by Sifu Nick Francis

Hanging in my house as a souvenir is a collection of Chinese masks most notably recognized for their role in Chinese history, culture and tradition. I collected several on my first visit to Asia. These masks all have meaning. They all have a role. They explain, in some measure of detail, the background, role and intention of each character used in Chinese Opera.
Red masks indicate courage, heroism, bravery as well as loyalty.
Yellow masks indicate that the character is evil and cruel.
Black masks indicate someone who is neutral.
Green masks are used for violent characters.
Gold and Silver masks are reserved for supernatural creatures.
As a collection of these masks hang in my personal training room, I was swayed this week to ponder...
Which one best describes the Lancaster Wing Chun Association?
I know what I want my answer to be and it is my hope to create a place where that answer is enthusiastic and obvious. However, I also know that the decision is not only up to me. I know that the LWCA must be more than a building. It must be more than just a martial art school. I know that for it to truly be Wing Chun, it must be more than just self-defense.
Much... much... more!
Therefore, I ask...
Will you help me create a place where we can continue to become the best versions of ourselves?
A place where,
Courage fuels community and learning.
Heroism stands against the voice of despair.
Compassion crushes indifference.
Ego falls to the bravery of humility.
Character is more precious than power.
With gratitude, I see us all coming together, week after week, to do just this.
Thank you.
In this shared effort, I trust the outcome will be that our lives are better because of it!
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