This is a PUBLIC forum setup up for the sharing of information and was placed here for the enjoyment of all regardless of affiliation. We ask that you help us to maintain this forums original purpose. Any slanderous comments made about any ORGANIZATION or INDIVIDUAL will be removed. If you do not leave your name and a valid email address your posting may also be removed.
If you are interested in finding the closest AKKI instructor to you, please visit our Regional Representatives page and contact your area's Regional Rep for more information.
To all AKKI members, I wanted to mirror and add to what Mr. Hildebrand has said also. Mr. Mills and his family and the instructors put so much time, effort and expense into putting on what are the best and most information American Kenpo Camps around. The AKKI has become one of the most progressive and innovative Kenpo Organizations in the world, teaching the most up to date and advanced system of American Kenpo out there today, built on Mr. Parkers concepts and principles. And all of us in the AKKI owe this to one person, SM Paul Mills. Mr. Mill's tireless efforts in making the AKKI what it is today has taken years to perfect. His expertise is second to none and we in the AKKI owe him a debt of gratitude for helping us to realize our potential and giving us the tools to make our own Kenpo the best around. But we must also recognize the efforts of all of his students who have put in the time with him and taken their beatings and earning their kenpo badges of honor to help bring this awesome art to the camps every year.
Costs have risen, the economy is hurting, but if we plan well ahead of time, there is no reason why we can't make the camps each year. We have several coming from around the east coast. Let us all do our best to support Mr. Mills, his family and the AKKI and continue his legacy of making it the best American Kenpo Organization and Camp in the world.
Respectfully Mr. Smith I must disagree. Yes with careful planning, one might get to the camp. But as I posted earlier who could have foreseen plane tickets rising like they have. I just checked again last nigth and tickets to Las Vegas are over $500.00. Add the camp fees and room, eating, and I would be paying out well over $1,000.00.
I'm not saying the camps aren't worth it, they are. But I don't care how careful you plan, Many people don't have an extra $1,000.00 Many don't have schools that can help fund them. On top of this I now hear there won't be a Sept. Camp? Is this correct? I haven't seen anything on the website about this. Which is strange since I posted asking which camp would be best to go to this year. Would have been nice if someone would have said there is no Sept. Camp.
Again, I am not trying to be disrepectful. But for many of us this is an avocation, not our jobs. To say there is NO reason not to be there simply isn't living in reality.
Barthalomew,
Most definitely you are not being disrespectful. I can understand where you are coming from. But you must understand most people know that the camp is in March. I started planning back in April of last year, planning, saving, and figuring how I can make sure I will be there. Like everyone else, I too, am at the mercy of rising costs, and a failing economy, luckily I made sure I checked the airfares well in advance. I have always budgeted around $800 - $1000 for the trip. Granted not everyone can do that, but to give you an idea. I talked to a person who needed money for something like this and they told me: everyone knows 200 people, I said, yes!, she told me she asked most of them for $10 - $20 donation to help with the trip, within 1 month, she had $1500. I know this isn't for everyone, but it shows the possibilities.
I too, am not sponsored by my school, it is very, very small, and I have to scrimp and scrape to save for the next camp each time. So I guess I can say, unless you absolutely can't take off work, there aren't really that many reasons why people can't make it to the camp, if they plan well ahead of time.
As for the Sept. camp, I have heard something about it not being held. The cost of the facility keeps going up and up, and I can tell you from experience putting one of these on, can be quite expensive. (I put on an Int'l Martial Arts tournament every year in a different country, and it takes me a year to plan it and get it done and not make that much money from it). To plan two camps a year and the expenses involved, is quite a feat in itself. My hat goes off to the Mills' Family for the way they have organized all the camps over the past years. I have only missed two camps over the years, and I don't want to miss any more.