Think about the toughest or scariest moment you have experienced. Do you have it? Good. Now think about having the opportunity to break through that moment or fear. To smash right through it with strength and courage - obliterating any idea that your fear or hardship was a barrier in your life. That mentality can change everything, especially for a child facing a serious illness.
enCourage Kids Foundation teamed up with martial arts master Leif Becker for a world record setting, karate board breaking event to showcase the strength, courage, and determination inside the thousands of sick children and families that the organization serves.
Determined to break 12,000 boards in 24 hours, Becker and enCourage Kids took to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! in the heart of Times Square on May 11th-12th for their Breaking Barriers event, to prove that boards – like barriers – are meant to be broken.
After months of vigorous training for Leif and long hours of event preparation for the enCourage Kids team, everyone arrived at Ripley’s ready for an extremely exciting and motivating 24 hours. As Becker prepared backstage, volunteers and staff from enCourage Kids, Ripley’s, and Khols provided information on enCourage Kids programs and the Breaking Barriers event to the gathered crowd and thousands of passerbys. Many even tuned in live from home, as ABC News Live streamed the event for the entire 24 hours.
Leading up to and during the event, guests of Ripley’s had the opportunity to create their own barrier boards for Leif to break through for a $5 donation to enCourage Kids. Barrier boards were also created by enCourage kids, their families, and the organization’s hospital partners, many of whom were able to see Becker physically break through their boards in person!
Beginning at 8:00am on May 11th, Becker broke boards with his fists, elbows, feet, and arms for half hour intervals every hour. As the hours passed, both physical and mental exhausted set in, but one thing kept Becker going – the thought of the enCourage Kids he had met and bonded with. If these children could fight barriers like cancer, sickle cell, hemophilia, and so many more, then Becker knew he could break boards for 24 hours.
And that is exactly what he did. Leif Becker broke 12,120 boards – setting the Record Setter World Record for the most karate boards broken in 24 hours. Each of the 12,120 boards broken represented physical, mental, and medical challenges that sick children live with every day. By breaking these boards, and setting a world record, Becker showed that we all have the ability to overcome our barriers.
In conjunction with Breaking Barriers, enCourage Kids Foundation launched their Artists for enCourage Kids campaign, where artists from all over the country have come together to create one-of-a-kind artwork on 10×12 inch pine boards, similar to the boards that were made for Becker to break through.
Artists including Synthia Saint James, Katrina ‘Kat Tat’ Jackson, Carly Rose Sonenclar, Eric Waugh, James Warhola and many more created inspirational works of art reflecting various barriers and societal issues, as well as works of hope and inspiration. These original pieces are currently being auctioned off to raise funds and awareness for enCourage Kids programs – specifically art therapy.
enCourage Kids Foundation has provided creative therapies including art in the hospital setting for over two decades, totaling over 1.3 million in support. Projects funded range from murals to art therapists, art supplies, artists in residence and so much more.
“Some of these kids are in the hospital for weeks or even months at a time. I cannot imagine the frustration and powerlessness they may feel,” says Michele Hall-Duncan, Executive Director of enCourage Kids Foundation. “Creative therapies, especially art and music, help bring those feelings to the surface often helping clinicians to manage coping skills for the patients. For some kids, art and music are absent from their regular school curriculum as well.”
You can bid on these original art pieces and find out more about #artists4ekf at 501auctions.com/breakingbarriers – and like Leif Becker, you can help sick children break their barriers today. Text BREAK to 50555 to donate $10 directly to enCourage Kids Foundation, whose programs reach kids facing a variety of health issues – from those receiving chemo treatments in a clinic to those who live with a chronic illness that may not be visible – both in and out of the hospital setting.
Visit encourage-kids.org to learn more about enCourage Kids Foundation.