Congratulations to George on 10th dan

[Topos]

George,

Please add my encomia at your reaching 10th Dan. It is a tribute to your dedication and generous mentoring of all your students no matter their aptitude.

["Speak for your self, John".

"I am!" ]

It was an honor to have studied with you, and your imprimatur has stayed with me since 1960.

I hope and pray that we can honor you on your 100th birthday ... this also means we will be around with you.

Heartfelt congratulations. JCK

[gmattson]

I will do my best to comply with your wishes to "hang around for my 100th" and sincerely hope you will be there with a bottle of fine scotch and a bawdy limerick to help us remember our first 50 years!

"That. . .was. . .a very nice song,
Sing us another one -
Just like the other one -
Sing us another one, do!"

[Dale Houser]

Congratulations!

[MikeK]

Congratulations George!

[Dana Sheets]

Hi George,
I've got a name for your new book:

Karate: The Single Greatest Age-Defying Activity on Earth.

Good on ya!

-Dana

[chef]

All I can say is "You da man?"

I cannot think of a more deserving person, George.

Congrats, again!

We love you and are so very proud of you.

Always,
Vicki

[jorvik]

excellent,

[jthulse]

Hi George

When I first started Uechi Ryu Karate Do yours was the first book I bought. It helped me so much so thank you for that. Fedele asked me several times to come and visit him in Boston and finally I did. He set up a training session with you so that I could meet you. It was a great honour to have met you and I was so nervous about training with you, as much as I was when I met the late Grandmaster Kanei Uechi.

However, you made me feel so welcome and improved my karate no end with your ease of teaching. It was a great evening for me.

It is my honour to be your friend and have you watch my kata on occassions when I get to see you, which is not often enough.

I now have the honour of saying congratulations to you George on an award so befitting of someone of your dedication and skill.

All the best form all of my students and I. When I told them they all applauded even though some have never met you, such is your reach.

All the best.

Jim

[gmattson]

to all who posted their kind messages here and endorsed my promotion.

For the record, last year the IUKF board wanted to award me the rank as part of the 50th anniversary celebration and I vetoed the suggestion.

This year they didn't give me the opportunity. The board surprised me with the presentation.

I understand and appreciate their support and devotion and accepted it in the spirit which it was given.

Anyone can purchase rank and a pretty certificate. But what makes rank legitimate and honorable is "peer acceptance". . . without this acceptance, rank is an empty honor.

My heartfelt thanks go out to all my martial art friends and students who validated this promotion and made me so proud to accept it.

[robb buckland]

Congratulations ...You have given so much to so many . A great seisan ......a great mentor...a great teacher ....and most of all a great friend ....long deserved George thank you !!!