Black Belt recipients

Black Belt promotions at Gillam Grant (Collamer-Jones) Karate - Front row, l-r: Tim Gersey, Kathy Hyde, Ron Cok and Chuck Lehmann promoted to Go-Dan: Tom Story, Valerie Kuykendall and Frank Jergler promoted to Yon-Dan. Second row, l-r: Sho-Dan were earned by Marty Allocco and Irene Balla; Jordan White, Brian Jesse and Dan Adams earned Ni-Dans. Back row, l-r, Kurt Prister Blue Belt, Kris Petote, Samantha Platek and Larry Mohr promoted to Brown Belt; Dusty Gutowski and Stan Stephenson promoted to Sempai along with Mark Lyons and Scott White (not in picture).

Black Belt recipients

On November 11, Isshin Ryu Karate Black Belt promotion tests were held at the Gillam Grant Center in Byron-Bergen under the direction of Shihan Cyndy Jones. Sensei(s) Ron Cok, Tim Gersey, Kathy Hyde, and Chuck Lehmann were promoted to Go-Dan (5th degree black belt). Sensei(s) Frank Jergler, Valerie Kuykendall and Tom Story were promoted to Yon-Dan (4th degree black belt).

Sensei(s) Dan Adams, Brian Jesse, and Jordan White were promoted to Ni-Dan (2nd degree black belt). Irene Balla and Marty Allocco were promoted to Sho-Dan (1st degree black belt).

Kris Petote, Samantha Platek and Larry Mohr were promoted to brown belt. Dusty Gutowski, Mark Lyons, Stan Stephenson and Scott White were promoted to Sempai (instructor). Kurt Prister earned a blue belt.

For information on the Gillam Grant (Collamer-Jones) Karate Program, call Jones at (585) 548-2801 or the Gillam Grant Center (585) 494-1621. New classes for all ages 5 and up start on Saturday, January 6. The karate group will do a demonstration at 2:30 p.m. on December 9 as part of the Holiday Celebration at the Gillam Grant Center.