Viletta Brown Scholarship

Why I Started The "Viletta" Fund ...

In 1997 my mother, Viletta Brown , had a severe stroke. A woman who had been living an independent life, had many friends, and was active despite suffering from muscular degeneration was suddenly unable to walk, talk, eat or take care of her personal needs in any way. The next four years, while the most stressful of my life, ultimately became the most life changing.

When she suffered her stroke, my mother was living in Maryland. Living far apart, we had seen each other only once or twice a year for more than 30 years. Although we talked on the phone often, I can't say we had been close-but that was about to change.

For four years following my mother's move to Colorado Springs, I saw her often. I wheeled her around the facility, decorated her room for holidays, spent mealtimes helping her eat and read to her. I was amazed by her acceptance of her situation, which she handled with grace and dignity. In Maryland my mother had lived alone in her own home for many years, surrounded by beautiful things collected over a lifetime. Now she was in a semi-private room with little to remind her of the past. I never heard her complain.

In 2000, my mother celebrated her 90th birthday and I made a collection of "Life Posters" for her room. Going through old family pictures and scrapbooks, I gained a deep appreciation for what my mother had accomplished. She had gone to college and become a teacher at a time when most women did not pursue an advanced education. She worked and continued her education even after she became a wife at age 20 and a mother at age 21, attending summer classes at Columbia University.

The four years I spent with my mother in Colorado were a gift to me. My mother and I were able to bond and heal old wounds as never before. I gained a peace and acceptance of the past. I felt my mother's unconditional love for me-and I was at last able to give back to her and feel appreciated. I learned valuable lessons about living and a realization of what is truly important.

Even before my mother died in 2001, I decided I wanted to establish a charitable fund in her name, a legacy to her memory-partly as a thank you for the gifts I was given, but also because she was extremely generous and thoughtful of others during her life. Since I was also a teacher, I thought it was fitting to create a scholarship fund. My passion has always been to encourage women to be successful and independent-partnering with the Women's Resource Agency is a perfect fit. Together we are working to help women continue their education and offering support and encouragement to help them reach their dreams.

I have pledged my lifetime support to help the Women's Resource Agency grow the scholarship fund, which is administered by the Pikes Peak Community Foundation. Together we are designing the scholarship application and distribution process and plan to have our first recipients identified in early in 2003. I hope you will join in our cause and help us empower women all over Colorado Springs.

Judy Dean