September 10, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1463 

duties as a Legislative Liaison and continued 

to honorably serve as a conduit between the 

Army and Congress. 

Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure to work 

closely with Captain Tellado over the last few 

years of his decorated career, both as a Fellow for the Foreign Affairs Committee, and as 

a Legislative Liaison for Congress to the 

Army. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I join my 

colleagues today in recognizing and commending Captain Tellado for dedicating his life 

in service to his country. 

For all he and his wife have given, and continue to give to our country, we are in their 

debt. We wish him and his wife Sindia Luz 

Tellado all the best as they continue their journey together, wherever that may lead them. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF BROOKLYN 

CENTRE’S BICENTENNIAL 

HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Monday, September 10, 2012 

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 

recognition of the bicentennial celebration of 

Brooklyn Centre, a historic neighborhood within the City of Cleveland. 

Brooklyn Centre was founded by James 

Fish of Connecticut in 1812, marking the first 

settlement west of the Cuyahoga River. Just a 

few years later, more than 200 people had 

begun living in the area. On June 1, 1818, 

Brooklyn Township was formally organized. 

Throughout the next several decades immigrants from Germany, Poland and Ireland 

moved to Brooklyn Centre. The area became 

known for its tanners, shoemakers, and other 

skilled tradesmen. Brooklyn Centre was annexed by the City of Cleveland in the latter 

half of the 19th century, after which it began 

to grow rapidly. 

Less than a century later, following World 

War II, the residents of Brooklyn Centre began 

focusing on the preservation and revitalization 

of their neighborhood. In 1946, the Southwest 

Citizens Area Council was formed. The Brooklyn Center Community Association, also 

known as Archwood Concerned Citizens, and 

the Brooklyn Centre Historical Society were 

founded in 1978. In 1981, the Crossroads Development Corporation was established. In 

1984, the City of Cleveland recognized the 

historic importance and architectural significance of the neighborhood with the creation of 

the Brooklyn Centre Historic District. More recently, Friends of Big Creek and the Brooklyn 

Centre Naturalists have been established and 

the new Jones Home National Historic District 

was designated. In November 2008, Brooklyn 

Centre became a National Wildlife Federation 

registered Community Wildlife Habitat Site. 

The Brooklyn Centre Bicentennial celebration began on Memorial Day with a ceremony 

at the Brooklyn Centre Burying Grounds, 

which was founded in 1835. The neighborhood will also celebrate with a parade, community picnic and historic home tour, among 

other festivities. 

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me 

in recognizing 200 years of history and culture 

in Cleveland’s Brooklyn Centre neighborhood. 

HONORING IRIS M. ARCHER AS 2012 

ANGELS IN ADOPTION HONOREE 

HON. AUSTIN SCOTT OF GEORGIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Monday, September 10, 2012 

Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Iris M. Archer of 

Macon, GA, as a 2012 Angels in Adoption 

Honoree for her outstanding advocacy of 

adoption in the State of Georgia. 

Mrs. Archer is the founding director of Covenant Care Services, a statewide adoption 

agency based in Macon and serving all of 

Georgia. Mrs. Archer founded the organization 

and served as Executive Director from 1989 

until her retirement in May 2011. 

Adoptive parents often endure a long journey that requires them to endure a great deal 

of sacrifice. Their journey begins long before 

they ever meet their bundle of joy and to prepare for this momentous occasion they often 

secure an advocate to help them navigate the 

arduous process. However, in the late 1980s, 

during a time when unplanned pregnancy was 

still very much considered shameful, one 

woman noticed that a very important player in 

this process often did not have a voice in the 

world of adoption. While adoptive parents 

were cooing over the new addition to their 

family with their advocates by their sides, the 

baby’s birthmother was left by herself to overcome the sadness that often accompanies the 

difficult decision she made. 

Mrs. Archer felt that she could be that voice 

for the birthmother. Utilizing her degree in 

counseling and previous work experience for a 

national adoption agency, she set out on a 

mission to offer counseling and education to 

mothers of unplanned pregnancy and offered 

herself as an advocate for them all around the 

state. By 1989, her one-woman mission had 

grown into a full-time cause and Covenant 

Care Services was established. In that time, 

she worked to change general adoption practices to identify a triad that included separate 

advocates for the family, baby and 

birthmother. The triad’s purpose was to alleviate conflict of interest and ensure that all parties are fully served. 

As the demand for their services increased 

around the state, Mrs. Archer began to expand the organization. By the mid-1990s Covenant Care had staff in five communities 

around the state and employed seventeen fulltime staff members. At the insistence of Mrs. 

Archer, Covenant Care was built as an organization that depends on fundraising for twothirds of its annual budget. This means that 

the agency is not dependent on adoption revenue to operate. Not only does it allow the 

agency to offer some of the lowest adoption 

fees in the state but more importantly the ability to emphasize education and counseling for 

the mother without the pressure of being 

forced to choose adoption. Covenant Care’s 

work has resulted in an average of 25 adoptions each year, nearly 600 adoptions since 

1989. 

Iris Archer is a woman who simply saw a 

problem and dared to believe that she could 

do something about it, and something she did. 

Mr. Speaker, for her tireless devotion to the 

entire adoptive family, please join me in honoring Mrs. Iris M. Archer as a true ‘‘Angel in 

Adoption.’’ 

IN RECOGNITION OF NEW 

AVENUES FOR INDEPENDENCE 

HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Monday, September 10, 2012 

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 

recognition of New Avenues to Independence, 

a volunteer organization that provides services 

to individuals with disabilities. 

New Avenues to Independence was founded in 1952 by a group of parents with disabled 

children. Instead of sending their children off 

to live in institutions, the founding parents had 

a vision of an organization that would facilitate 

independent lives for their children and others 

with disabilities. For the past sixty years, New 

Avenues to Independence has provided opportunities for employment and education to 

the individuals it serves, in addition to various 

forms of therapy and recreational activities 

both inside and outside of its group homes. 

New Avenues to Independence serves people 

with a wide range of disabilities and is committed to meeting the specific needs of each 

individual. 

Since its founding, New Avenues to Independence has grown in the number of people 

it serves as well as the number of services it 

provides. There are now eight homes located 

in the Northeast Ohio area, serving 600 disabled people each year. Over the years, New 

Avenues to Independence has received many 

awards recognizing its contributions to the 

community. This year marks the 60th anniversary of its founding. 

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me 

in honoring New Avenues to Independence, 

an organization that has provided individuals 

with disabilities the means to lead independent 

lives for the past sixty years. 

f 

HONORING TERYLE L. BERRY 

HON. HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, JR. OF GEORGIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Monday, September 10, 2012 

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I 

present the following U.S. Citizen of Distinction. 

Whereas, our lives have been touched by 

the life of this one woman . . . who has given 

of herself to her country, family and community; and 

Whereas, Ms. Teryle L. Berry served six (6) 

years in the United States Navy, she was an 

educator, community advocate and business 

owner; and 

Whereas, Ms. Berry gave of her time and 

talent to uplift those in need by demonstrating 

unwavering commitment to serving the citizens 

of her community, her family and her country; 

and 

Whereas, she was a mother, a daughter, a 

sister and a friend; she was a woman of great 

integrity who remained true to the uplifting and 

service to our district; and 

Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the 

Fourth District of Georgia recognizes Ms. 

Teryle L. Berry as a citizen of great worth and 

so noted distinction; 

Now therefore, I, HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, Jr. do hereby attest to the 112th Congress that Ms. Teryle L. Berry is deemed worthy and deserving of this ‘‘Congressional 


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