MVT Spotlight: Dawn Wooten, resident of Mount Vernon Triangle and a frequent volunteer.
Saturday June 13, 2015
Dawn Wooten is a resident of Mount Vernon Triangle and last year started volunteering with the MVT CID. She has helped us spread the word about events to the MVT CID community, staff the information table at the Fall Fun Day and other events and brings a positive, creative energy to our marketing and event planning work. We asked Dawn to take a few minutes to share her story with the neighborhood.
MVTCID: Dawn, tell us a bit about how you came to live in MVT.
Dawn: My partner and I moved to DC a few years ago from south Florida to be closer to family and to (once again) experience the seasons. After touring several neighborhoods and apartment communities, we decided that MVT and the Meridian were for us. We liked the new building, neighborhood, the choice of retailers, our workplaces are within walking distance, and great metro access AND everyone had a dog! We were also drawn to the development of the neighborhood. In the 4 years we’ve lived here, so many great changes happened and I am proud to call MVT home.
MVTCID: You seem to have made friends in every corner of the neighborhood – what stands out in your mind about the character of the MVT?
Dawn: Meeting new people can be tough in a work-centered, fast-paced city like D.C. I have to give my dog, Athena, (who passed away in October 2013) the credit for helping me meet so many people. She was friendly and approachable and because she was 70 pounds, she was not easily missed. I often joke that I know the names of all the dogs in MVT, but not their owners! I’ve had great conversations with long time residents, parents, dog walkers and the MVT Clean Team, all of which have contributed to making the Triangle a more personable and fun place to live.
MVTCID: What is your personal vision for MVT three to five years from now?
Dawn: My personal vision is that I still live here and can reflect on its growth…and in some small way, have contributed to it. I volunteer with the MVT CID and a couple of other neighborhood organizations because it is important (for me) to support the things I believe in. My hope is I will see more of my MVT neighbors volunteering for the CID and feel a sense of ownership for the neighborhood. It’s “our” neighborhood and it will become what we make of it, what we invest in it. And personally, I like a good return on investment!
MVTCID: Do you have a favorite restaurant or retailer in the area you would like to share?
Dawn: I am not trying to be diplomatic, but truthfully, I have been a customer at all of the establishments. I appreciate the diversity of what is offered in MVT. I am a fan of supporting small business owners and would like to see those opportunities increased as well as ensuring that MVT has retail services at different price points so that what is offered here is accessible by everyone.
MVTCID: Thank you, Dawn!
