You can help send local teen to world kickboxing championship

IDAHO FALLS – Members of a local MMA gym want your help sending one of their own to a kickboxing tournament in Austria this fall.

Team Lionheart MMA at 510 2nd Street in Idaho Falls is hosting its fourth annual fundraiser car wash on Saturday. It’s happening from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Gym owner Weston Barnes tells EastIdahoNews.com 15-year-old Logan Glauser of Idaho Falls, who’s been training at Team Lionheart for about 18 months, was one of a handful of people in the U.S. who was selected to be part of the kickboxing world championship in Vienna from Oct. 23 to 27.

“He had one kickboxing fight, and he did so good. The director of the kickboxing tournament watched him and invited him to represent Team USA,” Barnes says. “This is a great opportunity. It’s like the Olympics of kickboxing.”

Barnes and his team have already raised about $1,200 from local sponsors. They need another $1,500. The money helps pay for Logan’s registration fees, as well as food, flights and hotel stays for Logan and his grandpa, who is going with him.

He’s grateful to Fiesta Ole and Irie Property Holdings LLC for supporting Logan.

Barnes and the team are inviting people to come and get their car washed for $5 in the Team Lionheart parking lot on Saturday. Two food vendors — Shaved Oasis (snow cones) and El Sazon De Mi Corazon (taco truck) — will be serving customers.

Barnes is also accepting donations through Venmo for those unable to attend. Click here or use the QR code below.

“Logan is a very talented and hardworking fighter. This is an amazing opportunity for him to represent our nation. We need help from the community to get him in that ring and bring us back a world title,” Barnes says.