A Word from The Delridge Champion Award 2016 Recipient, Willard Brown

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I am honored to receive the Delridge Champion award for dedication and perseverance in leading Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. I first connected with the organization at the request of the founding Executive Director, Paul Fishburg, who recruited me to join the Board back in 2006! I attended meetings, worked side by side with a number of the founding Board members and learned about the initiatives and goals of the organization to improve the lives of people living in Delridge. Because I live in a neighborhood of Delridge, I am motivated to do my part to make sure decisions about the future of Delridge are made by those of us residing in Delridge.

I served on DNDA’s Board for three years before running for an officer position. I was elected Board Secretary in 2009 and then President in 2011. As Board President, I committed myself to ensuring that all the needs of the organization would be met. I confronted the big issues – overseeing the properties and their compliance issues, the overall financial health of operations and the fiscal discipline needed to bring the organization into balance and fiscal order. Once we secured the future of the organization, I was able to step down as President knowing that I had overcome the mistakes we, as a Board, had made in prior years. I was able to then leave the Board.

Originally, it was my intention to retire and support the organization from the sidelines as a community member.  However, the Board asked that I stay on as staff, and handle all the needs of the housing program and community initiatives. We continue to improve the viability of our housing program and it is, more than ever, a valuable and stable asset for the Delridge community; the future is bright.

I am most proud that we are poised to fully meet our mission and to do great work in the Delridge corridor. Our housing program is viable and is appealing to the community, serving as a reminder that DNDA is committed to supporting the needs of all families in Delridge.  In addition, I have been fortunate to be here at the time that the City is changing, and looking to have organizations like DNDA do more, to improve lives of its citizens.

I am leading the Wetlands and Stewardship project with the goal of creating long-lasting connections between K-8 STEM, environmental enthusiasts and like-minded organizations, committed to the greening of Delridge.  With this project, we will engage the community on many levels and will recruit our neighbors to participate in the restoration of the wetland, to volunteer to help construct community educational gardens and to grow fruits and vegetable that will be distributed to families living in Delridge.

I am also working with community nonprofits with the Walking on Logs statues at the south end of the West Seattle Freeway, to ensure that the advertising there is for events and activities that benefit West Seattle.

The work we do is very satisfying.  I honestly look forward to coming to work every day. I love what I do……and hope to keep doing this for a few years longer.  After that, I’m sure my role will change, but I will continue to support DNDA.

–Willard Brown, DNDA Housing and Properties Director