[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15242-15243]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO NELLIE M. McKAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSE E. SERRANO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 26, 2002

  Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a wonderful 
community activist and dedicated humanitarian. Mrs. Nellie M.

[[Page 15243]]

McKay will turn 73 years old on July 27th and her birthday is cause for 
great celebration.
  Nellie was born in 1929 to two hard-working parents, Polly and Alex 
Brown. She grew up with ten brothers and sisters and learned the 
importance of sharing and support at a young age. Nellie has applied 
these values throughout her life as a community activist. New York was 
fortunate enough to become home to Nellie in 1950, when she immediately 
became a volunteer with the Baby Tracks program at the old Lincoln 
Hospital in the South Bronx. She also lent her time and energy to the 
Prosthesis Clinic at St. Luke's Hospital, easing the spirits of 
patients there. Nellie was a key player in the immunization program at 
local public schools, which is a crucial initiative for under resourced 
schools, especially during those times.
  Mr. Speaker, Nellie has always been committed to helping those around 
her and she has also been committed to educating and fostering 
awareness in those around her. Having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree 
from Norwich University, she champions the importance of education. She 
has facilitated countless workshops on Black History to empower members 
of the Black community with knowledge of their history and culture as 
well as to inform members of other ethnic communities. Her main goal 
was to bring people together through learning.
  Many young people and adults throughout the South Bronx consider 
Nellie a second mother. She has cared for hundreds of children in her 
home and coordinated numerous events with young people in the 
community. The fashion shows she organized with Mott Haven HeadStart 
children created wonderful memories for many. While Nellie may have a 
special place in her heart for children, she is also very concerned 
with general community development and giving everyone, children and 
adults alike, a sense of pride in their neighborhood. She has 
spearheaded the reparation of abandoned buildings and vacant lots and 
the repaving of roads and sidewalks. Knowing that she and her neighbors 
deserved quality public transportation service, she called for and 
received improvement of the local bus line. Nellie has also helped 
empower fellow Bronx residents by participating in a number of voter 
registration drives, encouraging her neighbors to make their voices 
heard.
  Mr. Speaker, at 73 years of age, Nellie continues to work hard and is 
currently the Chairperson of the Housing Committee of Planning Board 1, 
Assistant Chairperson of the Patterson Volunteer Committee, a lifetime 
member of the National Council of Negro Women, and a member of the New 
York NAACP, as well as many other prestigious organizations.
  This exceptional human being is the mother of three, grandmother of 
six, great-grandmother of seven, and mother-figure of hundreds. I ask 
my colleagues to join me in honoring Mrs. Nellie McKay on her 73d 
birthday and to thank her for sharing so much of her heart, time and 
energy.

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