LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 52nd Anniversary of Central
Nassau Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Profes-
sional Women's Clubs, Inc.

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made signif-
icant contributions to the quality of life therein; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 52nd
Anniversary of Central Nassau Club of the National Association of Negro
Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. and to recognize this
year's Founder's Day Awardees, to be celebrated at its Founder's Day
Awards Luncheon on Saturday, April 9, 2011; and
WHEREAS, The 2011 Founder's Day Awardees include: Pastor Novella
Harris, recipient of the Sojourner Truth Award; Lula Noriega-Patterson,
Club Recognition Award; Dr. Irene Hylton, Community Service Award;
Rachel A. Blackburn, Professional Achievement Award; Nigel W. Gretton,
Professional Achievement Award; Robert G. Carter, Business Person of the
Year Award; and Bishop Robert W. Harris, Man of the Year Award; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Novella Harris, co-pastor of Grace Cathedral Interna-
tional, is an active community worker with the NAACP, Girl Scouts,
Nassau County Minister's Wives, 100 Black Women, and Smith Street PTA in
Uniondale; she was the visionary and initiator of the Child Care Center
which was completed in 1995; and
WHEREAS, A member of NANBPWC, Inc. for over 27 years, Lula Noriega-
Patterson served many of those years with the Westbury Club where she
was president from 1983-1987; since 2003, she has been a tireless worker
in the Central Nassau Club; and
WHEREAS, An active worker in her Westbury community and in the larger
Long Island community, Dr. Irene Hylton is a Vice President of the West-
bury Branch of the League of Women Voters; she is a member of the North
Shore Child & Family Guidance Center and an advocate for services to
Westbury/New Cassel; and
WHEREAS, Serving as vocal music director at Hempstead High School,
Rachel A. Blackburn has nurtured and developed the Hempstead Select
Chorale into an accomplished group that has received international
recognition by winning an international choral competition in Verona,
Italy, in 2009; in addition, in February of 2010, she began a non-profit
organization, Voices of Virtue, Inc. which serves as a strong supporter
of the Hempstead Chorale as well as a community chorale society for
young people throughout Long Island; and
WHEREAS, A musician and entrepreneur, Nigel W. Gretton is the owner
and manager of his company, Progressive Music Productions; he provides
music event management, recording consultation, and performance services
for clients in the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean along with
cooperative educational services to schools throughout Long Island and
New York City; and
WHEREAS, An artist, educator, and businessman, Robert G. Carter is a
professor of art at Nassau Community College; he has exhibited his work
throughout the United States and created work for various industries,
including publishing houses, television stations, magazines, toy compa-
nies, the Campbell Soup Company and the Waldorf Astoria Hotel; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Robert W. Harris is Bishop and Senior Pastor of Grace
Cathedral International; he has held international crusades in East
Africa, South Africa, India and the Philippines and has been active in
assisting Haitian survivors of the devastating 2010 earthquake; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1935, the National Association of Negro Business
and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. (NANBPWC) is a national non-profit

organization with the objective of promoting and protecting the inter-
ests of African American women business owners and professionals; the
main goals of the NANBPWC are: to promote and protect the interests of
African American business and professional women; to serve as a bridge
for young people seeking to enter business and the professions; to
improve the quality of life in the local and global communities; and to
foster good fellowship; and
WHEREAS, There are over 3000 members in 200 clubs nationwide; in addi-
tion, there are sister clubs in Bermuda, Nigeria and the Gambia, as well
as honorary clubs in England, France and the Virgin Islands; and
WHEREAS, In the United States, NANBPWC's structure is divided into six
geographical districts, including the Mid-Atlantic, North Central,
Northeast, South Central, Southeast, and Western; the Central Nassau
Club is in the Northeast District; and
WHEREAS, The Central Nassau Club was founded on Sunday, September 24,
1959, when a group of 34 women met at the home of the late Lillie Mae
Rice to become members of the National Association; the club received
its charter on October 20, 1959, and the Central Nassau Youth Club
received its charter in 1961; Central Nassau's motto is, "Not for
Ourselves Alone"; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a
long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 52nd Anniversary of Central Nassau Club of the National
Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc. and
to recognize this year's Founder's Day Awardees; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Central Nassau Club of the National Association of Negro
Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., and to the aforementioned
honorees.