A
n inspiring group of martial
artists have made it their
mission to KICK Parkinson’s
disease—literally. On Sept. 3,
the Viola Karate Dojo and sister program
Norwin Ninjas assembled more than 100
students to make a bold statement and
kick non-stop for one mile at Boyce Park.
The students showcased their skill and
donated over $10,000 to the Pittsburgh
Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases
(PIND) for research.
The “KICK” concept was developed
by Irwin native Bill Viola, Jr., founder
of Kumite Classic Entertainment, and
former Mayor and State Senator Sean
Logan.
“I have been involved in charitable
work since my senior year at Pitt, when
I established ‘Kumite International’
collegiate scholarships,” says Viola.
“KICK (Kumite International
Competitive Karate) is a partnership
program with Western PA Police
Athletic League and Eckert Seamans
law firm in which we allocated $50,000
in scholarship funds for karate athletes.
The program made national news
when Lynn Swann, then Chairman of
President George W. Bush’s Council of
Physical Fitness and Sports, presented
the scholarships with me at the 2004
Kumite Classic at the old Monroeville
ExpoMart.”
Shortly after, Viola’s grandmother was
diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease—
and he and his family saw firsthand the
damage the disease can inflict. After
she passed away, Viola, his wife, Jenn,
and daughter, Gabby, wanted to find a
way to honor her memory. In 2016, he
connected with Senator Sean Logan,
who had been recently
diagnosed with early-
onset Parkinson’s
and wanted to hold
a 5K fundraiser for
research.
Logan developed
a 5K to promote his
“Do Something”
campaign as a means
to encourage exercise.
Physical activity has
been proven to be an
effective method to
Bill Viola, Jr. with his
combat Parkinson’s
daughter, Gabby.
disease.
“I was all in,” says
Viola. “After my family ran the first year,
I told him I wanted to help him expand
the event and create the first-ever KICK
portion.”
Viola partnered with Logan in 2017 to
add a “Kick-a-thon” element to the 5K,
and its growth has been exponential. Viola
explains, “Last year the KICK raised just
over $5,000 with 50 participants. This year
we doubled both, bringing us up to over
$15,000 with just two kick-a-thons.”
The PIND event offers a unique twist
to the traditional 5K by incorporating
Viola’s kick-a-thon concept. “There are a
lot of in-house kick-a-thons that take place
at schools, but none that actually kick
for distance. This is the first of its kind,”
he says. The estimated number of kicks
by each participant was 1,500 so with
over 100 students, the total number was
approximately 150,000 kicks.
“The cause is near and dear to my heart,”
notes Viola. “I’ve been looking for a way to
fight this epidemic, and having my school
KICK for a cure was a perfect fit. Building
Viola Karate Dojo
character is an
important part
of martial arts.
My students
exceeded my
expectations.
Their selflessness
is incredible.”
Nine-year-old
Mike Barone
led the group
by donating over $2,000 followed by
11-year-old Aidan Thornton ($900) and
7-year-old Madden McKeever ($800).
Viola’s daughter Gabby also participated
and raised money in honor of her
grandmother. “I never got to meet my
Non so this is how we honor her,” she
says. “Karate teaches courage—I will
always fight to find a cure.”
In just three years, through corporate
sponsorships and race participants,
the PIND 5K has surpassed more than
$300,000 in total donations.
Although Viola is known for his
competitive success in karate, he finds
more gratification in efforts like the
KICK scholarship and the PIND event.
“Trophies collect dust, but making an
impact on the community is priceless.
Participants and my students are making
a difference and learning the value of
paying it forward. I tell them, ‘Kick with
kindness and create an endless ripple.’”
PIND spearheads efforts to find a cure
for Parkinson’s disease, Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s
disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The kids already have plans to “Kick
Parkinson’s” again next year. For more
information, visit PIND5K.org. n
MONROEVILLE
❘
WINTER 2018
19