News and Upcoming School Events

Dyer's Karate has many upcoming events for our students and school families. Refer to this page to find out about upcoming tournaments, promotion testing, school functions and other school related information.

We will also be posting news bulletins or other pertinent information regarding the school, its students, its instructors, or the Master. The calendar will also list these items as well. Make sure you print out the school calendar each month for easy reference.

Alabama Project 2009  3/25/09  (9:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
Ultimate Black Belt Test Members(UBBT), Family, students and Friends were all part of the event that took place in March of 2009 (25th till the 29th)in Greensboro, Alabama. The UBBT met with housing activist Pam Dorr, members of the Rural Studio, and members of Project M, and the Youth Build Group to engage in a building/design project. Last year, they re-built a one-room schoolhouse, a Rosenwald School.

This project took everyone to the poorest regions in the United States where many people don’t even have running water. Master Dyer is part of a group taking the Ultimate Black Belt Test. Master Tom Callos, a friend of Master Dyer, is the team coach for the UBBT.

How this all started was Master Callos fell for the work of architect, Samuel Mockbee and his teaching of architectural students. Mockbee took these students to Greensboro, Alabama and they began to build homes for the poor, mostly out of any kind of objects that they found, they even made a house out of mud bricks, and many other odd things. We were there when they built a house from bottom to top. They learned how to design, but most of all they learned activism, empathy, compassion, and everything in between that made them proactive human beings. Mockbee’s program is known now as The Rural Studio. So now Master Callos has given us all the opportunity to witness this work first hand and actually work with the people carrying on Mockbee’s legacy. Every year we are hosted by a Church in Greensboro (nicest people you can dream of) and everyone sets up camp on the gym floor (more fun than it sounds), you get to eat in their huge kitchen, and when you are not working, you get to hang out with the greatest people you can imagine.

And all you paid for was your transportation there and home. They feed you the entire time you were there. And you have a place to sleep. They helped to build a place that helped the most grateful people you can dream of. You become part of a group of people that you will remember for the rest of your life.

ANYONE CAN JOIN IN. ALL ARE WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE

Here are some ways to help

1. Participate in our Kick-A-Thon (Saturday, March 21, 2009) Lots of special surprises.

2. Send donations directly to the karate school, in the name of "Project Alabama"

3. Send in any kind of supplies, tools, school supplies, anything you can think off, they appreciate it all.

4. GO TO ALABAMA WITH US!! You will not be sorry.

See some pictures on the photo section of our website. It is a beautiful time that can not be missed. All are welcomed. Please join us in this life changing experience. You do not have to be a Black Belt, you don't even need to know karate. All you need is an open heart, and everything else will fall into place.

See Ms. Diane with any questions, she loves to talk about it.

Ms. Diane has also started a program so that when you place an order on website: www.ubah.com/aff10739 (highlight, cut and paste) you will also help the program
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Luke J. Bryan Foundation 4th Annual Golf Classic  10/10/09  (8:00 AM - 8:00 PM)
All proceeds will benefit the Luke Bryan Foundation which includes Children's Hospital and various childrens' charitable organizations.

Was held at the Westwood Golf Club

All proceeds benefit The Luke Bryan Memorial Foundation and Education Fund

Baby Luke Bryan is the son of James & Christa Bryan. Luke passed away at 16 months old on November 1, 2005. Family and friends have put together this golf outing to raise money for different charities. The previous golf outing benefited the Cardio Vascular Center at Children's Hospital. The event was a huge success. Please help to make this year an even bigger event.

If you would like to be a sponsor, $100 for a silver sponsor and $200 for a gold sponsor. Last year over 200 persons participated. Think of how many people you are helping.

Please check out the website for all updates.
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Alabama Project 2010  4/14/10
The Coaching Team: Coach Tom Callos, Hal Gustin and Patti Oji

The Alabama Project 2010: April 14 to 18

The Alabama Project, organized by members of The Ultimate Black Belt Test, is about the martial arts community coming together to build a home for someone in need, in The Black Belt, one of the most impoverished regions of The United States.

We plan and organize the project, work to raise the money to pay for the materials, then a number of us actually travel to Greensboro, Alabama to build the house (and we usually do a number of other renovations and repairs while we're there).

This is our 5th year doing the project -and over that time we've raised more than $100,000 towards materials and brought together hundreds of people to provide labor for the various projects. Our liaison in Greensboro is community activist Pamela Dorr.

Building a home for a family in need is, by itself, a worthwhile investment of time, however, The Alabama Project is something more than a building project.

Members of The UBBT 6, along with UBBT Alumni (plus students, family & friends) actually travel to Greensboro to do the project in just 4 day's time.

We go to Greensboro for several reasons:

1.This is one of the poorest regions in America (known as THE BLACK BELT).

2.We go to meet one another and exchange ideas -under the most extraordinary of circumstances. I call this event, The "Anti-Convention" Convention --as I much prefer to DO SOMETHING as I hang out with other martial arts professionals, as opposed to sitting in some hotel or convention center listening to speakers.

3.We go to honor the famous architect/teacher, Samuel Mockbee and his work with The Rural Studio; AND, we go to honor the work of the Mockbee inspired activists Pam Dorr and John Bielenberg of Project M (Maine, Messages, and Mockbee).

4.We go to practice PROJECT BASED LEADERSHIP TRAINING (PBLT), a concept where martial arts teachers help young students name, organize, and initiate community-based projects as a way to take their martial arts "out of the dojo and into the world" ---and to learn, experientially, leadership. This is the national event that serves as the model for 100's of other events in communities around the world.

5.We go to honor two great proponents of non-violent conflict resolution and civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, who both lived and/or worked in this area.

6.We go to change a community --as a way to learn to impact and change our own communities.

We are seeking a little donation money from a LOT of people; make that A LOT OF MARTIAL ARTS PEOPLE, their students, friends, and family members.

We have more than 100 schools participating --which means for just a few dollars a week for the next few months you can help some martial arts masters REALLY PRACTICE mastery ----and you can participate in an award winning, revolutionary, industry-changing event with some of the most important and pro-active teachers/practitioners in the world.
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Please Contact Us to get more information about any of these upcoming events or if you wish to add an item to our schedule.