Transforming Lives Through Martial Arts

Good day, I am Jerry Otto, a ninth-degree black belt martial artist with over five decades of experience. In 1981, I founded the Shen Dragon Karate Dojo, where I hold the esteemed title of Hanshi-Dan, Grand Master, of the Shen Dragon Karate Dojo, Buccaneer Mall, St. Thomas, VI. I am proudly featured in world history books by the American Martial Arts Alliance Foundation and have received numerous prestigious awards, including the Action Karate Magazine "Hall of Honors" Golden Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 and President Biden's Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. I am also featured in the YouTube Series "52 Masters."

I founded the Virgin Islands Martial Arts Development Association, Inc. 501(c)(3) specifically dedicated to fostering a brighter future for children in our community by partnering with compassionate sponsors like you. Your financial assistance for a child's annual tuition provides a continuous path of growth and development. Your tax-deductible support grants these children the invaluable opportunity to learn life skills that extend beyond the dojo.

Our Vision: We aim to offer children in our community the opportunity to develop invaluable leadership qualities through martial arts, regardless of their financial means. With your sponsorship support, we ensure every child can access the transformative benefits of martial arts education.

Our Mission: At the Virgin Islands Martial Arts Development Association, Inc. (VIMADA), we empower Virgin Islanders through the education and practice of martial arts principles. We foster a positive community by instilling responsibility, discipline, honesty, dedication, humility, loyalty, and courage. Through character development programs and exemplary black belt role models, we inspire a belief in the power of positive thinking with our "I Can Do" ethos.

Your commitment to sponsoring a child enriches their lives and strengthens our community, fostering a generation of empowered and resilient individuals ready to impact the world positively. Programs like ours have demonstrated a marked reduction in crime and improved school academics over time.

Demonstrated Success: US National Karate Competitions: Thanks to generous contributions like yours, VIMADA has sponsored eight children (2022) who received training under the guidance of Grandmaster Jerry Otto and his dedicated team. These sponsored children became integral Shen Dragon National Competition Team members, proudly representing our community in four US National Karate Tournaments.

This small team of twelve competitors, led by Grandmaster Otto and Sensei Celine Otto, achieved outstanding results, securing 60 first-place finishes, 20 second-place finishes, and 17 third-place finishes across four tournaments. This remarkable success demonstrates our athletes' talent and dedication and underscores the positive impact of martial arts training on character development and achievement.

With your continued support, we can continue to nurture champions both on the mat and in our society, empowering more children to reach their full potential. Together, we can make a lasting difference in our youth and community's lives.

VIMADA will use funds raised through sponsorships to launch educational outreach programs and community engagement initiatives aimed at raising awareness of human trafficking while also supporting survivors. Our "Next Step" program uses the principles of martial arts to offer abused children, women, and trafficking survivors a path to recovery. Through martial arts training, survivors are given an opportunity to heal both physically and emotionally, building confidence, discipline, and resilience. The program’s holistic approach encompasses self-defense, physical empowerment, and psychological recovery, allowing survivors to reclaim their autonomy and dignity.

In partnership with the Next Step program, VIMADA will provide, through its network of professionals, counseling, job training, legal assistance, and community outreach to combat human trafficking at its roots. Seminars and self-defense workshops will equip communities with the tools to protect themselves and spot the signs of trafficking, while survivor support services will offer mental health resources and legal aid. Together, these programs create a comprehensive strategy for preventing trafficking, raising awareness, and providing the resources and rehabilitation that survivors need to move forward.

Respectfully,

Grand Master Jerry Otto