Vol. 9 6 / 2002	2^nd year edition
Do hoang Nghia phutavanthu@yahoo.com or nthihoang@aol.com

Grand Master Le Sang’s Visit to Master Luong Vui and His Orange Park Vovinam Center

We were an excited group on Friday, March 15, 2002, when we gathered at the airport to meet Grand Master Le Sang as he, accompanied by Master Tran Van Vinh from California, arrived in Florida. Waiting at the airport were Master Luong Vui and his wife, Luong Nga, Master Vu Tho, Master Nguyen Quang and his wife and children, and eight of Master Luong’s instructors and students. The students carried roses to present to the Grand Master on his arrival, and there were a number of cameras on hand to capture the moment. One of us was asked if someone famous was arriving. . .

From the airport, the Grand Master came to the home of Master Luong in Orange Park. Pho soup, prepared by Luong Nga, was served to the Grand Master, Masters Vu Tho, Nguyen Quang and Luong Vui and to Master Luong’s instructors and students. It was a beautiful, cool, spring night and the visiting lasted until the early morning hours.

The Grand Master spent Saturday at a ceremony presented by Orlando’s Vovinam group and then returned to Orange Park on Sunday for a long awaited celebration and the grand opening of Master Luong’s renovated and expanded fitness center. The canopies were raised to block the hot sun, the mats were laid out, the food was prepared, and the banner was raised letting everyone know how honored we were to have the Grand Master as our guest that day.

The Vovinam flag was raised while “Viet Vo Dao” was played. Master Luong spoke and thanked the Grand Master, Masters, instructors, students, parents and other guests. A special thanks was given to his wife for her support of his thirty-year dream of having a full time Vovinam fitness center. That dream was fulfilled eight months ago when he opened the Orange Park Vovinam fitness center.

Two of Master Luong’s students, Jim Pelky and James Lee, then spoke on behalf of the parents and students about our respect and admiration for Master Luong’s outstanding character, tenacity and inspiration and for the Vovinam values that he models and conveys to his students. Master Tran Van Vinh spoke in Vietnamese and then translated into English his thanks to all the guests who attended.

The new belt ceremony began with the Grand Master presenting the first blue belt, second degree to Lona Pitts. The three other blue belt, second degrees were presented by Master Tran Van Vinh, Master Vu Tho and Master Luong Vui to Melanie Bass, Ian Cole and Art Samuels. Master Nguyen Quang, Master Le Ngoc Tu, Master Luong Vui, Instructor Colin Sheehan and Instructor Lap Nguyen presented blue belt first degrees to Cindy Nguyen, Kari Horn, Wesley Pitts, Ashley Bradshaw and Adam Striebel. Master Luong then presented blue belts to twenty-eight of his other students. The Vovinam pledges were recited and the Grand Master welcomed the new Vovinam disciples.

After the belt ceremony, everyone was entertained by a variety of demonstrations. Part of Master Luong’s plan for the demonstration was to show the wide range of disciplines that are a part of his fitness center. The demonstrations included the sword form; forms 1, 2 and 3; the soft forms 1 and 2; and dual wrestling. Some of these forms were performed by groups of parents with their children. We were also pleased to have the demo team from Orlando performing leg techniques, self-defense and fighting techniques. As always, they showed amazing skill and stamina. Because of the heat of the day and the lack of time we were, unfortunately, not able to demonstrate Master Luong’s “kickboxing” program which provides aerobic and strength training for Vovinam students and other adults. Also, Chris Horn, Cari Horn and Pam Affronti were not able to perform a song written by Chris Horn for the Grand Master’s visit.

After the demonstrations, the Grand Master cut the opening ribbon to the fitness center, and everyone went inside to visit and eat a wide range of food prepared by Luong Nga. It was an excellent celebration of the Grand Master’s visit and an impressive belt ceremony.

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