Saturday marked the third year for a local Taekwondo club’s fundraising event where participants kick thousands of times in a day for charity. 4Point Taekwondo club partnered with three other clubs in the city this year for their Kicks4Kids event. Individuals ask for pledges and donations in exchange for how many kicks they’re able to do. “We tried to do a certain amount per kick, but it was kind of hard to predict, because some kids are here doing like 20,000 kicks,” 4Point owner Kevin Mejia said. “So they’ve all just been flat (rate) donations.” Around 70 people were in the basement gym on Saturday afternoon, but Mejia said that number can climb to 200, not including other clubs. All proceeds from pledges and donations go to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. Last year, they raised $16,000. This year, with K.H. Min Taekwondo, Elite Taekwondo and Spirit Taekwondo participating, their goal is $30,000. “It brings everyone together to achieve a big goal,” Mejia said. “They’re going to be sore, the stairs are going to be hard to get up … I’m just over 5,000 kicks in, and I’m already feeling it,” he said. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall
