Summer Welcomes NovatoSpirit's Children

Summer is a happy time for children, especially if they have somewhere enjoyable to go and something meaningful to do.

But most summer enrichment activities and camps are beyond the financial reach of Novato families living in poverty. That is why they say they appreciate NovatoSpirit, a 501c3 public charity offering children with financial needs the opportunity to engage in sports all summer long, right here in town.

Our NovatoSpirit kids enjoy going to their athletic classes, where they learn, exercise and have fun with their friends and teachers. Additionally, their teachers invite them to participate in community-wide events, such as Novato’s 4th of July Parade.

Many of our kids marched in the parade with their karate and tae kwon do teams, surrounded by colorful floats, horses, mariachi music and American flags—with helicopters hovering overhead!

This American event stirred the children’s hearts and minds, especially those who immigrated here. They felt embraced by our community and welcome in our nation.

Feeling welcome on a summer day is a precious experience for anyone, especially for our children, because many have experienced difficulties, including poor health.

Doctors believe our specialized athletic program can improve some chronic health problems, since we offer athletic scholarships for 5 years to each eligible child. Our long-term exercise program can produce lasting health benefits. So pediatricians at Marin Community Clinics and Kaiser Permanente frequently refer their patients to us.

One of these boys is an 11-year-old karate student, who’s practiced with us for 5 years. Recently he wrote, “Karate is helping me with my health since I started. I have a low muscle tone problem and it is improving due to the physical training that I receive. Exercising is very important, so that the muscles in my body can get stronger.

“I am more physically stronger and I can do movements and play games that I was not able to do before. For example, before I was not able to ride a bicycle due to the weakness in my back shoulders. But now I am able to do so. About few months ago for the first time I could ride a bike on my own without the help of the training wheels. I am much stronger than before.

“I would like to say that I feel very happy to attend NovatoSpirit’s program at Ito’s White Tiger Karate School. After all these years, I feel like they are part of my family.”

Because he’s worked exceptionally hard, with perfect attendance and respectful behavior, we hope to raise an additional $1,500 this year to extend his scholarship beyond 5 years. His goal is to become a black-belt karate master someday, and if he continues to shine, he may achieve his dream.

This boy couldn’t have gotten where he is today without the support of many kind people. We’re grateful for recent grants from Bank of American Charitable Foundation, Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund, and Soroptimist International of Novato. Additionally, we’ve received some generous gifts from individuals, including Melanie & Peter Maier, Patrick Farley, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ito of the White Tiger Karate School, who hosted a karate-tournament benefit for us in May, raising $420. Ghirardo CPA prepared our tax return pro bono, and a Novato couple gave us $200 to enable two children to play soccer.

Many thanks to folks in Marin and beyond for keeping our children learning, boosting their heart rates during the sunny season and all year ‘round!