Thanksgiving Basket Brigade Kick-A-Thon, is a national project to raise money and deliver Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings directly to needy families in the surrounding areas. On Nov. 17, parent volunteers from Shin's Tae Kwon Do in Hicksville made an unbelievable 96 Thanksgiving dinner baskets and, on Nov. 19, each student of Shin's Tae Kwon Do began their1,000 kicks for the Kick-A-Thon sponsors so that they could collect the money for each and every kick.

This has been an annual event at the school, which raises awareness of the students while enabling them to give back to the needy in the community. A typical basket included bread, homemade baked goods, beans, corn, cranberry sauce, gravy, a roasting pan and all other items necessary to make a fantastic dinner plus a $15 gift certificate to Johns Farms in Plainview, a sponsor of the event. Proceeds went to St. Ignatius Social Services in Hicksville, a non-profit organization that provides support for families, and provides food for the needy and much more.

Children ranging in ages from 5 to 13 years old participated in the event. The goal for 7-year-olds and older was to perform 1,000 kicks while students 6 and under performed 500 kicks. The top fundraiser was 7-year-old Jordan Francis who collected $625 alone and received a prize for his hard work. It took approximately an hour and half to complete the kicks.

As part of their ongoing free community events, Shin's Tae Kwon Do is offering a free Child Safety and Awareness Workshop on Saturdays that will show children how to be aware of their surroundings. Any person who calls the school at 932-5275 this week will receive a free uniform with their class.