On Saturday, November 5, twenty four women spent the morning yelling and learning how to punch. This was part of a class geared towards women and teenage girls, to raise awareness of potential dangers and in particular how not to become a victim. Women should always be aware of their surroundings and the people around them. Yelling attracts attention which often discourages attackers, “No, I won’t go with you!” Physical defence such as punching or kicking is a last resort. Learning any kind of martial arts gives confidence. Several participants were interested in setting up workshops for local high school students.
The bilingual class was given by Roland Duval of the University of Ottawa’s “Upper Canada Shotokan Club”, assisted by other members of the karate club. In the photo Roland and Paul are showing participants how to react to being grabbed from behind.
Julie Robert organized the class which was held in the community centre in Luskville. She said, “I was very pleased with the turnout and the way that the instructors kept everything interesting and going smoothly. I will be giving the elementary school in Luskville (École Notre-Dame-de-la-Joie) a $100 cheque for the Breakfast Program - the money left over after paying for the karate club and expenses.”
Photo: Julie Robert
