[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 124 (Thursday, September 28, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S10453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF BILL CHANDLER

 Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, today I honor William ``Bill'' 
Chandler, a pillar of the Montgomery, AL community. Bill devoted 50 
years of his life to developing the YMCA in Montgomery and influencing 
the lives of thousands of youth.
  Bill, known as ``Mr. YMCA'' in Montgomery, was a father figure to 
many young men and women in need of guidance. Bill believed that civic 
education and open discussions were important to developing youth into 
productive citizens. He was instrumental in creating and implementing 
innumerable youth programs focused on leadership development including 
the Alabama Youth Legislature, the YMCA Youth Conference on National 
Affairs, Lions International Youth Camp, and the Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y 
programs. Without a doubt, many of Montgomery's, Alabama's, and the 
Nation's leaders have been directly influenced by Mr. Chandler and the 
programs he championed.
  Mr. Chandler also proved himself to be an effective leader and 
businessman as president of the Montgomery YMCA. Under his leadership, 
Montgomery's single YMCA grew into the multiple branches operating 
across the city. His commitment to service was also recognized when he 
was chosen to serve as the president of Lion's Club International.
  Mr. Chandler also served as an important leader in Alabama throughout 
times of racial tension in Montgomery and the State. He worked to open 
facilities in all parts of the Montgomery community to serve people 
from all walks of life and was at the forefront of providing integrated 
services. In 1983, when racial discord was near its boiling point in 
Montgomery, Mr. Chandler worked with community and civil rights leaders 
to develop the biracial Youth One Montgomery organization to allow 
Black and White youth to conduct an open dialog and better understand 
the issues surrounding race.
  Bill Chandler, a graduate of Rice University and the University of 
Georgia, served with distinction as an officer in the U.S. Navy during 
World War II. An accomplished athlete himself, Bill was also 
responsible for the creation of a city sports league and the Jimmy 
Hitchcock award to honor character in high school athletes.
  Bill was an inspiration to many, and I am truly grateful for the 
endless contributions he made to the youth in Alabama. He was preceded 
in death by his wife, Martha Spidle Chandler and will be missed by his 
three children, Carroll Chandler Phelps, Elizabeth Chandler Walston, 
and William Robert Chandler; his seven grandchildren; and his sister, 
Evelyn Chandler Berg. His dedication to community service will be 
remembered and shared by those whose lives he touched for generations 
to come.

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