[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 25 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING LAVERA ETHRIDGE-WILLIAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 25, 2010

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and 
congratulate LaVera Ethridge-Williams upon being honored with the 
``Trail Blazers Award'' by the African American Museum in Fresno, 
California.
  Mrs. LaVera Ethridge-Williams was born in Boley, Oklahoma in 1927 to 
John and Alberta Ethridge. She was raised in Wewoke, Oklahoma where she 
received her early education. As a child, she cared for her younger 
siblings while her parents worked. In 1945, Mrs. Ethridge-Williams 
moved to Fresno, California and attended Fresno City College and 
California State University, Fresno.
  In 1968, Mrs. Ethridge-Williams began the process of opening a child 
care center in West Fresno. She recognized that a child care center 
would be a great asset to a community that was largely underserved. She 
faced many adversities; including obtaining a bank loan and attending 
many hearings with the state board for the Department of Health and 
Welfare. After four years of perseverance, Mrs. Ethridge-Williams was 
able to open her first private child care center. The center was 
designed specifically for infants and licensed by the California State 
Department of Social Welfare.
  Mrs. Ethridge-Williams quickly began working on the goal of opening a 
chain of child care centers. She began designing the centers to be 
innovative and functional for the education of young children. These 
centers provided valuable early education, emphasizing the importance 
of school, health, vaccinations, nutrition, as well as employment 
opportunities for the West Fresno residents.
  Mrs. Ethridge-Williams' love for her community and profession was 
evident throughout her life. She is one of the founding members of the 
Sickle Cell Support Group through her membership with the Fresno 
Chapter of The Links, Inc. For her service, Mrs. Ethridge-Williams has 
been recognized and honored with many awards; including being named the 
``Outstanding Black Woman of the Year'' by Gamma Eta Chapter of the 
Iota Lambda Society, ``Minority Business Enterprise Award'' by the City 
of Fresno, ``Portrait of Success Award'' from the local NBC affiliate, 
KSEE 24, ``Woman of the Year'' for the 16th Senate District by former 
State Senator Jim Costa, ``Martin Luther King, Jr. Award'' and was 
recognized by the Fresno Unified School District for being a leader in 
education for the children in the community.
  Mrs. Ethridge-Williams is married to Lonzell Williams and together 
they raised three children. They have five grandchildren and four 
great-grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate LaVera 
Ethridge-Williams upon being honored with the ``Trail Blazers Award.'' 
I invite my colleagues to join me in wishing Mrs. Ethridge-Williams 
many years of continued success.

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