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MAYOR GIULIANI SIGNS LEGISLATION CREATING "LILLIE MAE BERRY O'GARRA SQUARE" IN THE BRONX

Remarks by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani at Public Hearing on Local Laws

Lillie Mae Berry was born in Marion County, South Carolina on September 6, 1928 to Lawrence and Esther Grice Berry in a family of three children. She was educated in Marion County and attended Beulah United Methodist Church of Mullins, South Carolina. She married James O'Garra on May 5, 1947, to which union was born seven children.

Throughout the latter half of this century, Lillie Mae Berry O'Garra was the cornerstone of Bronx civic life. In 1951, she moved to the Bronx and became a resident of the Edenwald Houses. Since the early 1960's, Ms. O'Garra was an influential member of her community. In 1971, she was elected to serve as the President of the Edenwald Tenants Association and in 1973, while still serving as President of the Edenwald Tenants Association and Vice-President of the John Philip Sousa Junior High School Parent-Teachers Association, she proposed the organization of a recreational outlet to steer the community's youth away from street gangs. With the assistance of other community members, her actions resulted in the founding in 1974 of the Edenwald-Gun Hill Neighborhood Center where she sat on the Board of Directors.

Ms. O'Garra worked as a Nurse's Aid and later retired after fifteen years from the Laconia Nursing Home. She was a member of the Tenant's Association of the Edenwald Houses, the Williamsburg Branch of the N.A.A.C.P., the local Human Resources Administration Advisory Council, Community Board No. 12 in The Bronx and the Edenwald Senior Center. Besides her own seven children, Ms. O'Garra cared for about 30 foster children over the course of nineteen years. She died on October 1, 1993 after a brief illness and is survived by her husband, her children and a host of family members and friends.

In view of the many years of service by Lillie Mae Berry O'Garra to the Bronx community, it is fitting that the intersection of East 229th Street and Schieffelin Avenue, be named "Lillie Mae Berry O'Garra Square."

I will first turn to the bill's sponsors and then to any other elected official who wishes to be heard with regard to this bill.

Is there anyone in the general audience who wishes to speak in opposition of this bill?

Is there anyone in the general audience who wishes to speak in favor?

There being no other speakers, and for the reasons set forth previously, I will now sign this bill.