[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20666]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE EIGHTH AVENUE SENIOR CENTER'S 11TH ANNIVERSARY 
                              CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 4, 2004

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the floor of the U.S. 
House of Representatives to recognize the 11th anniversary of the 
Brooklyn Chinese American Association's Eighth Avenue Senior Center.
  The Eighth Avenue Senior Center is part of the Brooklyn Chinese-
American Association (BCA), which has been serving the growing Asian-
American population in the Sunset Park, Borough Park, and Bay Ridge 
communities of Brooklyn for the past 17 years, as a human services and 
community development organization.
  Today, the BCA's Eighth Avenue Senior Center touches the lives of 
over 3,000 elderly residents in the area, and offers services to over 
250 seniors on a daily basis. The center provides older Asian-Americans 
with a variety of enriching educational programs and recreational 
activities.
  Over the past 11 years, the Eighth Avenue Senior Center has 
integrated a variety of services integral to this elderly population, 
which it otherwise would not have had access to. This includes 
providing meals, bilingual information, English and citizenship 
classes, health services, and housing assistance.
  This center also plays an important role in coordinating town hall 
meetings, assisting senior members in meeting their housing needs, and 
educating the community on the importance of exercising their voting 
rights. Because of these services, the Eighth Avenue Senior Center 
creates a sense of community and enhancement for the elderly population 
living in Brooklyn.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 11th anniversary of 
the Eighth Avenue Senior Center, and join with my colleagues in the 
House of Representatives to recognize their outstanding service to the 
elderly Asian-American population in Brooklyn.

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