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Moon Park talks about giving back to the community at library
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.A crowd of seven people attended Moon Park's presentation about giving back to the community at the Poland library.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Shirley Maries of Boardman listended intently to Moon Park's presentation about giving back to the community at the Poland library.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Development Director of Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County Debbie Liptak introduced Moon Park before his presentation at the Poland library.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Moon Park gave a presentation at the Poland library about giving back to the community. Park has been doing that since he came to the United States from South Korea 30 years ago.
By TIM CLEVELAND
Since coming to the United States from South Korea 30 years ago, Moon Park has been living the American Dream. He owns Master Park Martial Arts International, a successful martial arts dojo located at 224 Boardman Canfield Road.
Due to all he has received since coming to this country, Park has been giving back. He has been involved with the Boardman Rotary for the past 19 years and has volunteered his time in many other community service works.
On Aug. 21, he gave a talk at the Poland library called “Tigers and Eagles – Power of Life: Education, Discipline, Duty, Responsibility and Commitment, How You can Change and Build a Better Life for Yourself and Your Family.”
“I have been living in this country for 30 years, and from the beginning I have a duty to this community,” he said. “I didn’t come over here to make money. My background is more than just wanting a business. As a human being, do something in a positive way and work with people. That’s what I try to talk to people about.”
Park said education is a key component in a positive life.
“People have to be educated,” he said. “That’s a really important part of anybody’s life. If they have an education, they have a big tool they can use the rest of their life. That can benefit their family’s next generations.”
Park himself has earned a degree in mechanical engineering, is a certified school teacher, is a licensed engineer of Industrial Fire Preventation and Industrial Safety.
He has been training in the martial arts for more than 50 years, works with many local schools and the Youngstown State football team. His family has 20 physicians and Ph.Ds in it.
Going along with the theme of education, Park said being able to speak English is also very important.
“We have to appreciate life and where we are living,” he said. “If anybody lives in this country and speaks English, they can communicate with anybody in the world. I came from South Korea 30 years ago. In Korea and Japan and China and many other countries, in school I can say more than 30 percent of their training and education relate to speaking English. Even young children can speak English better than me. They can use that to become a successful person in their lives in a successful way.”
Shirley Maries of Boardman was one of the attendees of Park’s presentation.
“I read about it in the Vindicator and I thought it would be an interesting talk here,” she said. “See what I can learn.”
Park added that he regards giving back to the community as his duty.
“Everybody should work hard. That’s the duty they have to do,” he said. “I worked with many communities when I was in Korea, both in the Lions Club and with some high school and college students.
“I’m enjoying this community, this country. Anywhere I go, I try and express appreciation and thanks to this country. During the Korean War, without the U.S.’s help, South Korea would be the same as North Korea. People could be suffering.”