Hello everyone!
First things first–I apologize to anyone who received any unnecessary notice(s) about the dojo being closed these past few weeks, or if you received a duplicate email of our first almost-monthly newsletter (which you can check out here, if you didn’t get it at all!). I’m still getting used to this “blog turned to email” thing. Thanks for your patience and understanding–it should now be fixed!
Fun fact: the featured image for this newsletter is the my office calendar’s February image. Don’t I wish?
Anyway, onto our “almost-monthly” newsletter!
Events
The tea ceremony that we had a few Saturdays back was a great success! It was wonderful to be able to enjoy tea with all of you. As requested/promised, here is Sam’s info if you want to order tea or get in contact:
Cafe Tamaki
1222 Peck St.
Muskegon, MI 49442
517-260-1915
www.cafetamaki.com
cafetamaki@gmail.com
We also have a few Cafe Tamaki brochures at the dojo, should you want a hard copy of this information. Again, thank you to all who braved the weather to join us for tea!
Tacos and Trivia
Mark your calendars! Our next Community Event will be Tacos and Trivia on Saturday, May 2nd, at 5pm! Bring your family members and friends or join with other dojo members to form a trivia team, then compete while enjoying a taco bar. I look forward to seeing you all there!
Free Friend February
Speaking of friends, we are hosting Free Friend February! This month, bring any friend(s) to the dojo as many times as you want for free! To make things fun, I will be awarding a $20 gift card to choice to whoever brings the most friends. February is often cold and dark, so what better way to combat that than with the warmth and light of our karate community?
Black Belt Testing
Our Black Belt Testing date is February 28th at 10am! Come and cheer on Jason G. and John N., then celebrate with CAKE afterwards!
If you are attending as a non-testing black belt, this event requires formal attire! That means an all-white gi and your black belt. Everyone else, feel free to show up in whatever’s comfortable, provided that it is not “no pants.” Socks may be optional, but you must wear pants while in the dojo.
Reminders and Updates
New Members
We have some people who have just joined or who are doing trial classes this month. If you see someone that you don’t know, introduce yourself! Who knows–you might just meet your new BFF!
A Journey, Not a Destination
The holidays, sickness, and the weather threw a lot of people out of the habit of regular karate practice. Life gets busy, and sometimes it can feel hard to come back into the dojo feeling like you don’t remember things or that you’ve somehow “lost progress.”
I just want to remind everyone that this is a JOURNEY! Never hesitate to reach out if you’re unsure about coming back in or need some help scheduling practice time that works for you outside of our regularly posted hours. Know that you have support!
Community Corner
Help with a Move
One of our community members is moving! If you have any time to help move items into a truck on Thursday, February 12th, please contact me for details and for connection! This member lives near the dojo, for reference on travel.
Happy Early (Or Late) Birthday to Our Dojo Members!
If you see these folks around the dojo, make sure to wish them a happy birthday month!
- Michelle K.
- Riley W.
- Joe N.
- Allison H.
Do you have something that you’d like the community to know–a life update, a need, or an offer for connection? Let me know, and I’ll put it in next month’s newsletter!
Thank you, as always, for being along for this wild ride. I really appreciate every last one of you!
Sensei Allison