Balanced Life Skills Martial Arts

I want to share with you a clip from a documentary being done about this wonderfully strong, gentle, beautiful woman who has practiced judo her entire life.  The film maker needs some support to complete the film.  I personally believe this is a film that must be completed. I hope you are able to help.  Please in addition to anything that you can contribute, join with me in writing to Oprah to see if she will help get this film completed.  This is a moving story of dedication, perseverance and love for the art.

This film was brought to my attention by my instructor Mr. Tom Callos.  This is what he wrote:

1000 Letters to Oprah about Judo 9th Dan Black Belt, Kieko Fukuda. Will you Help?

Would you be so kind as to help us write 1000 letters to Ms. Oprah Winfrey –urging her to seek out 96 year old Keiko Fukuda. There is a documentary in the works about Sensei Fukuda’s extraordinary life-story, Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful. Here is a clip:

I have not watched the film once, without being moved to tears.

The filmmaker is Ms. Yuriko Romer of www.flyingcarp.net.

Here is the information you will need to participate:

Send a letter to her at the Oprah Winfrey show:

To Ms. Oprah Winfrey

C/O: The Oprah Winfrey Show

110 North Carpenter Street,

Chicago, Illinois 60607

Dear Ms. Winfrey,

Sensei Keiko Fukuda is now a 9th degree black belt in judo, at age 96, and the first women to ever be awarded that title. She was a student of judo’s founder, Jigoro Kano –and still teaches classes three times a week. A filmmaker, Ms. Yuriko Romer, is making a documentary film about Sensei Fukuda, “Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful,” which may be seen both on youtube and at www.flyingcarp.net.

Remarkably, Ms. Romer first heard about Sensei from your magazine. As time is of the essence, I urge you to seek out Ms. Romer and Sensei Fukuda, as Sensei’s story is compelling and wonderful. She is, quite literally, “living history.”

Thank you for taking the time to consider this request.

Love and respect,

Tom Callos

————–

Of course, you may alter the letter any way you see fit. I’ve already sent an e-mail to Oprah’s show –and several people are mining their connections to people they know –who may be able to get through.

Please show and share one or both of the film clips (Be Strong, Be Gentle, Be Beautiful) to your friends and students, and let’s send 1000 letters to Oprah as a show of respect for this icon of martial arts self-discipline and history.

THANK YOU.

Tom Callos

If you would like to contribute to this project here is the link.

http://documentaries.org/cid-films/be-strong/

I personally have contributed to this project and sent a letter to Oprah.  This is living history. She is a living Hero!

This is a great video for youth or adults.  It will make you stop and think about why you are here on this earth.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  It truly makes me smile.  I must give credit to Tom Callos for sharing it with all of his students too.  That was very kind.  It is important that when we learn something of value, when we are trying to practice something that we share it with each other.  Enjoy!

An interview conducted by my instructor Tom Callos with Julia Butterfly Hill in regard to her work on a project called “What is your Tree?”
Interview
What she talks about in this interview is what our school is all about.  Please feel free to comment on this.

• There are 22 million Americans with diabetes
• 7 million of them do not know it
• 54 million are at risk for developing the disease
• The cost each year here in America – $225 BILLION

Two months ago I was completely clueless when it came to this disease. Oh I had heard of it, but honestly did not know anyone who dealt with it. Or at least I did not think that I did. In fact there were individuals all around me that did. Quietly, without complaint, going about what they did with great courage.
My instructor, Mr. Tom Callos, suggested that we should be teaching our students and the community about this disease. So I started to learn about it and found out that it is manageable, but requires constant attention. That is why we put the program together we talked about earlier and we will be doing the walk with Chris and his family.
Will you join us? I hope you can. In the next few months, together with some of the interested students and adults here at Balanced Life Skills, we will try to create a program and video to do more with the education of others about this disease. In the meantime please look at the Defeat Diabetes Foundation’s website for more information, including a screening test. As Andy Mandell says, “The only thing worse than finding out you have diabetes, IS NOT FINDING OUT.”
Balanced Life Skills is committed to teaching self defense beyond the physical. We are working on curriculum with others to address stress, anger management, environmental issues, apathy, consumption, and of course Teaching Peace.