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4 - PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, July 4, 2001 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Jackie Chan chosen to study in the Shaolin Temple Kung Fu prog a By Lisa McClure Port Perry Star If you were a karate enthusiast and you were presented the opportunity to train with a Shaolin monk would you pass it up? Port Perry High School student Jackie Chan certainly wouldn't | and he didn't when the opportunity arrived. | For the first time in history, the secrets of kung fu are being taught overseas from its birthplace at The Songshan Shaolin Temple. Variations of the martial art form are common, but the original kung fu methods have been lost in North America. The Chinese government has now authorized the art to be taught by a Shaolin monk, Master Lee Chi Wai, in Scarborough. The opportunity was open to 100 karate students - Jackie Chan is one of the lucky few. - Mr. Chan, 17, has been studying karate for several years at the Hiryu Bushido Kai in Port Perry. In his training, he has earned his first degree black belt (there are six belts prior to the black belt and nine degrees of the black belt). In order to be accepted into the program, you must send in an application. Mr. Chan was accepted under different terms as his-current Sensai took him to visit Master Lee Chi Wai where he immediately enrolled in the program. At the present time, students are training in Scarborough every Saturday, some of them travelling for six hours by rail to take part in the once in a lifetime opportunity. Mr. Chan began his training in The Shaolin Temple Kung Fu Program a month ago. The elite training comes at a cost of $900 a | year with all proceeds going to the Chinese government. His studies here in Canada will continue for two years, after which he wil' travel to China to attend training seminars and com- plete his final examination. Upon successful completion of his final exam he will become a title. : When asked if karate will be a part of his future career because of this opportunity, Mr. Chan was uncertain. "It depends on how this thing works out," he answered. "If it doesn't, I'd like to get into directing or choreography." Even if he is unsure of his future in karate, Mr. Chan will have the option of contin- uing his studies once the two year program is complete. There are many branches example. Port Perry's Jackie Chan, 17, has been selected a arts under the watchful eye of Shaolin Monk Master Lee Chi Wai. He will study here in Canada representative of the Shaolin Temple and receive an offical monk for two years before travelling to China to continue training and to complete his final exami- nation and receive his official monk title. > ts > : re = . pl Tk 5, 0 5 my % s one of 15 students to study the martial from kung fu that he can further his education in like specializing in weapons for Wherever he finds himself in the future, Mr. Chan will always appreciate the authentic kung fu training that he is currently receiving: "I think it's the most fantastic opportunity I could possibly have." Emmanuel Pentecostal members to travel abroad to Guatemala By Chris Hall Port Perry Star The Emmanuel Pentecostal Church will once again be rep- resented abroad later this year when members of the local con- gregation travel to Guatemala to take part in missionary work. Fourteen members of the Port Perry church will make their way to the South American country for 10 days in September. There, they'll work on building a centre for area youth, explained Carrol Carter last week. "There is a wide range of people going, all between the ages of 15 to 71 and all from our church," says Mrs. Carter, who serves as the missions co-ordi- nator for the Reach St. church. "There's a lot of poverty in Guatemala, and the construc- tion of this youth centre will help make the young people Carrol Carter is leading a group from the Emmanuel Pentecostal Church to Guatemala where they'll take part in missionary aid work. there who live in poverty more self-sufficient. With this centre, hopefully they will be taught marketable skills, building skills that will help them have a future." Each individual participating in the project will be responsi- ble for their own airfare. As a group, they must raise $15,000 for building supplies before they board their flight on Sept. 21. To help raise the funds, a benefit concert has been planned for Aug. Il at Emmanuel Pentecostal Church. The popular Christian group Unashamed Quartet will take to the stage, and a silent auction will also be held. The upcoming missionary aid trip will be the third such excursion for the local church in recent years. Members of the congregation took part in the Teen Challenge project in London, Ontario to help make renovations to a mens' rehabil- itation centre in the past, and last year another 14 representa- Missionary work on the agenda for local church congregation tives made their way to Jamaica to help with a womens' rehab shelter. If all goes well in Guatemala this year, the possibility of a trip to Ukraine is being consid- ered for next year. "I've always had an interest in missionary work, so I asked if I could be the co-ordinator. We have a committee meeting every month, where we discuss situations that we could pro- vide help to," said Mrs. Carter, who currently lives in the Blackstock area. : "This will be exciting for all of us. We're each taking an extra suitcase which we will fill with humanitarian supplies such as toothbrushes and creams and healing ointments. We'll leave that stuff for them. This will be a good experience for everyone" Anyone wishing to buy a tick- et for the Aug. 11 concert or looking to donate materials to the silent auction are asked to contact the Emmanuel Pentecostal Church at 905-985- 4441. ,