Martial arts instructor Richard Nagy is staging a special class in Golden Square on Friday, November 24 to raise funds for 'Logee' Osias' girls.
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Their mother was allegedly murdered by her former partner at her Kangaroo Flat home on October 29.
Logee's two youngest daughters, aged six and eight, have been students at his 'Nagy Muay Thai Gym' for about two years, Nagy said.
Logee Osias was remembered at a memorial service at Bendigo's Enjoy Church on Monday, November 20.
The packed event was "beautiful" and "very emotional", according to Nagy, a fellow member of the Filipino community as well as a family friend.
"I got to see the family and the girls, who I'd last seen probably a week prior to the incident," he told the Advertiser.
"They gave me a big hug."
Start of 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
A staunch believer in men's responsibility on family violence, Nagy has timed his fundraising initiative to coincide with the start of the '16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence' initiative.
That initiative, which is observed around the world from November 25 through to December 10, is backed by the City of Greater Bendigo and a Greater Bendigo against Family Violence Committee.
Locally, it will see the Rosalind Park conservatory lit up orange and a calendar of free events around town aimed at engaging the community on the issue.
At his Friday evening session, Nagy expects to have a speaker talk about family violence.
Otherwise, the event is intended to be enjoyable, he says.
The "hour of fun" would be made up of basic exercises and some self-defence moves.
"It's not going to be strenuous or hard. It'll be suitable for anyone from the community," Nagy says.
"The biggest thing is the message that gendered violence is just not acceptable."
Lessons in respect for everyone
While Muay Thai is a combat sport that has the potential to be violent, Nagy ensures his students are all learning it for the right reasons.
"Underpinning it is respect - respect for everyone, regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation," he said.
"Violence is not acceptable within the community, and that message should come from males, which is why I'm pushing it from my perspective.
"I'm pushing it particularly through my kids' classes, because that's where the problem starts."
The special Muay Thai fundraising session will be held at the Fit Republic Gym at 2 Abel Street, Golden Square, from 6.30pm to 8pm on Friday, November 24.
Money raised from the class will be donated for the future of Logee's youngest children, through a GoFundMe page that has been set up by a close family friend.
