[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11349]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   A TRIBUTE TO HENRY ``HANK'' CARTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 13, 2003

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Henry ``Hank'' Carter in 
recognition of his dedication to improving the care for the disabled 
population and ensuring their access to wide ranging opportunities in 
his communities.
  In 1972, Hank Carter founded Wheelchair Charities, Inc. Hank's 
lifelong commitment to improving the lives of disabled people began 
when his best friend, Tjader, became disabled from a bullet that 
shattered Tjader's spinal cord. Hank's friend was sent to Goldwater 
Memorial Hospital to recuperate through a rehabilitation program where 
Hank often visited him and in the process, made new friends. Through 
his daily visits to the hospital, Hank came to realize that his 
friends, although physically challenged, still longed for their 
American Dream. These young patients, many in their teens and early 
twenties, wanted to participate in the same type of daily activities in 
which able bodied people engaged. Hank knew this would be impossible 
without financial support.
  Creating a financial support system to enhance the quality of life 
for his new friends quickly became his passion. As a young leader in 
Queens Bridge Houses, Hank organized playground sports; musical shows 
and block activities. His crowning achievement has been an annual 
neighborhood fundraising basketball tournament to help support 
activities for inpatients and outpatients of Goldwater Memorial. Today, 
the Wheelchair Basketball Clinic is a citywide competition with a boys 
and girls division.
  These neighborhood tournaments provided the foundation for Wheelchair 
Charities, Inc. Over the years, this non-profit, all volunteer 
organization has raised over $7 million for people with disabilities. 
Some of the items that the funds have paid for include 184 motorized 
wheelchairs; 20 manual wheel chairs for the wheelchair basketball 
teams; three buses to transport wheelchair bound patients; a computer 
laboratory; and an equipment room.
  Mr. Speaker, Hank Carter is committed to improving the lives of the 
disabled population in his community. As such, he is more than worthy 
of receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me 
in honoring this truly remarkable person.

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