Pandamonium Aftermath

Our 24 hour Pandamonium is finished for another year. I appreciate all the work and commitment shown by so many people to bring an event like this together. Not everyone understands what community activism and charity have to do with kung fu, but it is no coincidence that those who do understand are the most engaged and focused students of the art. This is not a chicken or egg scenario. If you want maximum benefit from an activity, you must have maximum engagement. Success begins with participation.

Our Pandamonium is a fundraising event. Silent River Kung Fu has raised over $100,000 for many causes over the years. That money has fed over 8000 homeless in Katmandu, it has supported our community’s suicide hotline, it has helped fund build projects in Alabama, it has provided education for eight girls in Malawi, it has saved abandoned animals’ lives, it has funded community scholarships, it has saved our community library, it has helped purchase a defibrillator for our fire department, It has purchased specialized equipment for disabled children, the list goes on. There can be no doubt as to the difference this money has made in the lives of others.

A more important goal of our Pandamonium is education. Money can help alleviate the symptoms of a problem but change, lasting change, is accomplished through raising awareness. Taking time to better understand the plight of those you wish to help is a lot more valuable than just throwing money in their direction. I am reminded of this every time we send money to Rhaul Bharti to help the homeless in Nepal and India. Rhaul is always so grateful for our support but he never accepts the money without encouraging me to come to Nepal and participate in the feeding. He wants us to experience first hand what an impact our engagement is having on these people’s lives. Rhaul understands that nothing can better educate a person than direct experience.

I was reminded of the value of experiential learning this weekend. When I was talking with Richard, the Children’s Ability Fund Stony Plain ambassador, I noted the size of his wheelchair. From that small interaction I realized with certain clarity that while our kwoon conforms to all building codes and is ‘wheelchair accessible’, those building codes do not come close to addressing the needs of the disabled. Our sidewalk has ramps to allow wheelchairs to climb the curb but the sidewalk itself is so narrow that it is almost impossible for a wheelchair to make the ninety degree turn into the doorway without falling off the curb. Not to mention that our flower planters next to our door have made the door itself impossible to access with a wheelchair. Change is needed. I am not sure if we can even legally address our wheelchair accessibility issue without contravening a parking lot space code but that does not mean we can’t make a difference on this issue. If we raise enough awareness, we can get building codes changed so future buildings are truly wheelchair accessible.

Change. It is the only thing that is inevitable. Nothing is permanent. We each have the power to influence the change we want and thanks to everyone who participated in our Pandamonium, the world is a little bit brighter this morning.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013)