2020 Elizabeth M. Forsyth Community Service Award Recipient
The Elizabeth M. Forsyth Community Service Award was created in 2004 to acknowledge the impact of individuals, organizations, and groups who have made significant contributions to the community by recognizing local needs and supporting solutions to meet them. The award was named after one of our co-founders, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Forsyth who set a tremendous precedent in her lifetime of service to the Lynchburg community and particularly to Miriam’s House through a tremendous financial commitment. Similar to Mrs. Forsyth, this year’s award recipient has demonstrated significant commitment to Miriam’s House and our work to end homelessness.
We are proud to announce the 2020 Elizabeth M. Forsyth award recipient is Denise Oglesby!
This year’s recipient is our very own Operations Manager at Miriam’s House, Denise Oglesby! She joined Miriam’s House in 2000 as relief staff and quickly advanced to her current position as Operations Manager.
For 2 decades, Denise has provided a safe and welcoming home for hundreds of our homeless neighbors to rebuild their lives. Her commitment and passion have impacted Miriam’s House and this community in immeasurable ways.
Denise is a native of Lynchburg and the youngest of 5 boys and 4 girls. She has 1 son, Shar, who lives in Northern Virginia. Before working at Miriam’s House, she lived in Richmond where she attended Virginia Commonwealth University and Flair School of Cosmetology. Denise loves music and enjoys slowing down to appreciate the simple things in her life. One of the things that Denise appreciates about Miriam’s House is that it is a constant reminder to be thankful to God for today and to take nothing for granted.
In the 20 years that Denise has worked at Miriam's House, she has been present for most of the Elizabeth M. Forsyth Community Award presentations at our Annual Luncheon. Upon receiving notice of her selection, she shared:
“I can honestly say that it never, ever crossed my mind that I would ever be a recipient of this award. Not even one day did I come to work thinking that I was striving to be recognized for doing a job that I loved. I was often humbled by what I received from the ladies that lived there—there is so much more to them than what you think you see.”
Sadly, we were unable to publicly present Denise with the award at the 2020 luncheon due to its cancellation. Former Miriam’s House Board President and 2014 EMF Award recipient, Ellen Nygaard “presented” Denise with this award during our virtual 22nd Annual Luncheon on May 25th, 2021.