Winifred Carter, 99, a longtime Long Beach resident who has been honored by numerous local groups and organizations for her service to the community, will toss the ceremonial first pitch at the Dodgers’ Labor Day game against the New York Mets.
Born on April 13, 1919, in Massachusetts, Carter’s father died when she was 5, and her mother died shortly after of pneumonia. She and her seven siblings shuttled between foster homes.
She worked as a civilian secretary for the military, and later worked for United Airlines. She served as a reserve police officer, and volunteered for Meals on Wheels, St. Mary Hospital, and North Long Beach neighborhood associations and other groups. She also helped create a scholarship program for the Black Police Officers Organization, and was appointed to the Senior Citizen Advisory Commission in 2014.
In 1991, at age 71, she enrolled as a first-time freshman at Cal State Dominguez Hills, and earned her bachelor’s in English at age 78, according to her memoir.
Carter was named a 1998 Senior of the Year at Long Beach City College, and has also been honored by Meals on Wheels, Long Beach NAACP, the Long Beach Senior Police Partners and was the honorary chair of the Long Beach Veteran’s Day Parade in 2017.
Carter will be throwing the ceremonial first pitch on the Dodgers’ City of Long Beach Night on Sept. 3. Game time on Monday is 5:10 p.m.
Dodgers to host Long Beach night (with black-and-gold tee honoring the Dirtbags included)