Do you ever get tired of the monotony of working out to stay in shape? What if you found an alternative that not only gets your body in shape but also your mind, and all of that while having fun? 

 

Let me introduce myself. I am your neighbor, Lucas Dobrzanski, a Seven Oaks resident of over 25 years, along with my wife Anna and Olivia, our 5-year-old Corgi. We moved to Bakersfield from Orange County in 1974, and after raising a family of two girls and a boy in Rosedale, we moved to Windsor Park in 1999. This was a great decision. We love our neighborhood and the Seven Oaks community.  

 

To address the point made in the opening paragraph of this article, let me introduce you to the Olympic sport of Fencing. Modern fencing is an exciting martial art, governed by rules of chivalry and tradition, providing an opportunity to have physical and mental exercise in a fun environment. You can practice fencing either as a recreational activity or competitively in tournaments. This is a sport that you can enjoy with family members and friends of any age, from young children to senior citizens.  

 

In 2012, I founded Kern Athletic Fencing Foundation, a nonprofit organization, located upstairs at the Woman’s Club at 18th and D Street in downtown Bakersfield. We are open 6 days a week, providing lessons and practice opportunities to individuals and groups, aged 6 to 81. I still compete, and I will be 82 in July. 

 

Part of our charity work as a nonprofit foundation is to offer fencing opportunities to individuals with developmental or physical challenges and partner with League of Dreams to provide fencing training for children with developmental challenges. We also have a Parafencing program for individuals, 14 years old to adult, with physical challenges. One of our parafencers is nationally ranked in the top 5 and a potential contender for the USA parafencing team for the 2028 Paralympics in LA.  

 

As a fencing club, we have had quite a bit of success, putting Bakersfield on the fencing map of the US. Some of our members’ accomplishments include:   

 

And neighbors, you have an opportunity to support all of our charitable activities. Each year, we hold a KAFF Gala event – a celebration of the artistry and athleticism of fencing at Luigi’s Warehouse, 725 19th Street. This year, our 5th Engarde Gala, on September 13th at 5:30pm, we will provide our attendees a great deal of fun, just as in past years, including:  

Seating is reserved by ticket only, and attire is “Bakersfield casual” to “star studded”. And we would love to have you be a part of this amazing evening. To get details and your tickets, please go to www.kernaff.org/gala/. 

 

With all of this said, let’s circle back to you and your fitness goals. In two fencing sessions per week, you will burn calories, improve your reaction time, and stimulate your mental acuity, while having fun. We call it Physical Chess, since it works your physical side while making you think about how to react, in milliseconds, to your opponent’s action. If two times a week is too much or too little, we can create a program tailor made to your needs and schedule. 

 

As the saying goes, “In fencing we make friends and then we stab them.”  Again, you can get information about lessons, classes, and introductory offers on our website; www.kernAFF.org. You can also contact me directly at 661.319.2235.