Thanksgiving Basket Brigade Kick-A-Thon, a national project to raise money and deliver Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings directly to needy families in the surrounding areas, took place at Hicksville's Martial Arts America this year on Nov. 22. This annual event at the school raises awareness and gives the students an opportunity to give something back to the community.

Each kick a student did was sponsored and the money was raised to purchase Thanksgiving baskets for those less fortunate. Students ages 5 to 13 took part in the event. The goal for students 7 and older was to perform 1,000 kicks each while those 6 and younger set out to perform 500 kicks each. This year's top fundraiser was 8-year-old Samantha Stepkowski who collected $425 and received a prize. It took approximately 1.5 hours to complete the kicks.

Thanks to all the support received this year, parent volunteers from Martial Arts America in Hicksville were able to make 111 Thanksgiving dinner baskets, which 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, who also helped sponsor the event.

Proceeds from the kick-a-thon went to support parish outreach services at both St. Ignatius Loyola and Our Lady of Mercy.

As part of their ongoing free community events, Martial Arts America is offering a free Child Safety and Awareness Workshop, which will teach kids how to be aware of their surroundings. The workshop is offered on Saturdays. For more information, call 932-5275.