Photo courtesy of Champions Martial Arts LIC.
Aug. 22, 2024 By Shane O’Brien
A Long Island City martial arts school is hosting a school supply giveaway over the weekend. The school will provide 100 free school supply kits to local schoolchildren.
Champions Martial Arts Long Island City, located at 49-15 Vernon Blvd., is giving away basic school supplies from 2 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, and from 9:45 p.m. until 12 noon on Saturday, Aug. 24.
The martial arts school has prepared 100 school supply kits for the event, and more than 90 people have already registered for a free kit online.
Anyone wishing to receive a free supply kit for their child is advised to promptly fill out an online registration form before supplies run out.
Each supply kit includes notebooks, folders, pencils, crayons and gluesticks all purchased by the martial arts school.
Master William Dobie, Head Master at Champions Martial Arts LIC, said the martial arts school has sought to have an impact in the local community ever since it opened in Long Island City in 2021, organizing a number of food and clothing drives over the past three years.
The upcoming giveaway marks the first time that the martial arts school has provided free school supply kits to local schoolchildren.
“We just want to play a role in the community a little bit more,” Dobie said. “It (the school supply giveaway) is just something that we always wanted to do.
“I’ve been seeing other people do school supply giveaways and I thought it was the perfect time to have this event.”
Champions Martial Arts launched the school supply giveaway on Aug. 9, inviting local community members to register for free school supply kits.
Dobie said hundreds of children have attended Champions Martial Arts since the school opened on Vernon Boulevard three years ago. He paid tribute to the local community for welcoming the school to the area and added that community outreach is a significant part of the school’s ethos.
“It’s a very family-centered neighborhood, and it’s always good to just play a role and be a part of the community,” Dobie said.
