Less than seven days into the new administration in our nation’s capitol, a second Donald Trump era, I am reminded that, in reality, all we’ve really got to depend on is each other, at least for the next four years. We have to pull our own selves up by the bootstraps so-to-speak. What with the dismantling of so many programs that have existed for years in America, under Donald Trump, those programs will exist no more. Rather than dig our heads in the sand, bemoan our current fate, or quake in our shoes, we have to remain strong and steadfast and we have to be smart about it.
One of the things we have to do more of is to help each other. We also have to volunteer, where needed, in our community.
To that end, I am shining the spotlight on a woman who was the recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award this year from the Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence Inc. Her name is Vivian Rosalyn Gary. She’s known by many in Philadelphia as the lady with the big heart, kind words on her lips, and one of those people you often see in rooms across the city, not as a guest, not as paid staff, but as someone who cares enough about certain organizations and groups, that she simply volunteers her precious time.
So, who is this woman, Vivian Gary?
Vivian Gary is a woman of God, a daughter, a sister, a mother, a grandmother, and a proud member of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church. At Enon, she serves on the “She Is My Sister” Ministry under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Ellyn Jo Waller, First Lady of Enon. Vivian Gary is a volunteer with the American Red Cross; been doing that for almost a decade. She’s a longtime member of the Urban League Guild (an off-shoot of the Urban League of Philadelphia), and whenever they have events or programs, you can look up and see Miss Vivian right there, assisting in any way that she can. She volunteers one and two days a week, every week, as long as her health is behaving, at the Habitat for Humanity Restore on 33rd and W. Allegheny Avenue. Last year, she was celebrated by the Habitat for Humanity Restore for her work in their retail facility during Volunteer Appreciation Week.
As a dedicated member of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, she is definitely one of the women of Enon you can witness rolling up her sleeves and helping out at Enon.
Truth be told, Vivian Gary has been volunteering in the city of Philadelphia since she was a little girl. When asked what motivates her to give back to the community, she said, “Making people happy and seeing them smile is what keeps me going and fuels my energy. There’s too much unhappiness in our communities, especially with gun violence.”
Prior to retirement in 2016, Vivian worked at the Philadelphia Tribune newspaper, the oldest African American newspaper, continuously published (in the nation) for 18 years. While at the Tribune, above and beyond her regular workday in the circulation department, she would volunteer her time for special events, including escorting President Barack Obama around the Tribune building when he came for a visit and interview. She also actually volunteered on both of Obama’s campaigns for President. Volunteering is a part of Vivian’s life. She stated, “I used to help my grandmother in the kitchen at Abyssinian Baptist Church. One of my favorite jobs was to serve the pastor and first lady dinner during special church events”.
Vivian has volunteered with the Multiple Sclerosis Society, at the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, at the African American History Museum in Philadelphia, as well as, serving on PA State Senator Sharif’s Street Volunteer Team.
As it relates to the Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence, Inc., Vivian has been volunteering with this organization for 2 decades. The person who signed her up over 20 years ago to be a volunteer was the late Dr. C. Delores Tucker, who founded the organization. Dr. Tucker met Vivian one day when she was visiting with Robert Bogle, the Publisher of the Philadelphia Tribune, more than twenty years ago. Dr. Tucker spotted Vivian. She liked her from the start, and the next thing Vivian knew, she had started volunteering under the tutelage of Dr. C. Delores Tucker for the annual Dr. King Awards Luncheon. Vivian never looked back, but instead, she keeps moving forward.
Volunteering is important, and it can be fun and exciting, too. In these times we find ourselves in right now, we are going to need a lot more people willing to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to get things done because many of us are not going to be able to depend on the government to do anything for us. Nobody’s going to help us but us.
Congratulations to Vivian Rosalyn Gary on your award and to all the other well-known award recipients from the January 20, 2025, Philadelphia MLK Awards Luncheon, including our Mayor, Cherelle Parker; Dr. Tony Watlington, Superintendent of Philadelphia Public Schools; Reginald Streater, Esq., President of the Philadelphia Board of Education; and Reverend Dr. Alyn E. Waller, senior pastor of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Money raised from the luncheon each year goes toward fueling the programs the Philadelphia MK Association operates at various times during the year.
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