Don't use Send Sample to test Velocity scripts; always use a real email.
If you continue to have problems, please open a new thread.
I'm sending a sample with a lead associated, that doesn't work?
Correct, that's not an accurate test of Velocity.
Ok, I sent a real email and my code still doesn't work... What'd I mess up?
For later searches, this thread was continued and solved here: I Broke My Adapted Velocity Scripts