Break boards, help South Elgin police

If you want to try your hand at breaking boards taekwondo-style and help the South Elgin Police Department, Friday is your chance.

Bill Cho's United Taekwondo Center is hosting a break-boarding fundraiser at its South Elgin location to buy first-responder trauma kits that officers keep in their cars. The idea came from the center's founder, Bill Byung Cho, who is devoted to helping develop future leaders involved in service and charitable events, master instructor Althea Richards said.

"We chose this one to support because we feel given the current climate in society, we need more opportunities to build relationships with the police department," she said.

The fundraiser is 6 to 8 p.m. at the center at 618 Randall Road. People can buy boards for themselves or their kids to break - under supervision of staff members - at five boards for $15 or 10 for $25. They can purchase boards for the instructors to break at five for $20 or 10 for $35.

"I have a giant stack of boards at the school waiting to be broken," Richards said. "In 15 years, I have never met a child who doesn't love to break boards."

There also will be a 50/50 cash raffle where the winner gets half the pot.

Police officers will be at the fundraiser to show their support, Sgt. Mike Doty said. The department's 30 officers all have trauma kits, and two more are needed for two incoming officers currently in field training, he said. Each kit costs about $120.

"We are truly appreciative for everything they have done. I think that's great that they want to reach out and help the police department," he said.

Parent Christina Quinn of St. Charles, whose 12-year-old daughter is a student at the South Elgin center, said she and her husband will come in a group of about 12 people. Quinn said she loves the idea of prompting kids to give back through taekwondo.

"We've bought extra boards for everybody to break," she said. "I've never broken a board before, but I am going to give it a try."

The center has about 100 students, mostly in elementary and middle school. There are also Bill Cho's taekwondo centers in St. Charles and Sycamore. During the fundraiser, a team from St. Charles will give a demonstration and three university taekwondo students visiting from South Korea are planning a dance performance, Richards said.