Kirk Koskella has sought to support each of the communities in which he lived. In Los Angeles, Kirk served with a Reserve Unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, assisting in the SANE (Substance Abuse Narcotics Education) in raising more than $750,000 in its first local telethon, benefiting Los Angeles “at risk” youth. That support continued in Koskella’s work with the department with public service announcements, commercials, and training films to assist officers in such “results oriented” programs are still used today.
Koskella was teaching a community martial arts program at Los Angeles Valley College when considering moving to a location better suited to raising his family. It was a call from his wife that prompted that move: Koskella’s young son and daughter were playing in front of their apartment in the San Fernando Valley and found a loaded .38 revolver in the bushes. Fortunately, both had been taught not to play with such things and turned it over to their mother. A Los Angeles Times article, quoting Kirk Koskella, was run noting the increasing problems of the area. Their choice for relocation was Utah.
Over the course of the next few years Koskella prospered and while participating in community activities in support of local law enforcement.
His donation of a new D.A.R.E. truck to the Orem Department of Public Safety was much appreciated as Koskella was made an honorary police officer for the unsolicited donation. The vehicle was used for higher visibility in approaching local youth with drug prevention programs conducted in area schools. Awareness and prevention programs also became a part of youth mentoring programs at Koskella’s local martial arts studio. Students earned awards for good grades, positive youth music, drama, sports, and other after school activities.
Koskella is noted as telling community leaders. “If we fail in teaching our youth the importance of making the right choices, then our own future is lost. It comes down to providing proper supervision, hard work, and caring about your neighbors AND their kids.”
Koskella’s determination was rewarded by 16 youth being included in United States Taekwondo Union (USTU) national tournaments. Having trained both Gold and Silver Olympic Medalists in the past serves Utah alone by more than 120 Black Belt (1st to 7th Degree) students and instructors continuing that tradition in the Utah Summer Games.