CONTACT:
Bonnie Culhane
Sword Dreams
1-800-493-4187 x 0
sworddreams@gmail.com

Sword Dreams Takes a Stab at Childhood Obesity & Cultural Exposure
Free Youth Fencing Classes to be Offered in Detroit

Detroit – April 3, 2012 – Sword Dreams, a non-profit fencing organization, will be offering free youth fencing programs. All youth fencing classes will provide wellness and cultural education programs utilizing fencing in the city of Detroit. Sword Dreams classes will be located in the Pony Ride building in Corktown, located at 1401 Vermont Street in Detroit. Classes are designed for children aged 8 to 17. Beginner youth fencing classes will be offered three days a week and will be free-of-charge to the students who commit to the program.

“Everything is being taken from our youth; from the arts to safe play spaces. This is part of our way of empowering the community with new options and potential college scholarships,” says Bobby Smith, CEO of En Garde Detroit. “Only 1% of our youth will make it to the NBA or NFL so, it is important to consider what we are offering the other 99% as options.”

It’s not just Fencing — children will be exposed to health education, cultural arts, and S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) based mentors. Developing well rounded youth who will represent Detroit in state, regional and national competitions is the long term objective of Sword Dreams.

The program is offered three days per week Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The main program will be held on Saturday mornings from 10am – 1pm. Saturday participation is mandatory to attend weekday classes.

About Sword Dreams
Sword Dreams develops wellness programs for inner city schools and corporate partners as a way to improve general health and cognitive abilities. Sword Dreams, a 501(c)(3) organization is tasked with providing cultural arts, education, training and providing financial support for students in national competitions from under-served communities.

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The International Experience is the main event for Detroit Harmonie, and a great way to celebrate the diversity of Metro-Detroit.

“Detroit Harmonie will hand out $50,000 in grants to 11 pre-selected social entrepreneurs in two ways: 1) The Get Funded Challenge, a competitive pitch process where five finalists will compete to win $45,000. The competition will kick-off the evening at 7:00 p.m. during the VIP reception. 2) The People’s Choice Award, where all 11 organizations will be eligible for $5,000 based on online and event attendee voting.”

Stay tuned, because on February 1, Detroit Harmonie is going to announce the five finalists that are eligible to compete in the Get Funded Challenge.  The finalists will have to give a three minute pitch to a panel of judges that will determine who the winners will be.

En Garde! Detroit is extremely excited for a chance to win funding, and to be a part of the International Experience by Detroit Harmonie.

It will certainly be interesting to see what happens next!

Thank you all for your continued support.

Read the Press Release for more Information.

BOOMING. That’s what the experience of TEDxDetroit last week felt like, provided and hopefully would be described as from a distance.  The energy and passion from the speakers provided a wonderful texture that highlighted the promise and zeal of those in the audience.  During breaks, ebullient discussions about what had been absorbed, blended with what personal pursuits were being undertaken.  BOOM! To understand what’s happening here in Detroit, Southeast Michigan, the overall region-you need not be here.  Just listening, paying attention works. However, a visit will surely confirm the obvious, this is not your same Detroit and we refuse to allow you to remain ensconced in your perceptions about those of us here.

Julie Clark delivered a powerful story on beating the odds and Rob Bliss showed us how we can do it together. Charlie Cavell then hit how lives can be changed by paying it forward.  All to the sounds of some incredibly gifted artists whose sonic interpretations resonated within our independent vibrations

TEDxDetroit attendees included those who’d recently left, those who’d recently arrived and everyone in between.  The day brought us together to envision not the past, rather a future shaped by it and how so many are presently doing so many awesome things right here. And you can too.  Whatever the quirky thought you have, bring it out and share it.  Because no one else is going to do it for us.

The En Garde! Detroit team was present to witness Founder & CEO, Bobby Smith present his BIG idea  worth sharing(VIDEO).  Lauded as potentially one of the days most powerful and impactful talks, we’re not here to decide, but here are some Tweets (Follow Bobby) that Bobby received after sharing the stage with a group of extraordinary thought provokers.

Photos:

Written by: Quentin Love CMO

Thank you Crain’s Detroit, friends, family and community partners for this honor. Tickets are available for award party here.

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