Students from Laban Martial Arts and Fitness Studio in Thompson completed over 12,000 kicks in a fundraising kick-a-thon, collecting $520 in pledges to assist in the construction of a new public school in Bulacan, Philippines for children that cannot afford to pay for school.

The students had the option to use their donations to support the orphanage or to use the funds to help themselves get to the last tournament in Winnipeg.

The money raised is equivalent to more than 20,000 Philippine pesos and will be used to assist with the purchase of food and water and to help pay down the construction debt of the new school.

From her village in Bulacan, Philippines, Sister Emelita Cruz thanked the students of Laban Martial Arts and Fitness Studio and her goddaughter, Mitch Nicolas, via Facebook. Nicolas and the Bulacan School Board are now working together to develop an environmental studies course that starts at the elementary level and continues to the university level.

Laban will be having another kick-a-thon this October to raise more funds to help pay for tournament travel expenses in November and to once again send assistance to children in need in the Philippines.