Rubbert Sensei's 30th Anniversary of Aikido Training

[Saint Louis Ki Society]

      This September, Mark Rubbert Sensei will celebrate his thirtieth anniversary of Aikido training with Saint Louis Ki Society!  We invite you to help him do that in a manner befitting his unending service.  There are two ways you can acknowledge Rubbert Sensei and help with your plus ki:

• Attend the dinner party on the evening of September 6, 2009 (at the home of Mort & Lora Melman {Details TBA here}. The dinner will also be a part of the Labor Day Weekend workshop with Kashiwaya Sensei - of course he will be at the party.
• Help send Rubbert Sensei to the 5-day World Camp training at Ki Society Headquarters in Japan. You can make a big difference in supporting the efforts of the Saint Louis Ki Society by contributing to Sensei’s ability to continue teaching and training in this way.  We invite you to add your support to this effort -- by giving $20, $50, $100, $500 or whatever you deem appropriate. You can make a donation through the SLKS website with the Google Donation button. Or you can send a check to Saint Louis Ki Society, 6006 Pershing Avenue, Saint Louis MO 63112.

      As its Head Instructor and Executive Director, Mark Rubbert remains passionately committed to the Saint Louis Ki Society and its programs, including adult, youth and child Aikido training, Japanese Yoga and Ki Development training, and the Well Child Ki-Aikido program.  In addition to that, Rubbert Sensei is also a director of the Midland Ki Federation, and works tirelessly to support the work of Chief Instructor Koichi Kashiwaya.  And in the midst of all these efforts as a sensei, director and administrator, Rubbert Sensei manages to continue training in all the arts of Shin Shin Toitsu Do, reaching the rank of godan (5^th degree black belt) in Aikido and joden (3^rd advanced level) in ki development training.


Rick Blanke, President
Saint Louis Ki Society

[RickB]

Come help us celebrate Rubbert Sensei's 30th anniversary!    The dinner party will take place the first evening of the seminar -- Sunday, September 6, 2009, beginning approximately at 7:00 PM -- at the home of Mort and Lora Melman.  The address is 7564 Council Place, Richmond Heights, MO.  For mapquest, please go to:  
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Richmond+Heights&state=MO&address=7564+Council+Pl&zipcode=63117.

The cost is only $15.00 (but feel free to donate more to help send Sensei to World Camp in Japan). Well have plenty of food, beverages are BYOB.
Everyone is invited, but we need to know how many to plan for.  So please call (314) 726-5070 or sign up on the list at the dojo and let us know how many people are coming with you.

Thanks!

Rick Blanke, President
Saint Louis Ki Society

[Saint Louis Ki Society]

...RANDY CATES!!! An incredible asset to Saint Louis Ki Society. For years Randy has been a great student and practice partner, served on the Board of Directors, and now...he has donated airline tickets for Rubbert Sensei to travel to Japan. Wonderful.

 A BIG THANK YOU to the many donors who have made it possible to send our Head Instructor to World Camp at Ki Society Headquarters in Japan! Several advanced students in the dojo worked hard to make this happen in honor of Rubbert Sensei’s 30th anniversary of Aikido training. At least 20 people made a contribution. Special thanks go to Mort Melman, Richard Blanke. Mike Brownstein, Jim Wright, Tomoyuki Nishino, Jayasree Seshadri, and Joe Katrosh & Chris Tighe...oh...and...uh...Randy Cates.

The Aikido students of Saint Louis Ki Society have exceeded their goal of raising $2,000 to send SLKS Head Instructor, Mark Rubbert, to World Camp. Rubbert Sensei's registration has been accepted and he will be departing October 19^th for Ki Society Headquarters Dojo, Ki no Sato, in Tochigi, Japan. Before returning on October 26^th, he will have a chance to visit for a day in Tokyo with the founding teacher of Saint Louis Ki Society, William Reed.

Thanks to all who donated. You have been very generous.

[Mark R]

Here's a link to a Youtube video and slide show from my trip to World Camp. I think my camera is capable of better pictures. Someday I'll have to learn how to use it. It was fun and educational. Someday I may add some more pictures of individuals I met and spent time with.

There are some very nice and sharper images and a detalied layout of the facilities on the Ki Society Headquarters website. Of course I'm not in any of the pictures.
Check these links:
http://www.ki-society.com/english/renew/mail.html
http://www.ki-society.com/english/renew/gakuin/landscape.html

THANK YOU

[RickB]

Well that was just about the most thrilling snippet of headquarters I've seen yet.  I guess that's because it was you!  It also really makes me want to go too.  It actually causes chills to see you standing under that picture, and next to that chair.  I'm so proud of being just a part of getting you there and downright gleeful that you obviously enjoyed yourself.  I know I speak for most if not all of the dojo when I say:  Thank YOU, Sensei!

[Pimado]

Wonderful pictures sensei.  It was a joy being able to send you.  If you'd like, next year we can send you to camera camp.