Kids helping others

The children at the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts are learning at a young age some very important life lessons: How to help others and to be part of a community, the studio said in a statement.
The Academy of Kempo Martial Arts therefore is accepting donations for Saint Ann's Soup Kitchen and Keefe Center’s Food Pantry.
To show its support, the Academy is offering its students a free semi-private lesson for any five or more non-perishable items they donate and offering two weeks of free lessons to non-students.
"These two organizations help many families throughout the Hamden area who have a limited amount of resources available to them due to the current economic conditions," the statement said. "The goal of the Academy is to help these organizations to help these families enjoy their holidays by holding this food drive, and the Academy hopes that during this season of giving that they can encourage others to help also."
Shihan Frank Ciarleglio, the instructor at the Academy, said: “At the Academy we teach our students the importance of helping others. Donating food, clothing, toys, other material items or a monetary donation can do this, but that is not the only way of helping someone.
"Other ways to help is volunteering with different organizations, making things for someone (for example making a holiday card for someone in the military, a get well soon card for someone who is ill, drawing a picture etc.) or helping a family member, friend, neighbor or even a stranger,” he said, also in the statement.“These are very important life lessons for the younger people, this helps them to be part of a community and understand that everyone can give whether it’s something you buy or something you do for someone.”
The free lesson offer is limited to one give away per person and cannot be combined.
“I am offering these free Martial Arts lessons as a way of giving back to those who give, and I am also hoping that it will encourage others to give when they would not have normally done so. This is a great opportunity for students to get some one-on-one training and for non-students to try the Martial Arts. These are rough times that we live in and some self-defense knowledge should be a necessity not a luxury,” said Ciarleglio, in the statement.
Academy of Kempo is accepting donations now through the end of the holiday season, at 1890 Dixwell Ave., Hamden.
Contact the Academy by phone at (203) 288-9990, or visit them at www.academyofkempo.com to find best times to drop off your donations and receive the gift.
Shown, back row, l to r, Emily Maranets, Teddy Maranets and Noahaila Lamhader. Middle row, Imran Lamhader, Ricardo Jimenez and Gabriel Ciarleglio. Front row, Areli Jimenez and Hailey Ciarleglio.