A Busy 2009 for Northern Kentucky Kendo

Here are some of the highlights for 2009. At the recent Youth Kendo Tournament held at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Justas Jodelle won two medals for third place. He won one medal for individual honors in the 13 to 15 year old age group. His second medal was for team competition. Justas was on a mixed team with members of the Cleveland Japanese School Kendo Club.

The Club performed a number of Kendo demonstrations. We performed for the Kenton County Library's Youth Japanese Club. Most of the events we performed, were recorded for broadcast as a local sports event on Insight Cable TV, in Northern Kentucky, and Columbus Ohio. A number of our regular classes were recorded for broadcast as well. Our thanks to Chris George, and Danessa Smith from the University of Cincinnati Kendo Club for their help. From Northern Kentucky Kendo Club; Bill Baker, Don Collins, Maria Collins, Gerald Meade, Mark Clark, Roland Figgs, and Justas Jodelle.

We had a number of Iaido events as well. Gerald and I performed at the Kenton County Library. Chris and Roland performed with us during taping of our regular class at the Corryville Rec Center in Cincinnati.

I was invited again this year to be a guest instructor for the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) at their regional "March Madness" seminar held at Northern Kentucky University. The SAFD teaches actors stage combat techniques for use on stage, television and movies. Roland and I were invited back for their summer session to teach a class on empty hand techniques.

A couple individual honors: First, Gerald has been granted a teaching license to teach Muso Jikiden Eishen Ryu style of Iaido. He continues to promote this style of Iaido to groups east of the Mississippi.

Second, I was invited by the Kenton County Library to pose for a poster for their READ program. Assisting me in the poster is Bailey Peterson of Premier Martial Arts in Florence Kentucky. Bailey won a scholastic award as one of the top elementary students in the country. The poster will be on display at the library through next year.

Finally, congratulations to everyone who passed testing for rank in 2009!

Jim Atkins

Winter is Coming- Winter hours are back at Corryville

Cooler temperatures are back in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. It's time to go back to winter hours for Wednesday evenings 2009 at the Corryville Recreation Center in Cincinnati. Iaido class starts at 6:00pm until 7:00pm. Kendo class begins at 7:00pm and lasts until 8:45. We need to be out of the building for closing by 9:00pm. We will move back into the dance studio for class.

Class times for Sunday morning at the Step 'N Out studio in Covington KY are the same. No changes.

-Jim

TIME CHANGE FOR WEDNESDAY EVENING CLASS

Wednesday evening classes at the Corryville Rec Center will be during the new Summer hours. The doors will be open at 6:30 pm. From 6:30 pm 'till 7:00 pm we'll have an Open floor available for personal practice, stretching and a short Iaido class with a Seitei Kata review. Kendo class will start at 7:00pm until 8:45 pm.

KENDO AND IAIDO DEMONSTRATION

Saturday June 20 at 2:00pm, we have been invited to perform a Kendo and Iaido demonstration at the Kenton County Library located at 502 Scott street in Covington KY. The library is just a couple blocks from Step 'N Out studio where we practice on Sundays. The event is a Japanese cultural festival for their teen program. The festival lasts from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm, with our 30 minute performance beginning at 2:00 on the main floor inside the building. They will have a table for us under a tent in the parking lot, so if you can either come early or stay late, please come and talk with the people who will stop by with questions at our table.

-Jim

Dues and Fees for 2009

Hi everyone, I would like to give you information on the dues and fees for the Northern Kentucky Kendo Club for 2009. I will go over the local Dojo monthly dues first, then if you would like to attend a regional practice, national practice, test for rank or practice in a dojo other than the Northern Kentucky Kendo Club, you will need to pay the once-a-year fees for both the All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF), and the region's fee for the East Central United States Kendo Federation (ECUSKF).

First off, the basic local monthly dues for the Northern Kentucky Kendo Club are $35. The monthly dues should be paid to either me (Jim Atkins), or Gerald Meade, no later than the 10th day of each month. Dojo dues must be paid each month for you to practice. If you will be out of town or unavailable for a month; maybe you have a "personal situation" brewing, speak to Gerald or myself about a waiver for the month. As you know, we practice Sunday mornings in Covington Ky and Wednesday evenings in Cincinnati at the Corryville Recreation Center. The Corryville Rec Center is a public facility. As a result, you will also need to complete a membership at the Corryville Center and obtain a membership card. If you cannot make it to Corryville to fill out the paperwork, speak to Gerald or me. Once you are a member at Corryville, you can participate in the programs and facilities the have available, in addition to our club practice there.

Secondly, to attend a regional practice, national practice, test for rank, or practice in a dojo other than the Northern Kentucky Kendo Club, you will need to pay regional and national dues. When you pay this once-a-year fee, your national and regional membership is good from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009

**Make you checks payable to the Northern Kentucky Kendo Club**

Membership Fee
AUSKF
Adult $40.00 (18 years old and over)
Youth $25.00 (17 years old and under)

ECUSKF
Adult $25.00 (18 years old and over)
Student $10.00
Youth $10.00 (17 years old and under)

***Please have your regional and national dues paid to the Dojo by February 15th, 2009***
If you intend to practice ONLY with the Northern Kentucky Kendo Club, you will only pay local Dojo monthly dues

Jim Atkins