Ithaca, NY: Centerline Martial Arts is hosting a Kick-A-Thon fundraiser to plant trees and combat global warming. On Feb. 11th, participants will see how many times they can kick a target in one minute, raising money with every kick. Centerline students expect to reach their goal of planting 3,000 trees this year with the help of their fundraising partner OneTreePlanted.org, which plants one tree for every dollar raised.

The event takes place on Saturday, Feb 11th at 1:30pm at Centerline Martial Arts, located at 335 Elmira Road in Ithaca. Anyone can visit CenterlineStrong.com/events for a link to watch a livestream of the event, or donate directly to their fundraiser.

Centerline’s owner, Collin Lieberman decided to host the forest fundraiser this year and hopes to make it an annual tradition. “Martial artists have a long history of serving their communities. This Kick-A-Thon is an opportunity to help balance our planet and strengthen our connection to nature,” Lieberman said.

Collin Lieberman got the idea from his instructor Raffi Derderian, who hosts an annual Kick-A-Thon fundraiser at his school in Rhode Island. Derderian’s 2018 Kick-A-Thon raised over $4,000 for the American Cancer Society, as seen in the Cranston Herald.

Ashley Lamontagne, Forest Campaign Manager at One Tree Planted said of the event, “At One Tree Planted we believe that today’s youth are a driving force for good in the climate movement. Which is why we are excited to partner with Centerline Martial Arts on an initiative to engage their students to help the planet and combat climate change. The trees planted as a result of the Kick-A-Thon will have positive
impacts on nature, biodiversity, and people for years to come”.

Cy Centeno-Pearlman (age 9), a Kung Fu Student at Centerline, summed up why she chose to be a part of the fundraiser. “I am raising money for a Kick-A-Thon contest so we can plant trees and breathe
easier!”

Centerline Martial Arts specializes in Martial Arts, Kickboxing, and Self Defense classes for adults and children. Their mission is to help students cultivate strength for good and balance for life. Centerline was established in Ithaca in 2012, and was voted the Ithaca Journal’s Readers Choice winner in 2018.

One Tree Planted is a 501(c)3 environmental charity that plants trees around the world. Their vision is to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. The trees they plant help to restore forests, create habitat for biodiversity, and make a positive social impact around the world.