[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 47 (Tuesday, April 26, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
    CONGRESSMAN KILDEE SALUTES MELVYN S. BRANNON AND ERNELLE TAYLOR

                                 ______


                          HON. DALE E. KILDEE

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 26, 1994

  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise before 
you today to pay tribute to Melvyn S. Brannon and Ernelle Taylor, both 
of whom were recently honored by the Urban League of Flint for 25 years 
of dedicated service. Mr. Brannon and Ms. Taylor were formally 
recognized by that very important organization on April 19, 1994 at a 
dinner in their honor.
  Mr. Brannon has served with the Urban League of Flint since 1968, 
initially as deputy executive director and, from 1970 to the present, 
as president. His chief focus has been on educational initiatives that 
have demonstrated themselves to be of great value to the Flint 
community. These initiatives include: The Salute to Black Scholars 
programs, which honors at a community dinner graduating high school 
seniors who have maintained at least a 3.0 grade point average; Parent 
Enrichment programs, which aim to train parents of middle school 
students to better facilitate their childrens' educations at home; 
Incentives for Success, an enrichment program for at-risk students 
identified as potential drop outs; the Reading Olympics, designed to 
enhance reading skills of middle school students by encouraging the 
reading of African and African-American literature; and the 21st 
Century Network, a mentoring program that provides elementary school 
students with young, professional African-American role models who 
visit schools to discuss education and career options.
  Ms. Taylor has served the Urban League of Flint since 1969, initially 
as an administrative assistant and, from 1984 to the present, as vice 
president for volunteers and special events. League members tell me 
that, without her tireless service, their organization would be hard-
pressed to efficiently and sensitively conduct business. In addition to 
her work with the League, Ms. Taylor is involved with numerous other 
community organizations that include: The Flint chapter of the NAACP; 
the Junior League of Flint; the YWCA of Flint; Big Sisters of Flint; 
the Womens' Treatment Improvement Advisory Council, which oversees 
transitional homes for women recovering from substance abuse; the 
Advisory Council of the Whaley Out-Patient Clinic; the Board of 
Directors of the Cedar Street Childrens' Center; and the Leadership 
Summit Committee, a community-wide hospital oncology program.
  Mr. Speaker, Melvyn Brannon and Ernelle Taylor have selflessly worked 
to make a brighter future for the entire Flint community. Their 
recognition dinner for their 25 years of service should not be seen as 
an end, but rather a beginning of their second 25 years with the Urgan 
League of Flint. I ask you and my fellow colleagues of this 103d 
Congress to join me in paying tribute to two exemplary public servants, 
Mr. Melvyn Brannon and Ms. Ernelle Taylor.

                          ____________________