Dr. Kathleen M. Favaloro DC PT
5th Dan Black Belt, Master Dr. Kathleen M. Favaloro began her martial arts training in Sapporo Japan where she earned a brown belt in JUDO during her year as a High School Rotary Exchange Student.
She returned home feeling strong and confident, and no longer fell to the ground or screamed if someone came up and poked her from behind or yelled boo. It was the jokester's turn to be surprised!!
While studying Physical Therapy in college, she took a couple semesters of Taekwondo and Jujitsu.
Close to 20 years later, while attending her first quarter of Chiropractic School… she had an accident where her chair collapsed. She broke her tailbone & lower back and injured her spinal cord. She couldn’t sit for four years, lost awareness of her legs below the knees, and dragged her right leg requiring her to lay down for all her classes.
Her fellow students referred to her as “the cripple” and told her to give up school because she would never be a Doctor.
In 1999, Not only did she graduate Valedictorian of her Chiropractic class, she started her own very successful practice as a Physical Therapist and Chiropractor in Western Massachusetts.
Once settled into her new town, she started Taekwondo classes to get her strength back and to further her rehabilitation. Then in 2008, nine years later, she achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a 1st Degree Black Belt.
She continued her study of Taekwondo and in 2022, she and her husband, Chris Vought earned their Master, 5th Dan Black Belts.
In 2018, while in Florida for the winter, she and her husband, Chris met Art Dobosz, who lived up the street. When he found out about their martial arts background, he invited them to attend his self-defense class for seniors.
They were so overwhelmed and inspired by everyone there, that they decided to join Art in his mission “To help seniors -TO PROTECT THEMSELVES with self-defense by learning how to be more aware of their environment and THEIR OWN POTENTIAL – To become “The Wrong Person to Attack”.
Chris A. Vought
Growing up Chris was one of those kids, who got picked on. He was shy, had low self-esteem, and didn’t want to be in the spotlight.
As a young adult, Scouting helped him with this.
Instead of participating in sports or most group activities, like some kids, he had several jobs, which he called, “mini careers”, where he learned a strong work ethic.
After enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard, he learned how to apply himself, “educationally & socially”, which greatly boosted his confidence.
Having to perform in public, gave him plenty of opportunities to master his shortcomings, and helped him to lead others, by “setting the example”.
During his 24 year career as a Radioman /Telecommunication Specialist, he excelled and eventually retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer.
Shortly after he met Kathleen, he proposed wearing a suit of armor, and they were married a year Later. During their courtship, she shared one of her favorite passions: a Martial Art called “Taekwondo”.
In 2008 he achieved the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt and in June of 2022 achieved the rank of Master 5th Dan Black belt. Although he loves teaching, he also loves continuing to learn as a student of Taekwondo.
He is grateful for the increased flexibility, coordination, and balance that he has gained over the years and feels confident that he can now protect himself and his family - if need be.
When teaching others, he is inspired when the “light bulb goes on” as people become confident in themselves, by practicing Self-Defense techniques.
Teaching Self-Defense and Safety Awareness classes for seniors, with Kathleen and Art, is a very gratifying experience for him. He enjoys watching seniors walk away with a greater awareness of their surroundings, and the confidence to know that they can protect themselves more effectively.
Art Dobosz
Art was first introduced to Judo in 1957 while stationed in Iwakuni, a city at the southern end of Japan’s Honshu island, while serving the in the United States Marine Corps.
In 1971 two of his children were enrolled in a Judo club in Connecticut. He decided to join them and attended classes for 4 years. He enjoyed it so much he eventually purchased the school and taught there for 15 years.
As he grew older, He saw more need for self-defense for seniors. So, in 1986, He began a program as a safety awareness and self-defense instructor with seniors, which was well received.
In 2018, Art teamed with Kathleen and Chris teaching classes in self-defense and safety awareness to seniors in the local communities.
It is his hope is that they can help seniors, and others, to develop confidence and the knowledge of what to do should they ever have the misfortune of being attacked.