Cookie Dough Fundraiser

Pick-Up is on by Monday, March 12th, 2012 

Please come between 4 and 5. Please be on time.

Temple of Martial Arts (TOMA) is a non-profit organization geared toward the inner-city youth. Martial arts classes are a great way for children to release extra energy in a safe and constructive environment. The highly trained staff at the Temple of Martial Arts channels the students’ energy in a positive way while teaching personal life skills such as self-discipline, respect, and courtesy.

This program began in November of 2009. At this time, we have an active roster of 50 students, ranging in ages from 4-15 years old. We recently formed a competition team with 14 competitors from the Temple of Martial Arts. To become a member of the team the students need to achieve A’s/B’s in school and receive positive reports from their teachers, as well as their parents.

The students attended their first tournament on May 15th in Roxbury, MA. The majority of our competitors placed 1st – 3rd.  Not bad for our first tournament!  On May 22nd, the students competed in another tournament in the Boston area. Out of the eight students that attended, six received 1st place (5 ft.) trophies, and two placed 2nd. We were very proud of all the competitors.  Eventually our goal is for the students to compete at the national level across the U.S.

As of June 10, 2011, the Temple of Martial Arts received its Non-Profit status 501 (c)(3). We are in the process of seeking federal and/or private funding. The parents have held a few fundraisers to help buy uniforms and equipment for our students, such as the T.O.M.A fish fry, a Kick-a-thon, raffle tickets, and poker tournaments. These fundraisers contribute to buying uniforms and equipment for our students. We at the Temple of Martial Arts truly appreciate all of the help the members of the community have given us. 

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK!

Below is a link to the Poker Night flyer. (The link below will not work if you do not have Publisher) 

poker night

The Board of Directors would like to take this time to thank you for supporting the students who participate in Temple of Martial Arts. We are raising money to open a Karate center in memory of Master Sonny Dee Daniels. For those of you who did not have the privilege of knowing Master Sonny Dee, his whole life was focused on working with inner city youths. He was always willing to do his part in society to help keep kids off the streets.

The money raised will be used to open a center as a tribute to his name. The center will offer free lessons to underprivileged youths of Boston and have an after school program that will provide a tutor to help students with homework before their Martial Arts classes.

We are currently working toward receiving a federal grant to fund the center. Your help is needed too to make Master Sonny Dee’s dream a reality by making a donation and by sponsoring our tournaments.

BACK TO TOP

Master Sonny Dee Daniels history in Martial Arts spans more than 40 years. Originally from Newark, New Jersey, in 1974 or ’75 he made Boston his new home. BACK TO TOP

Master Sonny Dee took strides toward becoming a leader in martial arts with humble beginnings as an instructor with the small class of 8 to 12 students at Martial Arts, the school on Columbia Road that he founded.

In late ‘75 Master Sonny Dee opened his first commercial Dojo on Blue Hill Avenue, in Mattapan. He had a different style of teaching youth and adults. During that time he was developing his own system, B.A.D. (Black Art of Deception). From there the studio moved to the piano building in the South End of Boston. Then he opened the main Dojo, the “Temple of Martial Arts”, on the corner of Morton and Norfolk. The Dojo was in an old school building and he rented out four rooms. One room was the game room for kids to enjoy after- school activities, another room was the beginner dojo (white and yellow belts). The second floor was for the green belts, and the third floor was for the brown and black belts. Sonny had a vision that was ahead of his time. He had over 300 students training with him and over 40 of them were black belts. When he would go to national tournaments, he would bring 75-100 students and more than half would come back with an award. Sonny changed the rules of full contact fighting back then. BACK TO TOP

In his career, Master Sonny Dee trained over 5,000 students. He received recognition in the book Who’s Who in Karate , and honorary recognition from government officials such as Governor Ed King who proclaimed May 1, 1981 Sonny Daniels Day. Senator S. Pollard, Bill Owens, State Rep. Royal Bolling, and Mayor Kevin White also recognized him for his outstanding accomplishments working with the inner city youth in the Boston area. He was a truly humble man and accepted these awards on behalf of his students and for the love of Martial Arts. BACK TO TOP

The dedication and commitment that Master Sonny Dee put forward has given us all the strength to persevere and try to continue his legacy under the “Temple of Martial Arts”.