photo of Asheville Sun Soo's storefront2020

Asheville Sun Soo Celebrates Our 13th Anniversary

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photo of Asheville Sun Soo's storefront

 

Asheville Sun Soo is excited to celebrate our anniversary! We opened on January 3, 2007 – making today, January 3, 2020, our 13th anniversary! In addition to today marking our 13th year serving the Asheville area, we are also commemorating our 1-year anniversary at our current location in the River Ridge Market Place!

We would like to thank all of you for being a part of our Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts family! Asheville Sun Soo wishes all of our students and families a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

Photo of Black Belt students and Asheville Sun Soo vans in front of the dojang

Asheville Sun Soo Students Brave Rainy Weather to Participate in 2019 Asheville Holiday Parade

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Photo of Grandmaster Morris and Master Amy Dexter with elementary aged student practitioner2019

Grandmaster Tony Morris and Master Amy Dexter Contribute to Career Day at West Buncombe Elementary School

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Photo of Grandmaster Morris and Master Amy Dexter with elementary aged student practitionerOn October 31st, Grandmaster Tony Morris and Master Amy Dexter contributed to the Career Day at West Buncombe Elementary School. This event, held annually at local schools, is designed with the intent of exposing students to the variety of career possibilities for their futures.

Grandmaster Morris and Master Dexter, represented Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, inspiring the kids to build their futures by emphasizing the importance of education, living in excellence, setting goals, practicing perseverance, and living with integrity as they continue to develop. As an example of what it’s like to be a martial arts instructor, Grandmaster Morris and Master Dexter taught the attending kids a few moves. The kids had fun, practiced their manners, and left excited about their possibilities.

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts is committed to making a difference in our community! If you would like Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts to come to your location to facilitate a class, workshop, demonstration or other event, please contact Grandmaster Tony Morris at 505-4309.

Asheville Sun Soo Supports a Mental Health Awareness Event at UNC Asheville

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Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts is happy to have supported the inaugural occurrence of Fresh Check Day – a new, student-led annual event held at the University of North Carolina Asheville.

This event was coordinated, organized, and facilitated by Kenda Mullert, Health Outreach Coordinator, with the Health and Counseling Center at UNCA, and was held on October 22, 2019. Fresh Check Day was created in order to bring awareness to the value of mental health issues in the college community. Breakout sessions were held to educate students to experiences around mental health that are common to many, but not highlighted or discussed. These sessions served to help students gain greater awareness of resources and tools available to support their mental health.

Asheville Sun Soo was invited to support the event through facilitating a series of three mini-workshops, emphasizing goal-setting and achievement, while navigating and breaking through limitations and barriers. We provided experiential sessions, with participants ultimately breaking adult boards with a palm strike. This activity served as a metaphor for breaking through obstacles in order to reach target goals. The UNCA students who participated made new connections in awareness around breaking barriers on the way to achievement. Everyone had a great time, and left inspired.

We at Asheville Sun Soo believe that the fundamental aspects of a consistent martial arts practice contribute to a balanced, high-functioning and excellent life. If you would like Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts to come to your location to facilitate a class, workshop, demonstration or other event, please contact Grandmaster Tony Morris at 828-505-4309.

Asheville Sun Soo Service Project Opportunity

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Photo of Jessica Tripp, Executive Director of Serve to LEAD and 1st Degree Black Belt at Asheville Sun Soo Martial ArtsServe to LEAD is an amazing, humanitarian non-profit that provides service outreach to people in need, while simultaneously creating opportunities for people to give to communities in need around the world. Their core values – Love, Equity, Altruism, and Dignity are represented in their name – LEAD – the collective of which is harmoniously in line with the tenets of Taekwondo!

The Executive Director of Serve to LEAD is Ms. Jessica Tripp, one of Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts’ first degree Black Belts. Ms. Tripp exemplifies excellence, compassion, and empathy in her practice, as well as in her professional life. We are proud of the work she is doing to create a more just and caring world.

To that end, Asheville Sun Soo would like to promote and endorse a service opportunity for our families. Serve to LEAD, lead by Ms. Tripp, will be traveling to Lumberton NC, an area of our state that was dramatically impacted by the recent hurricanes, in order to assist families in their recovery efforts. Participants will:

  • Perform exterior and interior home clean-up and debris removal
  • Assist with home repair and construction

Members of the Service team will depart from Asheville mid-afternoon on Wednesday October 9th. They will participate in service projects all day October 10, 11, and 12, and return to Asheville on Sunday October 13 after lunch.

  • Lodging is provided. Transportation is available for a fee of $25/person. Team members are responsible for their own meals.
  • In order to be a service team member, participants must do the following:
  • Must be 15 years of age or older
  • Turn in completed and notarized paperwork by October 1
  • Pay the $25 transportation fee if traveling with Serve to LEAD
  • Attend the team meeting on Sunday October 6 at 1pm, at the Serve to LEAD office – 225 Sardis Road in Asheville.

For more information, and to register (appropriate paperwork will be provided upon registration), please contact Jessica Tripp at jtripp@goservetolead.org or by phone at 828-505-5842.

Hall of Fame Best of WNC 2019

Thank you for helping Asheville Sun Soo to be Selected as the Best in WNC!

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Hall of Fame Best of WNC 2019Every year, the people of Western North Carolina are given the opportunity to vote for their favorite businesses in the area. We are proud to share that once again, Asheville Sun Soo has been voted #1 in the “Best of WNC” voting in several categories! We are honored to be recognized with this distinction, and are grateful for the support of the Asheville Sun Soo family and friends!

The categories in which we were voted #1 in WNC are:

In addition, we were voted the 3rd best Youth Sports Program in the Asheville area!

Thanks to all who voted!

 

* Indicates Hall of Fame status. This designation is reserved for winners who have won first place for at least 4 years in a row, including the current year!

Grandmaster Morris and Ms Amy Vaughn's First Grade Class at Leicester Elementary2019 Asheville Sun Soo LLC

Grandmaster Tony Morris Visits Leicester Elementary

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Grandmaster Morris and Ms Amy Vaughn's First Grade Class at Leicester ElementaryFounder and Head Master Instructor Grandmaster Tony Morris recently paid a visit to local elementary school, Leicester Elementary. He taught students some of the basics of self-defense and the tenets of Tae Kwon Do, while conducting a class that was fun and engaging.

While engaging with these students, Grandmaster Morris was also there to support teacher Amy Vaughn, a 2nd degree Black Belt practitioner at Asheville Sun Soo, as well as a first grade teacher at Leicester Elementary.

It is always a pleasure to support our local community, and we are proud of the contributions our students regularly make to the local community. If you are interested in booking Asheville Sun Soo for a martial arts demonstration, self-defense class, or other engaging venue for your group or organization, please contact Grandmaster Tony Morris at Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts – 828-505-4309.

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts is Proud to be a Recipient of the 2019 Sky High Growth Award!

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Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts is proud to have been awarded a 2019 Sky High Growth Award by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. The Sky High Growth Awards recognize businesses for their growth and contribution to the local economy.

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts was selected as one of only 20 businesses in the greater Asheville area, from among the tens of thousands in its business community. Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts was chosen in acknowledgement of its exceptionally high professional standards, innovations within the martial arts industry as well as the business community at large, along with its 12 ½ year continuous history of sustained growth, #1 ranking in the annual “Best of WNC” area voting, and contribution to the local economy and quality of life in Asheville.

Grandmaster Tony Morris and Master Michael Dickinson received the award on behalf of Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts. Also present at the ceremony were Instructors Master Amy Dexter, Master Thabiti Sabahive, Ms. Tina Clark, and Ms. Cyd Smith, as well as Krisy Williams, our Operations Manager.

The award ceremony was held at Sierra Nevada Brewing in Mills River, and was well-attended by many local businesses, many of which also received a Sky High Growth Award. Asheville Sun Soo is thrilled to have been recognized by the Asheville Area Chamber for its business excellence.

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts would like to congratulate its fellow 2019 Sky High Growth Award Winners!

Asheville Arborists,  Asheville’s Fun Depot, Avadim Health, Inc., Blue Ridge Orthodontics, Center for Craft, Center for Massage & Natural Health, Hi-Wire Brewing, The Market Place Restaurant & Lounge, The Matt & Molly Team, LLC, Mind Your Business, Inc., Mosaix Group, Inc., PHYSIO Physical Therapy and Wellness, Shoji Spa & Lodge, SimplyHome, Sona Pharmacy + Clinic, Spherion, Vannoy Construction, YMCA of Western North Carolina, and Zoe Dental.

photo of Sun Soo staff members at Sky High Growth Award Ceremony