By Pamela Jones
The United Karate Federation Celebration was held at Bethel Baptist Church in San Diego, Ca last Saturday. People came from cities on the West Coast and the East Coast, including Mr. Eric King, who came from as far away as New Jersey to enjoy this 50th Anniversary banquet celebration. The Who’s Who were in attendance, including Eric Lee, the King of Kata’s; Grandmasters Rey Leal, Curtis Brown, Donnie Williams of the Black Karate Foundation (BKF); Byron Mantack; Robert Sumler; and Pete Salas along with Master Dr. Brenton Wynn and Mr. Fugate to name a few.
Also present were City of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, 4th District Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe, 79th District Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber, and other members of the Black Karate Federation. Awards were presented to the children for their recognition and advancement in the ranks of Black Belts, from 1st Degree Black Belt to 10th Grandmaster level, which were given to Rey Leal, and Curtis Brown.
The evening’s special honoree was Mr. Orned Chicken Gabriel. Mr. Orned “Chicken Gabriel has been teaching martial arts for 50 years, creating a safe place to keep our children, teens, and young adults from becoming a part of gangs, drugs, or locked up in the prison system. His motto is “Reach One Teach One. All is attainable when you put your mind and heart into it. Turning your back on all things negative. I am of this world, but not of it”.
Mr. Orned Gabriel has a 100% success rate with his karate students and stays in contact with everyone from the 1970s to the present.
Mr. Gabriel’s immediate family was present to help celebrate their loved one’s milestone. Mr. Gabriel’s sisters, Sharlet Piernas and Gina Seunarine; niece Misha Piernas; and nephews Andre Piernas and Marcell Seunarine, along with his great niece and nephew were all there to join in the celebration.
It was a great honor to have Steve “Nasty” Anderson’s family present, all the way from Canada. A warm-hearted thank you is extended to Dr. John Warren for his advertisement of this event. Also to Mr. Darrel Wheeler, the photographer of this event, Lisa Wahl, who was catering, and all who helped with sponsorship, such as the San Diego Black Police Officers’ Association, along with everyone who came out to help celebrate this event.
We also want to thank Mrs. Billie Starke and Mr. Larry Price for their many contributions from the beginning. Without their contributions and their belief in our dreams of a United Karate Federation, there would not have been a 50th Anniversary.
