[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9360]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING MEMBERS OF GARY INDIANA, BRANCH OF NAACP

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 11, 2005

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct pleasure to recognize 
and commend the members of the Gary, Indiana, branch of the National 
Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). On Friday, 
May 13, 2005, the Gary NAACP will hold its 42nd Annual Life Membership 
Banquet and Scholarship Dinner at the St. Timothy Fellowship Hall in 
Gary, Indiana.
  This annual event is a major fundraiser for the Gary branch of the 
NAACP. The funds generated through this activity, and others like it, 
go directly to the organization's needed programs and advocacy efforts. 
The featured speaker at this gala event will be Attorney Dennis Wayne 
Archer. Attorney Archer will be honored with the Roy Wilkins Award. 
Archer is the Immediate Past President of the American Bar Association. 
He is the first person of color to hold the position as president of 
the ABA. Attorney Archer is also the former Mayor of the City of 
Detroit.
  Attorney Fred Work will be honored with the Benjamin Hooks Award. 
Attorney Work is a distinguished attorney who has provided legal 
services to many citizens, not only in the community of Gary, but also 
throughout the State of Indiana. Attorney Work was the first African-
American Judge in Lake County. Work was also the first African-American 
to graduate from Vanderbilt Law School and the first African-America to 
be nominated by the Democratic Party for statewide office.
  The Gary NAACP would also like to recognize the accomplishments of 
the West Side High School girls basketball team. The team's record is 
24-4. The team's winning accomplishments include: the Gary Holiday 
Tournament, the Northwest Conference, the East Chicago Sectional, the 
Valparaiso Regional, and the Elkhart Semi-State finals. Those team 
players I would like to applaud are Michelle Hamblin, Isabell Rhenwrick 
(recipient of the 2004-2005 Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award) 
Ashley Cheairs, Ashley Gates, Farren Congress, Candise Matthews, 
Shanee' Butler, Erica Simpson, Jaime Sherls, Lecreia Hudson, Loreal 
Brown, Jasmine Brown, Moenesha Headen, Sydney Pettigrew, Ashley Woods, 
Nicole Moore, Britney Peeples, and Britney Harris. I would also like to 
recognize Head Coach Rod Fisher and Assistant Coaches Darryl Brandford, 
Erza Alexander, and Arnetta Gates. Their leadership both on and off the 
basketball court is a valuable resource to the girls on the West Side 
girls basketball team.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join 
me in paying tribute to the new life members as well as the other 
members of the Gary NAACP for the efforts, activities, and leadership 
that these outstanding men and women have championed to improve the 
quality of life for all residents of Indiana's First Congressional 
District.

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