Happy New Year!  We wish all of our members and friends and their families a Healthy and Prosperous 2012.
We are happy to report that for 2011 our organization was able to raise $8,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project.
Because of this lousy economy we fell short of our goal ($10,000), but we are still proud of our effort.  We are immediately starting our fundraiser for 2012.  Of course we will continue to accept donations but we encourage everyone to purchase something from our on-line special section of the DSI Store where GM Pellegrini has donated many valuable Martial Arts items, collectibles and memorabilia.  All proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project.  Thank you for your support and generosity! 

Over 170 students and Instructors attended the 2011 Rocky Mountain Personal Protection Conference held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Denver, Colorado over the weekend of April 16-17.  This was one of the highest attendances ever for an ICHF event (and this in a bad economy!)  Master Steve Materkowski was the host of the event and his team included Instructors Eric Mayes, Bud Brasier (Event Director), Derek Materkowski and Miriam Zoole.  Grandmaster Pellegrini and Masters Gridley and Rivas introduced a seminar format called "Extreme Self Defense" which was "extremely" well received.  GM Pellegrini also conducted a Black Belt only clinic on Hapkido concepts.

An Awards Banquet was also held during Denver Conference on Saturday night.  It was attended by over 90 people and included a celebration of rank promotions for several of the students and Black Belts, as well as other special categories.  GM and Trina Pellegrini were proud to see their 14 year-old son, Frank, receive his First Dan in Combat Hapkido (after nine years of Martial Arts training!!)

This year's Rocky Mountain Personal Protection Conference was also special for another reason.  During the seminars, a silent auction was conducted for Martial Arts memorabilia and collectibles donated by GM P. to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.  The participants responded generously and we raised over $1200!!  Thanks to all of you!! 

Our Wounded Warrior Fundraiser is moving at a slow pace! We urge you to check out the dozens of rare, unique, valuable and exciting Martial Arts collectibles and memorabilia we are giving away in exchange for donations. Some ideas:

• Give one of the items as a present to yourself, the Martial Artist in your family or your Martial Arts friends (birthdays, Christmas, graduations, etc...).
• Get some items and use them for your students awards / rewards (Student of the Month, Black Belt Graduation, prizes for referral program, etc..).
• Use some of the items to give away or raffle at your own school fundraiser for any charity of your choice! By getting some items and auctioning them off at your own event, you'll be doing double charity work!!
• Purchase some items to decorate your own school or home office.
  

Some items are very valuable and require a more substantial donation, but we also have many items very modestly priced.

Please help us get all the items gone by the end of the year so that we can make a difference in the lives of our heroes! Thank you!

We are well aware that the economy is still in the dumps and that's when charitable contributions go down.  Ironically, it is when they are needed the most!  We have made dozens of Martial Arts collectibles and unique memorabilia available to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project.  Also, be aware that you can request any of the items to auction or raffle in your own school or give them as prizes or awards for "kick-a-thons", "break-a-thons" or any other contest, such as student referrals, student of the month, etc.
Please help us help our wounded troops!

While gathering all the collectibles and memorabilia for the Wounded Warrior fundraiser, we found a box with about 50 magazines featuring GM P. on the cover or in a major article such as his induction in the Black Belt Hall of Fame or his tour of Afghanistan. This is truly a rare find: some are one of a kind, out of print collectibles; some are from foreign countries. There is even one from 1991 with GM P. on the cover not as the featured Martial Artist but as the recipient of a kick!

We have decided to make these magazines available for the "Wounded Warrior Project" fundraiser in "Grab Bag" style:

• Each pack will have 5 different magazines.
• Each magazine will be personally autographed by GM P.
• Each pack will have a random selection. You cannot "choose" which magazines are in the pack.
• For these great collectibles we are asking for a Wounded Warrior donation of only $30 per pack (plus shipping of $12).
• Hurry!! Only 10 packs available!

Since 2007 we have raised $45,000.00 for the Wounded Warrior Project.  We are starting 2011 with this new idea that we believe will help us have our best year yet! GM P. is donating dozens of personal Martial Arts items, collectibles and memorabilia accumulated over the years.  Every dollar received will go to the Wounded Warrior Project.  Please help us in this worthy endeavor.  Show your gratitude to the men and women who have sacrificed so much for all of us by making a generous donation and in the process own a piece of Martial Arts history!

Go to www.combathapkido.com and click on the "WWP Fundraiser" button on the left side to check out the fundraiser items!