WHILE some may think they are just learning how to break boards, Portland’s Kyokushin Karate Club members spend plenty of time practicing generosity and giving back to the community, which they shared last week with four local causes.

The club had raised $4000 through an auction held on a recent social club night, and decided to give equal shares of it to Brophy Family and Youth Services, United Way Glenelg, The Portland Men’s Shed, and Annie’s Brave Fight Against Leukemia.

The four were chosen, says the club’s ‘Shihan’ Ron Jorgensen, to spread their donation across as many areas of need in the community as possible.

“We looked at where the need is in the community, and it’s all around people,” he said.

“So we looked at the Men’s Shed because they deal with mental health, we went with Brophy because we know they help kids and families, we knew about Annie’s cause because a number of our members are friends with their family, and I’ve been a big supporter of United Way at Portland Aluminium and know the good work that they do.”

Portland Brophy co-ordinator Jan de Zoete, United Way Glenelg CEO Nicole Carr, John and David Smith from the Men’s Shed, and Annie’s father Thomas Pender all made their way to the karate club’s Percy Street dojo on Thursday night, to accept their unique cheques and give thanks for the charity.

Ms Carr said United Way would be putting the money towards providing foods through their community pantries that suit people with dietary requirements, while the Men’s Shed are using their share to improve their first aid providing capabilities.

“As you might think we do have a few older type people around, so this will be a great help if we do ever have a bit of an emergency,” Mr Smith said.

Mr Pender, whose daughter is now four years old and more than a year into her battle since diagnosis, says the support from the community that his family has seen has been excellent throughout.

“It’s really generous of the karate club to donate this money,” he said

“It came just out of the blue, I’ve only ever seen them before practicing through the window, when I do the shopping at the supermarket next door…I didn’t expect this at all.”

Mr Jorgensen says “people went nuts” in the bidding at the auction that raised the money.

“They knew it was all going to a good cause, so they were paying way above the odds.

“One person knew that because we was all going back into our community, made a personal private donation of $1000.”

He says that humility, respect, discipline, and giving back to the community are all attributes that are encouraged in karate.

“There’s a lot of ‘takers’ today in the world, and we need people that are volunteers, we need people that care for others.

“We have a lot of issues, and that can't be all left to governments or others to take responsibility for.

“The communities, where we live, need to do their part, and this is us doing our part.”

This week marks a big change for the Portland Kyokushin Karate Club, with the departure of Mr Jorgensen, who the club’s most senior member, and founder, along with his wife Debbie.

They were initially based in the St Stephen’s Church across the road when the club began in 2010, before two years later renovating the current building into the wood panelled, purpose fitted dojo that they operate out of now.

“It is a bit sad to be moving on, I built the place myself, it used to be an industrial laundry, but there comes a time.

“Deb Millard is going to take over the school from now, and Debbie and myself will continue to keep coming back on a regular basis to make the training is being kept up, and to keep the momentum going.”