Kwandrans Tae Kwon-do raises $11K for Make-A-Wish

Staff Reports Posted 11 February 2016 at 12:00 am

Provided photos
MEDINA – Bob Kwandrans, Jr., owner and instructor of Kwandrans Tae Kwon-do in Medina, presents a check for $10, 981.17 to Laura Nutty, Western New York representative for Make-A-Wish. Debby Farfaglia, manager and instructor at Kwandrans, also presents the check to Make-A-Wish. They are pictured last Saturday during a belt testing for students.

The Kwandrans students and staff worked for several months to raise money for Make-A-Wish. Local residents and businesses were generous with several fund-raisers to help Kwandrans raise the money, Farfaglia said.

Kwandrans decided to raise funds for Make-A-Wish after one of the Tae Kwon-do students, Garett Smith, 12, attended Disney World in Florida for a week with his family last May. The trip was paid through Make-A-Wish Western New York.

Garett has cystic fibrosis. Tae Kwon-do helps move the mucus in his lungs, keeping them clear. He takes Tae Kwon-do classes twice a week. Garett, a Middleport resident, is a seventh-grader at Roy-Hart.

Kwandrans surpassed its $8,500 goal. It was raising the funds so another WNY kid could go on a trip.

Kwandrans put on several fund-raisers, including a kick-a-thon, car wash, bake sale and candy bar sales. They also did a 5-kilometer race, chicken barbecue, spaghetti dinner, and basket raffle.