By Melinda Davis, Director, Lou Walker Senior Center, Lithonia, GA

Many people dread the aches and pains associated with getting older, but is it possible to age gracefully and stay strong into your 70s, 80s, or even 90s? The seniors at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia, GA, are prime examples that this is an achievable goal. 

Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, and Medicare’s A Healthier US Starts Here bus stopped at the center this summer to draw attention to free health screenings for heart disease and diabetes. During the visit, the center’s courageous, belt-level Tae Kwon Do class had an opportunity to demonstrate not only their steps, but also their defensive board-breaking moves.

One of the participants, Earnestine Betterson, 71, said that in addition to eating right and exercising regularly, active seniors should be able to defend themselves. She made a decision to live a fearless life. Her instructor, Frank Crawford, has been practicing martial arts since 1973 and said he often asks his students whether they prefer to die or live. This approach has many students closely examining their attitudes about self-defense. At first, Betterson was afraid of hurting her instructor, but she later developed the confidence she needed to “hit him where it hurts” in order to protect herself.

One afternoon after leaving class, she was put to the test by a young man in a parking lot. As she was about to put her groceries in her car, he approached her from the side. She quickly “clapped” his ears, which caught him off guard and disrupted his equilibrium. She then pushed his head to the trunk of her car until he begged her to stop. Another male approached, stating that his friend was playing around, and she taught him a valuable lesson. Betterson said she has learned never to allow anyone into her personal space without first giving them permission. 

“After my husband died, I felt the need to learn how to protect myself. I moved to Atlanta from North Carolina to be with my children. I’ve never been a fighter, but I realize it’s not too late to learn. The Lou Walker Senior Center has been a tremendous help to me, and I really enjoy my classes.”

“The Tae Kwon Do class is like a family,” she added. “We encourage and help one another. Mr. Crawford is a great instructor. He tries to be tough, but he is full of love and genuinely cares about us and our safety. At the Lou Walker Senior Center, we are aging gracefully and defensefully!”

For more information, contact Melinda Davis at mddavis@co.dekalb.ga.us or (770) 322-2902.

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