Rondeau's gift a game changer

Johnston Sun Rise ·

In the rough and tumble world of kickboxing and grueling fitness workouts, Christina Rondeau always shines.

Friday night, however, the highly-decorated world champion and Johnston businesswoman sparkled like never before.

Rondeau recently answered a rather unique S.O.S. of sorts that had far-reaching effects from her Killingly Street headquarters and brought tears of joy to senior citizens in Woonsocket and brought in money from a United States Navy man who is stationed in Okinawa, Japan.

For starters, Christine Coyne, a resident manager and care-giver at Chateau Clare that’s located at 16 Green Street in Woonsocket, trains at Rondeau’s Kick-Boxing and Fitness Center and was telling the Martial Arts Hall of Famer about the sadness that was in-and-around the subsidized housing complex.

Three hooded thieves, as the story unfolds, found a way to dismantle an entertainment center in the Chateau Clare community room and stole the 65-inch television that was in most cases the only source of entertainment inside the Woonsocket high rise.

“The sad part,” Coyne said Friday night, “was that the residents used their own money and chipped in to purchase the television. Because of that robbery – which was recorded on in-house cameras and is being investigated by police – there was a fear that the residents wouldn’t be able to watch Sunday’s Super Bowl.”

When Rondeau heard the complete story, it kept tugging at her heart.

“How could people do such a thing to elderly men and women – some who are in their 90s – and destroy any and all social life that those people enjoyed watching that television,” Rondeau told the Sun Rise Friday night. “I just had to do something”

Rondeau did much more than anyone could have expected. She quickly organized a fund-raiser at her new studio-headquarters located at 609 Killingly Street in Johnston to raise enough money for the people at Chateau Clare to have a new television.

“I can’t believe those people would steal from the elderly,” Rondeau reiterated Friday night amid a mass of people who attended the fitness workout fundraiser that filled her new facility. “I’ve got to do something, this is wrong.”

Ever since the wide screen television was stolen from the community room, where dozens of people hold bingo, watch movies and have holiday events such as a New Year’s Eve party, fear – Coyne explained – “has taken over, especially for the elderly who live there.”

Sunday, that old adage of “All’s well that ends well” surfaced when Rondeau arrived at Chateau Clare with her son Cotey Rock Rondeau and presented a 55-inch wide screen Smart TV she purchased from Walmart to the obviously thrilled residents.

“Christina raised over $400 at her fund-raiser,” Coyne explained when Rondeau arrived with TV in hand. “What Christina did for them Friday was to make them so aware they do not have to live in such fear, but they have to be vigilant.”

Coyne, whose voice cracked with emotions, said “They will never forget the kindness shown to them on Friday night. What Christina Rondeau did was unbelievable.”

The soft-spoken Rondeau, who is noted for her many exploits in professional kickboxing and is a Master 5th Degree Black Belt, said, “It’s just nice to step up and help the community and those in need. Seeing that 91-year-old woman smile because she could watch her movies in the community room among friends made my day. For me it about being selfless and helping others when I can.”

There was yet another piece to the once-sad saga and that came from Coyne’s son who is serving in the United State Navy in Okinawa.

“When I told my son about what had happened and that Christina was going to have a fundraiser, he said he’d send me $200 toward the purchase of the television,” Coyne said, a wide smile appearing on her face. “I called him and told him what Christina did and he said that was wonderful but he was still going to send along two hundred bucks; use it to throw a Super Bowl party those folks can enjoy while their watching the game on that new television.”