Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2025 February)
Vivian Brown learned a lot from her grandmother. Practical skills such as how to successfully grow fruits and vegetables, how to care for flowers, and the value of hard work. Her grandmother also stressed the importance of compassion and generosity. “My grandmother said, ‘when you see somebody in need, please go and help them. Don’t sit back and laugh and talk. You don’t do that’,” Brown says. She has never forgotten those early lessons. They have guided her throughout her life.
Vivian Brown was born in Chesterfield, SC, to Bruce and Dora McCoy. She and her four siblings grew up on their grandparents’ farm where they grew a variety of crops, including potatoes, corn and tobacco. The children helped on the farm and after they had completed their after-school chores, worked on neighboring farms to earn money. The family was well fed from the abundant crops and their family’s garden. Brown recalls that her grandparents only needed to purchase a few items at the store, such as coffee and sugar.
When she was in the sixth grade, her parents divorced, and her mother decided to move to Northern Virginia. Brown and two other siblings went with her. Brown lived with her uncle while she attended school in Washington, D.C. After completing her education, she moved to Fairfax County, preferring its quiet to the noise of Washington, D.C.
Brown first found employment doing housework but later worked at a law firm, a job she would remain at until she retired. While working full time, she was active in her community, volunteering at her children’s school and at church.
After retiring, Brown moved into an apartment in the Gum Springs community in Alexandria. She soon met her next-door neighbor, Dottie, and the two became fast friends. Dottie was an active member of the Gum Springs Community Center, so she brought Brown to the center and convinced her to join the older adults program.
Dottie also introduced Brown to the joys of crocheting, even though mastering the craft took time and patience. “I messed up so many times. Dottie said, ‘I don’t think you want to do it.’ I said yes, I do!” says Brown. Dottie’s mission was to crochet hats and give them to anyone in the community who needed one.
When Dottie became seriously ill, Brown stepped up to help her friend however she could. She took her to doctor’s appointments and shopped for her groceries. She also purchased a small refrigerator and placed it next to Dottie’s bed so she would have easy access to cold beverages. “She would call me sometimes at 10 o'clock and I would sit with her while she fell asleep,” says Brown. Dottie passed away a few years ago, but before she died, she gave Brown all her yarn and crochet supplies and made her promise to continue making and giving away winter hats.
Brown took her promise to Dottie seriously. She has given hats to Gum Springs Community Center participants, from young children to older adult program participants. She has given hats to community center staff and their children, nursing home residents, and nearly everyone else she crosses paths with who needs one. “All the children I see that don’t have hats on their heads, I give them hats,” she says.
During the winter, Brown doesn’t visit the community center as often, so she has more time to devote to crocheting hats. She estimates that she makes 40-50 hats each week. Her favorite spot to crochet is in her bed, propped up on a pile of pillows. “It’s relaxing. I love doing it. It’s something that keeps me out of trouble,” she laughs. In addition to using Dottie’s yarn supply, members of the community have donated yarn for her to use.
While making hats keeps her occupied during the winter, Brown’s spring, summer and fall months are occupied with activities and volunteer work at Gum Springs Community Center. She takes care of all the plants and flowers inside the community center as well as the extensive vegetable gardens outside. She also enjoys participating in activities offered by the older adults program.
According to Brown, the gardens at Gum Springs Community Center were made possible by a community member. After removing a few large trees in his yard, he used the lumber from the trees to construct several raised garden beds for the center’s use. Each spring, Brown plants a variety of fruits and vegetables and tends them throughout the summer. When the garden is ready to harvest, she picks the fresh fruits and vegetables and gives it to older adults at the center and in the community. While the work is hard, it is also satisfying. “I like doing it and I like giving it to people who need it. For people who can’t get out, I take it to them,” says Brown.
In the spring of 2024, Brown found out that she had been nominated for a prestigious volunteer award by staff at Gum Springs Community Center. At the Third Annual Privilege Award and Community Recognition Celebration, held at George Mason University on April 14, 2024, she was named the 2024 President's Privilege Award recipient. She was given two plaques for her award. One she keeps at home while the other is on display at the Gum Springs Community Center.
While pleased by the recognition, she hasn’t slowed down in her efforts to help others. Although she is in her early 80s, Brown helps many of her older adult neighbors, stopping by for a visit and bringing them food if they are unable to leave their homes.
Having taken her grandmother’s instructions to heart, Brown is now passing that wisdom on to the next generation, saying, “This is what I try to tell my grandchildren – help other people who can’t help themselves, who don’t have what you have. Give back because my grandmother always taught me, when you see the need – give back.”
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).