out and about on vacation, getting groceries and things like that,” Allen said.
Children attending will be taught how to escape dangerous situations and other important tactics for staying safe.
“We’ll teach kids to be safe in a situation [such as] an older sibling can take the younger siblings to a closet,” Allen said. “Obviously, we don’t expect kids to be trying to help their parents fend off attackers or anything like that, just good safety practices and awareness for families as they’re out and about together.”
Allen says that in her own family she sees how martial arts and training together has helped promote a deeper bond and respect for each other, and she hopes to bring that same growth to local families.
“I really hope that if we can get some folks out there, it builds a deeper bond between dads and their families,” she said. “With me and my husband and my son, we all train together, and I know that it gives us a greater sense of greater relationship with each.
“Whenever I go to train folks on martial arts, I remember it can offer so many things, not just about defense,” she said. “It’s not just about protecting other people, it’s about self-confidence, self-respect, self-discipline and it also gives you all of those things to be able to deal with the world around you.”
Last month the school hosted a Mom’s day, and it hopes to have an even larger turnout for Dad’s Day. Proceeds from both events go to the Womens Hope Family Clinic and Center.
“When I first found out that I was pregnant with my son, we were in the middle of some hard times, and so I was able to go there [to the Womens Hope Family Clinic and Center] and receive free treatment up to 20 weeks,” Allen said. “And I just really support that. I think it’s awesome what they do.
Red Wolf School of Martial Arts is located at 2900 Wyndham Industrial Drive, Unit G, in Opelika. For more information about beginning martial arts training, visit www.redwolfschoolofmartialarts.com or message the Red Wolf School of Martial Arts on Facebook.