This Issue

&
GR OOV E P HI GR OOVE
SO C I AL FELLO WSHI P , I N C . ®
®
“Through loyalty and integrity we shall achieve greatness.”
Spring/Summer 2004 P.O. Box 8337 • Silver Spring, MD 20907 • www.groove-phi-groove.org
W ELCOME TO THE
SW OR D & SP EAR
The Sword & Spear is the official publication of Groove
Phi Groove SFI ®. Its purpose is to inform, enlighten
and strengthen the links of its membership. If you would
like to contribute any writings and/or pictures, please
feel free to forward via email to: SandS@gphig.org
NATIONAL NEWS
National Conclave Information New Orleans 2004
RESERVATION INFORMATION:
The anticipated attendance at the 2004 Conclave is
expected to be greater than any previous Conclave.
Accordingly, members, families and friends are encouraged
to immediately make their room reservations.
To secure rooms at our group rate of $89 per night (plus
tax), you must inform the Sheraton Hotel New Orleans
that you are with Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship,
Inc. The cut-off date to make reservations at our group
rate officially ended June 21, 2004, however, the National
Office has asked the Sheraton to extend the cut-off date
to around July 10, 2004. Accordingly, brothers who have
not made their reservations should immediately contact
the Hotel to see if they will still honor the $89 per night
group rate.
Please be advised that a large number of rooms have
already been reserved under our group room block.
Therefore, the room block may sellout prior to June 21,
2004. If so, you may have to secure lodging at a higher
room rate, or possibly at a different hotel.
ABOUT THE HOTEL:
July 22-25, 2004
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel
500 Canal Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
http://www.sheratonneworleans.com
Contact:
Toll free number: 1-888-627-7033
Hotel Line: 504-525-2500
Fax Line: 504-561-0178
A captivating hotel in
the heart of New
Orleans. The hotel’s
90,000 square feet of
captivating meeting
space includes the
exquisitely designed
Armstrong Ballroom,
the sophisticated
Grand Ballroom, the
stunning Rhythms
Ballroom, the intimate
Waterbury Ballroom
and the versatile
Pontchartrain
Ballroom. In addition,
50 state-of-the-art meeting rooms are available as well
as two elegantly appointed board rooms.
Guests of the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel can catch a
glimpse of the city’s world-famous French Quarter, the
Warehouse Art District as well as premier shopping,
entertainment and dining venues just outside our front
doors. The perfect complement to the city’s everlasting
mystique, the hotel features 1,110 guest rooms and 50
suites, including nine exclusive Club Level floors with an
accompanying Club Lounge with mesmerizing views of
the festive city.
must submit a cover letter and resume; and must submit
(3) letters of reference.
NATIONAL NEWS
2004 National Conclave Tentative Itinerary
Brothers who are interested in running for the
aforementioned positions, and who meet the qualifications,
must submit their materials to the National P.O. Box by
July 10, 2004.
THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2004
Registration Tables: 9am - 5pm
Vendor Tables : 9am – 6pm
Executive Board Meeting: 10am – 12noon
National Delegates Meeting: 1pm - 4pm
Social Reception: 4pm - 6pm
Social Reception: 9pm - 1am
Glory Phi God Lawsuit Settled!
The National Office has reached an extremely favorable
settlement agreement with Word of Faith Christian Center
Church, thus bringing an end to the Glory Phi God lawsuit!
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Word of
Faith has agreed to the following:
FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2004
1. Word of Faith agreed to abandon and cease any and
all use of GΦG and G PHI G, alone or in combination with
other symbols or words;
Registration Tables: 9am – 5pm
Vendor Tables : 9am – 6pm
National Delegates Meeting: 1pm - 5pm
Play Station Tournament: 6pm - 8pm
Poetry Slam KMTIC Soul: 9pm - 11pm
Party New Orleans Style: 11pm - 2am
Social Reception/After Party: 2am - 4am
2. Word of faith will cancel their Glory Phi God logo
Trademark (this is Glory Phi God logo that you have seen
on clothing and in pictures);
3. Word of Faith will transfer ownership of the “gphig.com”
and “gphig.net” web domain names to Groove.
SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2004
Registration Tables: 9am – 3pm
Vendor Tables : 9am – 6pm
Prayer Breakfast: 9am – 11am
Social Reception: 1pm – 4pm
Step Show: 4pm - 6pm
National Party (Semi Formal - Chic White Attire
Requested): 10pm - 2am
Social Reception/After Party: 2am - 4am
In exchange, Groove will dismiss its lawsuit against Word
of Faith, thus bringing an end to this dispute. A more
detailed report along with a Q & A session will be held
at the New Orleans Conclave in July.
Groove Fund Committee Being Formed
The National Office has begun the process
of forming a committee to help strengthen
The Groove Fund, which was approved
by the Internal Revenue Service as a
501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity during the
spring of 1999. The goal of The Groove
Fund is to serve as the charitable arm
of Groove Phi Groove, S.F.I., by providing
scholarship opportunities for students pursuing college
educations. The primary goals of The Groove Fund
Committee are:
SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2004
Hotel Check-Out: 12 noon
National Officer Elections New Orleans
This July, during the National Conclave Delegates Meeting,
elections will be held to fill three National Officer positions.
The positions to be filled are:
*To develop and recommend a proposed administrative
procedures manual;
*To recommend the appointment of 8-9 graduate Board
members;
*To recommend the appointment of an Administrative
Director;
*To develop and recommend a marketing brochure;
*To develop and recommend a web site:
*To begin developing a directory of potential financial
donors.
* Executive Board Member (Founders)
* Executive Board Member (Lifetime Members)
* 2nd National Vice President
The two Executive Board positions are each 4-year term
positions, while the 2nd National Vice President is a 2year term position. To be a candidate, brothers must
meet the following qualifications:
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER (FOUNDERS) – must be a
Founder; must have attended (3) of the last (5) Conclaves;
must submit a cover letter and resume; and must submit
(3) letters of reference.
Although other activities may be required to better
strengthen the administrative foundation for The Groove
Fund, the aforementioned activities should serve as a
solid foundation from which to work. The Committee’s
efforts may be significantly reduced as a result of a draft
Administrative Procedures Manual/Action Plan that was
developed and submitted in December 1999.
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER (LIFETIME MEMBERS) –
must be a Lifetime member; must have attended (3) of
the last (5) Conclaves; must submit a cover letter and
resume; and must submit (3) letters of reference.
The make-up of brothers who serve on The Groove Fund
Executive Board is extremely important, as the Board
members are key players in helping to attract financial
donations from individuals and entities. Accordingly, the
Committee will recommend the appointment of brothers
who are well established professionally, actively known
in their local communities, and/or those who have high
visibility in the corporate, public, private and/or
government sector organizations.
2ND NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT – must be a financially
active undergraduate member; must have been financially
active for at least (1) year immediately proceeding his
candidacy; must have attended at least (1) of the last
(2) Conclaves; must have served as either President,
Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, or Orientation
Program Coordinator for his undergraduate chapter;
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NATIONAL NEWS
National Conclave 2003 - Recap
For those that did not attend the 2003 National Conclave
in Miami - it was an incredible event. Don’t miss the
upcoming 2004 Conclave in New Orleans!
National Constitution & Bylaws
Committee Moves Forward
Seymour Chambers, the National Parliamentarian, has
been delegated responsibility for establishing a schedule
for the National Constitution & Bylaws Preparations
Committee to meet and submit comprehensive proposed
amendments to the National Constitution & Bylaws
Manual.
During late 2002 through early 2003, Past National
President Chris Joyner, formed a review group, comprised
of National Officers and other brothers, to meet and
begin drafting proposed amendments to the National
Constitution & Bylaws Manual. Although the review group
made significant progress over 2-3 review sessions, more
meetings are required to submit proposed comprehensive
revisions to the Manual. Once the proposed draft is
submitted, the official Constitution Committee will be
formed to provide their input on the draft submitted by
the Preparations Committee, and submit their proposed
amendments to the Executive Board of Directors for
review and confirmation.
Per organizational policy, the Executive Board of Directors
must endorse all proposed amendments to the National
Constitutions & Bylaws Manual, and submit proposed
amendments to the Conclave.
On behalf of the Founders, John Conquest (Dad) and
Nathaniel Parham, and myself, “Thank you Miami Grad
for a great clave and setting the standard to which every
other clave must aspire!”
The Preparations Committee will include the National
President (Ronnie White), the Executive Board Chairman
(Vic Henderson), the National Parliamentarian (Seymour
Chambers), and a couple other Board members.
Fl. Troy Conquest – Miami Grad
Official Notice To All Members
Pursuant to Article IV - Membership Status Classification,
Membership In Other Fraternities Or Fellowships, Sections
10 and 11, of the Constitution and By-Laws of Groove
Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc., a member of the
Fellowship shall not become a member of, or accept an
honorary membership in, certain fraternities, including
those which are affiliated with the National Pan-Hellenic
organization. You may refer to the National Orientation
and Development Program Manual for an additional
description of prohibited activities and memberships in
this regard.
If you fall into this category, you must immediately
contact the Fellowship's Executive Board of Directors, in
writing, as outlined in the aforementioned sections of
the Constitution and By-Laws. Members falling into this
category who fail to contact the Executive Board of
Directors by August 31, 2004, are subject to having their
membership status in the Fellowship reviewed and/or
revoked. Questions regarding this matter should be
addressed, in writing, to the National President and
National Parliamentarian.
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The NOVA Grad chapter would like to thank the Greater
Miami Grad chapter and the rest of the Miami brothers
for making this conclave a great success.
Fl. Marvin "Half Pint" Stewart - NOVA Grad Chapter
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NATIONAL NEWS
I really don't know what to tell you. Imagine a recipe in
which the ingredients are Groove, hot in July, and Miami
Beach. I'll leave it right there. This was the most exciting
conclave I have attended in my twenty-three years in
the brotherhood. The Miami Grad Chapter really “put
their back into” this clave, and it showed.
Fl. Elliott Hicks, Jr. – South Atlantic Regional Director
Man! I can't even put into words how much the brothers
from Tiger VI loved coming to the Clave, fellowshipping
with brothers, meeting the beautiful Swings, the beach,
Club Deep, the Tiger VI hotel party in room 1094, and
the city of Miami.
Fl. Nathaniel Patterson – Tiger VI
I had to take a few days to collect myself after the
Groove/Swing Convention, which by the way was the
best of the many I've attended. Mad love to all the Miami
brothers who made sure everyone had a great time.
I want to thank and give a “Big Up!!” to the Greater
Miami Grad Chapter and the brothers of the newly
established Golden Panther Chapter (Florida International
University) for hosting the BEST CONCLAVE I HAVE
ATTENDED IN MY 13 YEARS OF GROOVIN’ . . . PERIOD!
Fl. Harold Sullivan – Detroit Grad
On behalf of the Baltimore-Columbia Graduate Chapter,
I would like to thank the Brothers of the Miami Grad
Chapter for hosting an excellent Conclave. It was good
to see the Brothers and Sisters in a spirit of harmony.
Fl. Chris Tomlinson - Stone Mountain Grad Chapter
Fl. Seymour Chambers — Baltimore-Columbia Graduate
Chapter
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Brothers stepped up to the plate and with only two or
three weeks of preparation, made commitments from
afar. Fl. Warren Gibbs made the journey up to DC twice
to practice and perform; other brothers took time away
from their jobs, families and loved ones to practice
continually under sweaty and humid conditions; and
finally, brothers worked cohesively to make the overall
event a success. You would have to have witnessed it
for yourself, but it was a vivid reminder of how we used
to have big 'lines' back in the day and how they would
step and perform flawlessly. Why, my line of 15 stepped
and sang . . . where are my accapella brothers? You can
tell I was proud, like a Godfather, to be a part of the
entire experience. Enough said.
ACROSS THE NATION
Grooves Rock The Tavis Smiley
Youth Summit
By Fl. Bernie Gordon
WASHINGTON DC - Greetings Brothers! Hopefully the
news of Groove's participation in the stepping portion of
the Tavis Smiley Foundation's “Youth to Leaders Summit”
at Catholic University this past Aug. 7th hasn't become
old news to be forgotten. To be able to impact a young
high school student right in Philly just demonstrates the
power of Groove across this country and the opportunity
we have to impact the lives of black youth everywhere.
In my opinion, the black man's role should be to impact
the lives of our youth, and to strengthen our families
and communities by setting a positive example (i.e.,
walk the walk). As a brother 30 years young in Groove,
to see the eyes of young adults open with inspiration as
they witnessed the OLD SCHOOL in collaboration and in
rhythm with the NEW SCHOOL was truly an example of
the bond of brotherhood and generational respect that
Groove has built in all of us over the years. As an
organization, we need to be more focused on our future,
since tomorrow is not promised and life is so precious.
But more importantly, we need to leave a legacy, which
we all can be proud of for generations to come.
Brothers, I'd like to give special props, as coordinator,
to the Metro-Washington Step Team or as Ochieng likes
to call them...the Groovin’ 'Chocolate City Steppers'
(smile):
Fl. Okinyi Ayungo - StepMaster (1994) pledged at Quaker Chapter (U. Penn)
Fl. Warren Gibbs (2002) pledged at Viking Chapter (ECSU)
Fl. Ochieng Asugo (1996) pledged at D.C. Graduate Chapter
Fl. Rommel Hollins (1986) pledged at Viking Chapter (ECSU)
Fl. Michael Waiters (1985) pledged at Bulldog II Chapter (SCSU)
Fl. Marvin Stewart (1985) pledged at Bulldog II Chapter (SCSU)
Fl. Sylvester Cooper (1984) pledged at Viking Chapter (ECSU)
Fl. Harve-C (GSU Tiger V Spring '78) . . . thanks for
'pumping up' the Team.
Gentlemen . . . Don't let all that hard work and sweat
be in vain. Take a rest and then, let's continue to revitalize the NATION!
Excuse my enthusiasm, but I'm still in awe at what was
achieved at the Youth Summit and the impact that we
were fortunate and blessed to experience at the show.
From the minute the Team entered the building, there
were gazes of curiosity. “Who were those men in the
Black and White…Groove Phi Groove?” Comments like,
“My parents talked about Groove and showed me pictures,
but I thought they weren't around anymore (a coordinator
from a Texas school system).” There was a teacher from
the Atlanta school system that was inspired by our show
of strength and brotherhood. And, that was just some
of the positive feedback we received.
Although D.C. GRAD assisted in sponsoring the Team,
the best part of the experience for me, was working with
dedicated brothers from the Washington metropolitan
area whose concern was not which Chapter was sponsoring
the event or which members of a Chapter were involved,
but rather that this was an important opportunity for
GROOVE and a great chance to impact over 600 youth
from across the country.
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(The Ultimate)
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help out next year. Trust me, you had to be there to see
the joy on the children faces as they opened up their
gifts. I must quote one child, "This is the best day ever".
Not only did we buy the gifts, hand out the gifts, we also
stayed and hung out with the children until it was time
for them to go home. Sometimes these children are not
given the love they deserve by their parents due to the
fact that they are autistic. It is important to do community
service and give back not only to the community, but to
those in need.
ACROSS THE NATION
Quaker Chapter Groover Fighting in
the Middle East - Dave Stowers
By Fl. Will Lewis
WASHINGTON DC - Many of you (Swings and Grooves)
know Dave Stowers (g.k.a. Tin Soldier - UPENN Quaker
Chapter). What some of you may not know is that we
have been trying to get in contact with Dave, who has
been fighting in the Middle East, for about a year now.
I finally heard from him. He is based next to the Baghdad
UN Center, which was recently blown up. You may recall
having heard about it on the news. And yet, it sounds
like the same old Dave—cool under pressure, taking care
of business, and cracking jokes all the while. He’s holding
it down in the Middle East! You can show him support
by emailing him at: stowers3000@hotmail.com
His message follows...
“Yo just making sure everybody's still doing their thizzle.
We just got off a hectic patrol schedule, so this is the
first time in a while that I've been able to send my shouts.
It's still popping off over here. My squad was right by
the UN center in Baghdad when they blew it up. The
"resistance" forces take pop shots at us all the time.
Nobody on my team's been hurt though, they don't really
have any aiming skills out here. I got a bunch of photos.
Hit me up with ya'll addresses and I'll send ya'll a couple.
Until the next time, I'll holla. "
Grooves on Wax
NEW ORLEANS - Fl. Lovell Cooper g.k.a. Maat (Fall ’98
- Tiger V), recently produced a song for former Cash
Money Hot Boy "Turk." His album, "Raw and Uncut,"
featuring Bubba Sparxxx, B.G. and a few others was
released on Koch Records, the #1 Hip Hop/R&B
independent label as recognized by Billboard. Fl. Cooper
produced track 10 called "I luv u for Dat," and produces
under the name U-P (Urban Product). Congrats to this
Groove Phi Brother on the move.
Westchester Grad Gives Back To The
Community
By Fl. Kendall Perry
WESTCHESTER - On December 19, 2003, the Westchester
Grad Chapter did a Kris Kringle Community Service
Project with P168 at Marion Avenue Children's Center
which is a NYC Public School for Children with Autism.
The children ranged from ages 4 to 11 years old. Fl.
Rakiem Jones played Santa Claus for the children, while
Fl. Kendall Perry and Fl. Camil Alassin played Santa’s
helpers. I would like to thank all the Brothers in
Westchester Grad who supported us in this event. Sis.
Oryce Williams, of the Tri-State Graduate Chapter of
Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship, Inc. participated as
well. This year we did one school, but next year we are
going to expand to another school in the district and do
two schools in 2004, so I'll be counting on NYC Grad to
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Mayoral Appointment of Fl. James D.
Brown
WASHINGTON DC - On 9/3/03, Fl. James D. Brown was
introduced by Washington DC Mayor Anthony Williams
as the newly appointed Director of the Office of Cable
Television and Telecommunication for the District of
Columbia. We should all be proud of this accomplishment.
Fl. Brown is another Groover making a great difference
in business and government across America.
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current WWE Superstars Rodney Mack and Jazz who
were trained for a career in sports entertainment under
the watchful eye of the unforgettable Junkyard Dog.
FOUNDERS CORNER
To My Fellowmen
By Fl. Barry H. Hampton
Article courtesy of World Wrestling Entertainment website
wwe.com.
When I first got involved with Groove in October of 1962,
we didn’t have any chapters, we had no additional
brothers, we had no money, we were not organized and
we had very little respect outside of our group. But
because we had respect for ourselves and for each other,
we slowly gained respect from non-members as we
moved forward.
We never begged people to join us because we didn’t
want to give them the impression or the pleasure of
believing that they were doing us a big favor.
The only thing we had to give in 1962 was a dream, a
vision, and some hope, and the fellowmen that joined
brought something with them to facilitate making that
dream, vision and hope a reality.
Our mission and vision, believe it or not, in 1962 was to
operate free from the fear of being beat up on, free from
the fear of intimidation from the outside and to be
accepted on campus. That, in and of itself, kept us bonded
together throughout the process of building this
organization which appealed to young men in college at
the time.
WORDS OF WISDOM
Advice From A Cop
Now that we have overcome those particular obstacles
with each of your help, we now need a proactive vision
that we can all reach a consensus on and move forward.
As we begin to move towards our agreed upon mission,
others from outside the organization, witnessing our
unity, will get involved to help make it work.
By Fl. Harold Reed Jr.
Brothers, what I wish to discuss can literally save some
of your lives.
The UPN Network aired a news piece recently in which
a young black male was shown being stopped by police
for doing nothing more than being black in a white
neighborhood at O-Dark-Thirty in the morning. The young
brother was unnecessarily stopped and detained by white
police. What the police did not know was that the brother
and his car were wired for video and sound.
We are the answer to the questions of our lives. To the
problems of our lives, we are the solution. If we all
believed this, then whether or not another person ever
pledges Groove, that torch would continue to burn until
the last fellowman takes his last breath.
PEACE
As a cop, I can tell you that I was disgusted. However,
what disgusted me more was the way I heard deejays
on the radio talk about it the next day. Additionally,
people would call in and voice their half-assed ideas and
opinions about what cops can and can't do on a traffic
stop. People think that they know the law simply because
they've watched cop shows since they were kids, and
watched shows like LA Law and the People's Court. Let
me tell you something about the law . . . those who truly
know it can screw you up really bad without having to
lay a finger on you. Trust me when I tell you that the
pen is truly mightier than the sword.
GROOVE SPOTLIGHT
Fl. Junkyard Dog Inducted In WWE
Hall Of Fame
There may never have been a smoother or more successful
transition from the gridiron to the ring than that of the
late Sylvester Ritter. The near 300-pound ruffian was an
All-American football standout from North Carolina's
Fayetteville State University before trading in his helmet
and shoulder pads for a pair of wrestling trunks and
becoming the Junkyard Dog. Despite his massive frame,
JYD was abnormally quick on his feet and extremely
durable. He seemed impervious to pain. Throughout the
early '80s, the Dog was the biggest star in the Mid-South
Wrestling territory. When he arrived in WWE in 1984,
his popularity hit an all-time peak, rivaling only that of
Hulk Hogan at the time. Although he never won a title
in WWE, JYD was a consistent top contender and a force
to be reckoned with. He challenged Intercontinental
Champion and fellow 2004 WWE Hall of Fame inductee
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine at the first WrestleMa!
nia. In late 1985, he defeated "Macho Man" Randy Savage
in the finals of a King of the Ring-style tournament known
as the Wrestling Classic. At WrestleMania III, he battled
another fellow 2004 inductee, “The King” Harley Race.
Although he passed away tragically in 1998 as a result
of an automobile accident, JYD’s spirit lives on through
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If you are stopped by the police - NO MATTER HOW OLD
YOU ARE BROTHERS - This is what you should do and
WHY:
* Stop in a well lit area if/when possible (this way the
cop can see you and people around can see him/her).
* Turn the car off and place the keys on the dashboard
(this shows the cop you're not planning to take off).
* At night or on a cloudy day turn your interior light on
(this shows cop you're not hiding anything).
* Open ALL of your windows DESPITE THE WEATHER
(this too shows the cop that you're not hiding anything,
and most importantly it gives the cop the opportunity to
see who's in the backseat).
* Keep your hands on the steering wheel (hands kill if cop sees them in the open he/she feels safer).
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strengthened our bond as father and son and - one day
- he better pledge Groove.
WORDS OF WISDOM
* Go for your license, registration, & insurance when
asked to produce them, but BEFORE you move your
hands off that wheel tell the cop where it is (if it's in
your back pocket or glove box - remember, HANDS KILL).
* Follow all of the officer's instructions and get a car or
badge number.
CREATIVE CORNER
The G's Are Tight
By Fl. Greg Stewart
Here they come dressed in Black and White,
It’s Groove Phi and it’s on tonight.
You may not care about how the cop feels, but considering
that he/she is the one who has the gun or pepper spray,
and the legal right to use them, you just might want to
USE YOUR MOTTO and be HUMBLE. No matter what, the
reality is that the majority of “Line of Duty” deaths occur
during traffic stops. When a cop makes a LEGITIMATE
stop his/her nerves are on alert. The best thing an
innocent person can do is cooperate on the scene and
complain later. Following these steps will ease a cop's
mind to a significant degree and they go a long way in
showing that you are no threat to him/her. If a cop feels
threatened there are many things he/she can and will
do and justify it by saying they felt threatened (a-la
Amadiou Diallo). Once what's done is done . . . it's done.
Talking slick to the officer will serve to do nothing but
make it easy for a GOOD cop to use every legal means
to make your life uncomfortable, and a BAD cop to simply
do whatever he/she wants.
These brothers here are oh so smooth,
When the music plays they know how to groove.
The Grooves their stroll’s so debonair,
They can turn a party out with so much flare.
When I tell you suave is what they are,
Believe Groove men are the best by far.
Don’t be fooled by Gamma Phi or Glory Phi,
The only real G’s are the men of Groove Phi.
When they are deep in a party and getting loose,
You may hear G- Phi Then a Resounding SIX-DEUCE.
IN MEMORY
A Fathers View
By Fl. Vance Carroll
For the past five years I have watched my son grow from
an infant into a talented child. Every father hopes his
son has interests similar to his own, especially if the
father is into athletics. For now, I have been very
fortunate to have a son who shows incredible athletic
ability as well as a sharp academic mind. In high school,
I was a very talented athlete lettering in football,
basketball, and track, but I was most known for football.
After my years of football ended I needed something
else to keep me going. I had played organized football
from sixth grade up until my sophomore year in college,
so going to the gym and lifting weights no longer held
my interest.
Our prayers and deepest sympathies go out to the families
of our beloved Fellowmen who recently passed away. We
will continue to keep the torch lit for you.
Fl.
Fl.
Fl.
Fl.
Fl.
Darius Marshall
Frank Sanders
Melvin J. Griffin Jr.
Mike Bishop
Gerald Michael Revis
I have always had an interest in Martial Arts since I was
kid when the “Kung Fu Theater” used to come on TV
every Saturday morning. In January 2000, I began my
journey to become a Martial Artist. The style that I study
originated in Okinawa, Japan and is called Goju Combat
Karate, which stems from Goju Ryu. Grand Master Peter
Urban brought this style to America. Master Urban is
now 74yrs old and was named 2003 Man of the Year by
Black Belt Magazine.
EDITORS
In April of 2003, I competed in the Shihan Al Gotay's
14th Annual All-American Gojuryu Invitational Karate
Championships. I placed third amongst all Blue, Green
and Purple belts, also known as the “Black and Blue”
division. My son Asante was there to support his “old
man” and once again, our interest in Martial Arts proved
to be a valuable way to tighten our relationship. I enrolled
my son in a local Tae Kwon Do Dojang (Korean). Although
he wanted to do the same style as myself, I felt this
would be a good start for him in Martial Arts. Martial
Arts is something that we both hold in high regard and
take very seriously. The Tae Kwon Do instructors were
so impressed with my son’s ability and how much he
listens and retains information that, at the age of five,
they felt he was advanced enough to join the “kids’ class,”
which ranges from ages 7-12.
Fl. Michael Austin & Fl. Kether Gallu-Badat
Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc. and The Groove
Fund, Inc. are registered with the United States Internal
Revenue Service as 501(c)(7) and 501(c)(3) tax exempt
entities, respectively, while both have articles of
incorporation on file with The State of New Jersey. In
addition, the Fellowship's name, letters and emblem are
registered with the United States Patent & Trademark
Office.
I believe Martial Arts have definitely helped create
discipline and patience for both my son and I. It has
sword
8
spear