[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8180]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 A TRIBUTE TO MRS. OPHELIA YOUNG PERRY

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 19, 2009

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mrs. Ophelia 
Young Perry pillar of the Brooklyn Community.
  Mrs. Ophelia Young Perry is a native of Buckingham County, Virginia. 
She presently resides with her husband, Mr. William Frank Perry, Jr. in 
the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. The Perry's have one son, 
Rev. William Franc Perry, III, Esq.
  She has been an active member of the Berean Missionary Baptist Church 
in Brooklyn for over 56 years. Mrs. Perry is genuinely involved in 
community and civic affairs. She is the President of Church Women 
United in Brooklyn. Church Women United (CWU) is the world's largest 
ecumenical movement of Christian women. Under Mrs. Perry's leadership, 
the movement's membership has increased to include over 700 Christian 
women. It is the largest unit of CWU in the country.
  In response to shrewd spiritual insight, Mrs. Perry conceived the 
idea for an observance centered around the ``Seven Last Words of 
Christ.'' For the past 25 years ecumenical worship begins at 7:00 A.M. 
on Good Friday and the attendance continues to grow. These services 
have been held in various community churches and have continued to draw 
over 4000 worshipers. Participants travel throughout the metropolitan 
area and from many other parts of the United States to attend this 
annual worship celebration. Additionally, she organized the initial 
Annual Award's Luncheon for the organization and continues to provide 
her expertise in this worthy cause today.
  Under Mrs. Perry's leadership, the Brooklyn Unit of CWU sponsors many 
other activities to raise funds to make contributions to others in 
need, including: Holiday sharing, contributions to World Church 
Services, Rose F. Kennedy Residence for Girls, Project Teen Aid, 
Herbert G. Birch Services, Antigua/Barbuda Cultural Society, Inc, Fund 
for Burned Churches, Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulatory Service, 
Hurricane Floyd Victims in North Carolina and they provide aid to 
orphaned foreign sisters living in the U.S. She is also affiliated with 
Berean Missionary Baptist Church, The Women's Civic League of 
Abyssinian Baptist Church, the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, the 
Eastern Baptist Association, Spouses of the Black Congressional Caucus 
and is a member of the National Council of Negro Women of Brooklyn.
  She has won numerous awards for her work including: Women of the Year 
Award--The National Conference of Christians and Jews, Salute to 
Brooklyn Women Leadership Humanitarian Award--The Brooklyn League, The 
Woman's History Month Honoree--Brooklyn District Attorney, The 
Caribbean American Award--Chamber of Commerce, Outstanding Service 
Award--The Council of Churches, City of N.Y., Woman of Influence 
Award--Brooklyn YWCA, Thomas R. Fortune Community Service Award--Unity 
Democratic Club, Valiant Woman Award--Church Women United, Sandy F. Ray 
Award--Religious and Humanitarian Award--Cornerstone Baptist Church, 
Religious Award--People's Institutional AME Church, Religious Award--
New Life Tabernacle Life Changing Ministries, Congressional Record 
United States House of Representatives, Woman of the Year for Community 
Service--Bridge Street AME Church, ``Brooklyn Women of Essence'' Con 
Edison and, finally, National Association of Negro Business and 
Professional Women, Global Ministries Humanitarian Award and 
International Affairs Division.
  After working for 18 years for Borough President Howard Golden as 
Liaison to the Christian Community, Borough President, Marty Markowitz 
appointed her as Good Will Ambassador for Brooklyn Churches.

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