Scaring for a good cause: Haunted Dojang makes its chilling return

Killer clowns romped around a bloodstained carnival. Four-legged demonic creatures, bathed in strobe lights, chased children as they screamed. This all unfolded inside a portion of Wantagh Champions Taekwondo last weekend.

The dojang, or studio, on Wantagh Avenue, which traditionally serves as a place of solace for its attendees, appeared quite the opposite on Saturday and Sunday, converted into a walk-through haunted house for Champions’ annual two-day “Kick or Treat” event. Instructors, students and former students donned costumes and jumped out from behind curtains in a Halloween-themed maze.

Master and dojang owner Frank Guerrini said the Haunted Dojang started in 2012 as a student-exclusive event. Some students didn’t attend classes on Halloween, since they were trick-or-treating, so the Haunted Dojang became a seasonal alternative.

About six years ago, the studio moved to its current location, which offered more room to “get creative,” Guerrini said. “The Keym family has been huge in really upgrading the quality of the event.”

Julianne Keym of Wantagh, an instructor, took the reins on upgrading the Haunted Dojang with her husband, Andrew. “We were always looking to push things to the next level,” Julianne said. “Once we settled in this location, we wanted to go big, and that’s the direction we headed in.”

The event not only offers fun for the community, she said, but has also helped children and teenage trainees to “rise to a new level of leadership” and introduced them to community service. “They’re really learning to be leaders in a fun way,” said Keym, a double black belt who is also a speech-language pathologist in the East Meadow School District.

Entry to the Haunted Dojang was $5 per person. The donations benefited the dojang’s annual scholarship fund, established by Guerrini about eight years ago.

Each year, the studio awards a scholarship to a longtime student. Most of the scholarships have gone to high school seniors for college, but the money has sometimes been given to special-needs students who needed living assistance, Guerrini said.

In an effort to further connect with the community, he said, the event offered a twist this year: a vendor fair was set up in the dojang’s parking lot on Saturday. “It’s something that we’ve always wanted to do,” Guerrini said. “We don’t want the school to be just for our members — we want it to be a community hub, and we want to invite the public in.”

Melissa Ehl, owner and operator of Mixed By Mel, an at-home bakery based in Wantagh, said she was thrilled to be part of the Haunted Dojang vendor fair. “This is a great experience for me, as a first-time vendor,” she said. “I’m grateful to bring some of my customers to contribute to their scholarship fund.”

On Sunday, the dojang hosted a “Trunk or Treat” for early trick-or-treaters. Families associated with the martial arts school were encouraged to park their cars in front of the studio and decorated their vehicles’ trunks with Halloween décor and hand out candy to visitors. Student trainees, ranging in age from 7 to 15, took part in demonstrations on both days.

Guerrini, who grew up taking classes at another South Shore Champions dojang, said the program “changed his life.” While most students are from Wantagh, the school has welcomed other trainees from Seaford, Levittown, East Meadow, Bellmore and beyond.

“We know that through martial arts, through character-building, through the life-coaching that we do, we can change lives,” Guerrini said. “And I speak from experience on that. For a lot of kids who lack confidence, this is something they can use to help them grow and improve their lives.”

MacArthur High School sophomore Eddie Muro 15, who has trained at the dojang for 10 years, agreed, saying the program has made him into the person he is today. “It has definitely shaped the way I am and my character,” Eddie said. “Meeting new people, going to tournaments throughout the U.S. — it builds respect, discipline and integrity.”

Asked about his favorite part of volunteering inside the Haunted Dojang, he joked, “Scaring all the little children.”

Keym said that she and Guerrini hope to expand the Halloween event in the future. “We share the dream,” she said, “of giving back to the community, being a part of the community, and letting others know that we’re a part of it.”