LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Charlene Carey as she is honored by
the Imani Singers of Medgar Evers College at its Annual Night of Honor
on May 4, 2012

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that individuals who
distinguish themselves in service to their faith and community merit the
highest commendation; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and fully in accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Charlene Carey as she is honored by the Imani Singers of Medgar Evers
College, the college's renowned resident choir, at its Annual Night of
Honor to be held at the college on Friday, May 4, 2012; and
WHEREAS, Each year at this Black Tie event, the Imani Singers of
Medgar Evers College honors and pays tribute to outstanding sacred music
church musicians in the Brooklyn community; and
WHEREAS, Charlene Carey, Minister of Music at the Salem Baptist
Church, truly merits this high honor; and
WHEREAS, Charlene Carey, a retired New York City teacher and native
Brooklynite, is the proud mother of Edward and his wife Felicia, Melissa
and her husband Adam, and Joseph and is the grandmother of four cher-
ished grandchildren, Tatiana, Alexia, Amber, and Sienna; and
WHEREAS, Charlene Carey and her brothers, Pastor Charles Hammond Jr.
and Minister Lawrence Hammond, were lovingly raised in a Christian home
by her beloved parents, the late Deacon Charles and Mrs. Lorraine
Hammond; and
WHEREAS, At an early age, Charlene Carey's family recognized in her
the beginnings of a love for music which has continued to the present
time; her first piano teachers were church musicians who nurtured her in
not only the required piano lesson manuals, but also in the hymns of the
church and, baptized at an early age, she played for the Sunday school
in her first church, the Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Bath Beach at the
age of 11; and
WHEREAS, A few years later, Charlene Carey and her brother Charles
joined the Salem Missionary Baptist Church, their father's home church;
in her early teens, she became the pianist for Salem's Junior Choir;
when The Reverend Thomas J. Boyd became Salem's 5th Pastor, and through-
out his 44 years at Salem, he taught, guided, and insisted upon excel-
lence and "true worship" through music; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Boyd devoted much of his ministry to the youth, and young
people; when the Young Adult Choir was reorganized in 1967 with Miss
Mary Louise Walker as Director and Charlene Carey's mother as the pian-
ist was the true beginning of Charlene's music ministry calling and,
though previously, she could only play music which was written, when
many of the songs Ms. Walker taught did not have music, she learned to
be able to play by ear; and, in 1971, she took over as Director of the
Choir; and
WHEREAS, The Young Adult Choir was just one of the many choirs in
Salem, but they all followed the rich heritage of church music required
by then Pastor Boyd; all the choirs were schooled to sing the hymns of
the church, anthems, and spirituals, as well as gospels, which developed
in Charlene a love for all the genres of church music which continues to
this day; and
WHEREAS, Along with heading the Young Adult Choir, Charlene Carey also
became the church organist under Minister of Music Paul Owings; when
Deacon Owings left to pursue the call to ministry in 1983, Reverend Boyd
made history by appointing Charlene to become Salem's first female

Minister of Music; Mr. Wayne Petinaud Sr. served with her as Assistant
Minister of Music until 1995; and
WHEREAS, Charlene Carey has certainly distinguished herself in service
to her faith and community and is worthy of the recognition and appreci-
ation of this Legislative Body and the citizens of the great State of
New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Charlene Carey as she is honored by the Imani Singers of Medgar
Evers College at its Annual Night of Honor on Friday, May 4, 2012; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Charlene Carey.