A Message of Unity to Seiwakai USA Member Dōjō: 2020 Membership Updates

April 1, 2020

To my friends, family, and member dōjō of Seiwakai USA – Gōjū-Ryū Karatedō,

I pray you are all safe and well. We are navigating through deeply troubling times, but we are one, we are Seiwakai, and we will continue to move forward together. Please reach out if you need someone to talk to or simply want to catch up. Our community strength relies on our connection to one another.

2020 Annual Dōjō Membership Dues and Payment Flexibility

Today, I want to address our annual dōjō membership dues. On April 7th and 8th, every member will receive their Square invoice for 2020. Because these generic invoices can feel impersonal—and the system automatically sends daily reminders—I wanted to reach out to you directly beforehand.

Many of our members and respective dōjō are currently facing, or approaching, a severe cash crunch. The absolute last thing you need right now is the stress of another immediate bill. With this in mind, the board officers have unanimously decided to offer maximum flexibility regarding when and how you pay your 2020 dōjō memberships. Please choose the option that best serves your current situation:

• Option 1: Pay the invoice in full if your dōjō is in a position to do so.
• Option 2: Pay half over the next three months, and remit the remaining half in the fall.
• Option 3 (Community Support): Donate half ($50) to your local Food Bank in April under YOUR dōjō’s name, and pay the remaining half ($50) to Seiwakai USA by the fall.

Supporting Our Local Communities

Any of these methods are admirable and fully accepted. Supporting your local Food Bank is a powerful way to let your members know you deeply care about the community in which you teach. If you choose to donate to a local Food Bank, please send a copy of your check or receipt to Mark Cramer Shihan so he can highlight our collective local outreach in the upcoming newsletter.

The Importance of Your Dues

Your dues remain vital to sustaining our organization and supporting our members. Some of the critical benefits these dues provide include:

• Maintaining USA-NKF and JKF Gōjūkai dōjō memberships, which are strictly mandatory for individual Dan transfers, gradings, and competition qualification.
• Producing and distributing official Instructor and Dōjō membership certificates.
• Supporting the ongoing maintenance of the Seiwakai USA Website, which hosts valuable resources for JKF Gōjūkai kihon and kata, provides local contact information, and strengthens our national brand.

Next Steps

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email me directly. When your Square invoice arrives on April 7th or 8th, please contribute using whichever method suits your current reality. Once you have made your decision, simply send me a quick update so I can manually adjust the invoicing system to prevent it from generating automated reminders for your club.

Stay safe and keep training hard.

JP Williams
Secretary & Treasurer of Seiwakai USA – Gōjū-Ryū Karatedō