Aikido, the modern martial art!

Sadly, many professional aikido instructors are without health insurance coverage.  Speaking from personal experience, just keeping the doors of an aikido school open is financially challenging.  Making an adequate living is extremely difficult.  As you all know, health insurance is not cheap and as a person moves into their senior years, the cost continues to climb.  An internationally respected aikido instructor, Mary Heiny Sensei, is without health coverage and in serious need of a hip replacement.  She is a gifted instructor who has devoted her life to the art and to spreading the "path of peace" wherever she ventures.  She is currently walking with a cane and without this operation her days on the mat are drawing to an end.

‘Friends of Mary Heiny’ stepped forward to mobilize the aikido community in financially assisting Heiny Sensei in her time of need.  And I enthusiastically sing their praise.  Through their efforts over $23,000 has been collected.  Beyond the ‘cash’ that has been generously gifted, a surgeon at the University of Northern Illinois has donated his time.  Mary will have her hip replacement on June 3^rd!  Miracles do happen when communities share a vision.

Our students and instructors contributed spare change, 'folding money', and a number of sizeable donations to this community fundraiser.  I sent our check off on Friday.  Lots of progress has been made yet the original financial ‘goal’ is still a little ways off.  I encourage you to check out the links below and if the spirit moves you, make a contribution.

Here are two links where you can read about her life and her work:  www.friendsofmaryheiny.org  and  www.maryheiny.com .

Posted by Skys Sensei.