AKS Quarterly Newsletter

"The Punchline Editorial"
December 2021

The Master's Edge


Christmas Cartoon

2021 has been a little more promising for getting out there to practice Karate. We have all had our hands full with trying to learn to navigate the new normal. Realizing that COVID-19 will be with us in some form or another for years to come, we just need to take precautions like any other infection or disease out there. It's not "political" people. It's your life, health and well-being that should concern you. Do your best to keep yourself, AND OTHERS, safe this coming year. So we all can get back to being somewhat "normal" again.

Be thankful for all your blessings, family, friends, and all the people in your life that make your life happy! The AKS family would like to wish you and your family a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY and HEALTHY 2022!

Blessings & Merry Christmas,
AKS Webmaster
Washing Hands Cartoon

KEEP WASHING YOUR HANDS!

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The DoJo

Dave Thomas
Dave Thomas
8th Dan AKS

Here I Go Again

Hello Black Belts and Students of the American Karate System. I am pleased to announce that I am going to be teaching regular classes again at Cassell Training Center here in Muskegon. I am partnering with Bob Essenberg who owns the dance and gymnastic facility. It is a very nice facility and has several rooms with mirrors that will work well for training. It also has a spring loaded tumbling floor, that should be fun for practicing kicks.

Bob is already working on promoting the class on the Cassell website and on Facebook. Our class will begin on October 15 and, for the time being, meet only on Friday night from 6:30 to 8:00PM.

I can honestly say that I wasn't planning on teaching a regular class again, but I have had great deal of encouragement from home and outside requests. I am looking forward to being back on the floor in uniform. Please feel free to contact me if you have any interest or questions.

Wish me luck,

Dave Thomas
8th Dan

A Little Wisdom

Mark Soderstrom
Mark Soderstrom
3rd Dan AKS

A Tale of Two Guys

by Mark Soderstrom

Title

by Someone

Sandra Gore, 3rd Dan AKS

Promotions

Black Belt Promotions

Tina Benson
5th Dan
Reinecke / Twining Class, Muskegon, Michigan
Sheryl Weihl
5th Dan
Reinecke / Twining Class, Muskegon, Michigan
Kristyn Reinecke
4th Dan
Orchard View Black Belts, Muskegon, Michigan
Mitch Bailey
2nd Dan
American Karate Club, Muskegon, Michigan

John Folsom
8th Dan
Chief Instructor

Salem Karate Club, Salem, West Virginia

Promotions
Somebody
1st Grade Brown
6/24/2019
Somebody
2nd Dan
6/24/2019

Dave Thomas
8th Dan
Chief Instructor

Tri-Cities Family YMCA AKS Karate Club, Grand Haven, MI 49417

Promotions
Ian Clark-Alder
8th Grade Yellow
2/19/2019

E. Jude Gore
7th Dan
Chief Instructor

Mountaineer Karate Club, Meadowbrook, West Virginia

Promotions
Judah Pierson
8th Grade Yellow
12/9/2019

Rand (Skip) Palmer
6th Dan
Chief Instructor

West Toledo YMCA Karate
& Self-Defense Program

Promotions
Alex Tusin
7th Grade Yellow
9/14/2021
Ryan Tusin
7th Grade Yellow
9/14/2021

Mark Soderstrom
3rd Dan
Chief Instructor

Community Shores Karate Club, Muskegon, MI 49441

Promotions
Scott Green
3rd Grade Brown
1/28/2020
Dana Patterson
7th Grade Yellow
2/18/2020
Veronica Bremer
8th Grade Yellow
1/14/2020
Carla Griffes
8th Grade Yellow
1/7/2020
Carson Jasick
8th Grade Yellow
1/21/2020
Dee Jasick
8th Grade Yellow
1/21/2020
Michael Scraver
8th Grade Yellow
1/7/2020

John Billie
2nd Dan
Chief Instructor

Old Town Karate Club, Monongah, West Virginia 26554

Promotions
Shyann Dalton
8th Grade Yellow
6/4/2021
Thomas Martin
8th Grade Yellow
6/4/2021

Jeff Johnson
1st Dan
Chief Instructor

Oklahoma Karate Club, Mustang, Oklahoma

Promotions
Somebody
1st Grade Brown
6/24/2019
Somebody
2nd Dan
6/24/2019

hello2

CONGRATULATIONS to all students who have been promoted this past quarter, and to those we've missed in prior newsletters.

Best wishes in your continued training!

Attention Instructors, if you have students who have been promoted, please send this information so that we may acknowledge their accomplishments.

A.K.S. NEWS . . .


Website Updates

So far so good. Lots of work but our webpages are rendering very nicely on smaller screens. Still much to do, but will eventually cover all pages.

As always, if you have problems with the new design, or have requests or comments, please don't hesitate to email me at   AKS Webmaster

Let's keep the recovery going by adhering to our (un)social-distancing practices. Be diligent in keeping our 6 foot perimeters, washing hands, covering a cough or sneeze, washing hands, staying positive, washing hands, catching up on reading, movies and board games with "also bored" family members, washing hands, wear your masks to the grocery store - and IN the grocery store, washing hands, DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE - or anyone else's! Oh! and WASH YOUR HANDS!! If we are vigilent, we CAN prevent a re-lapse. Let's work together (from 6 feet). We CAN do this!

Laura Werner
AKS Webmaster


AKS Summer Camp 2021

2021 Summer Camp Image


Title


Sydney Brooks


Tournament News

No news for this quarter . . .


2022 Black Belt Membership Dues

Please contact Dave Thomas.


Do You Have Member News ?

Please send news (weddings, births, graduations, etc.) so that we may share with our members and friends.  Accompanying pictures are most welcome!

If you have a concern, question or suggestion, please let us know and we will address it here in the Punchline.

Please send your information to the AKS Webmaster.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Contact Info

AKS Executive Board

Fred Reinecke
far.photo.fred@gmail.com
~
John Folsom  (304) 782-3756
~
Jude Gore
jgore@citynet.net
~
Debra Roy
mr.mrsblackbelt@netzero.net
~
Andrew Eckhart
aeckhart77@gmail.com
~
AKS Executive Board Advisor
Mike Sullenger
kick2aks@yahoo.com

Social Media

PLEASE VISIT US ON EITHER OF OUR
 A.K.S. FACEBOOK PAGES  AT

AKS Facebook Fan Page

AKS Facebook Group

You will need to have a FaceBook Login for the 'Group' link.


AKS Web Addresses

Our Official Web Address:

www.aks-usa.com

In addition:   www.aks-usa.org  or   www.aks-usa.net  will direct you to our website as well.

You can type in    www.aks-usa.info   and you will be taken directly to our "About Us" web page.  Please check us out!!

For Questions or Comments