Covington’s Temple Baptist Church Selected for Chancellor's Philanthropy Award
Richmond – Temple Baptist Church, of Covington, Virginia, through the Estate of Ovella Worsham, has received the 13th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. The church was nominated for the award by Dabney S. Lancaster Community College.
More than two dozen individuals, families, and businesses from around Virginia have earned the 2018 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. The awards were presented at a luncheon ceremony in Richmond on Tuesday, April 17th, 2018.
Hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE), the 13th annual event honors leading philanthropists from each of Virginia’s 23 community colleges as well as the statewide foundation. This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has contributed a combined total of $6 million dollars to Virginia’s Community Colleges.
Ovella Worsham, a long-time music educator in the Alleghany Highlands and dedicated member of Temple Baptist Church, left a large estate gift, part of which was dedicated to scholarships for students going into the field of education. Temple Baptist Church leadership decided to donate the scholarship portion to the DSLCC Educational Foundation to steward those funds, as well as the awarding of annual scholarships. Temple Baptist church leadership includes two individuals very involved at DSLCC—the Reverend Bill Hartsfield, long-time DSLCC advocate and Local Board member, and Mr. John Stone, DSLCC education Foundation Board member and Treasurer. The gift ranks among one of the largest planned gifts received by the DSLCC Educational Foundation and will yield two to three scholarships each year.
Keynote speaker Paul Koonce, executive vice president & president and chief executive officer of the Power Generation Group, Dominion Energy, called the community college system “one of Virginia’s greatest inventions.” He also borrowed a passage from a 1903 Teddy Roosevelt speech to underscore the invaluable connection between higher education and opportunity.
“’Far and away, the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. Our purpose (as donors) is to make sure that prize – meaningful work – the best prize that life offers, remains within reach of every Virginian.’”
Recipients of the 2018 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy:
BLUE RIDGE Mr. and Mrs. L. Ronald Smith
CENTRAL VIRGINIA Wells Fargo Bank- Lynchburg Region
DABNEY S. LANCASTER Temple Baptist Church and Ovella Worsham Estate
DANVILLE Anita J. Wyatt
EASTERN SHORE Virginia Space and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport
GERMANNA Ed C. Dalrymple, Jr.
J SARGEANT REYNOLDS The Lipman Foundation
JOHN TYLER Mr. J. Richard and Mrs. Jeannine Commander
LORD FAIRFAX Nick and Kathy Nerangis
MOUNTAIN EMPIRE Donna Stanley
NEW RIVER Eddie and Kathy Hale
NORTHERN VIRGINIA Northrop Gumman
PATRICK HENRY The Martinsville Speedway and the Campbell Family
PAUL D CAMP Mrs. June Fleming
PIEDMONT Wendy Brown
RAPPAHANNOCK Northern Neck Electric Cooperative
SOUTHSIDE VA The Laughing Gull Foundation
SOUTHWEST VA Dr. Charles R. King
THOMAS NELSON Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
TIDEWATER Elizabeth River Crossings, LLC
The Landmark Foundation
VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS First Bank and Trust Company
VIRGINIA WESTERN Friendship Health & Living
WYTHEVILLE Charles G. Crockett
VFCCE Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Whitt
About Virginia’s Community Colleges: Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 252,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
About the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education: Working hand in hand with Virginia’s 23 community colleges, the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education seeks to guarantee financial assistance to all students who dream of attending college. The foundation is building an endowment that is already generating interest to provide full scholarships to selected community college students; helping more Virginia foster youth pursue and complete higher education through the Great Expectations program; and leading a partnership to improve rural Virginia’s education pipeline through the Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative. Learn how the Virginia Foundation for Community College is building the future of Virginia. Visit VFCCE.org.
CAPTION for PHOTO: Chancellor Glenn DuBois recognizes The Reverend William Hartsfield and John Stone of Temple Baptist Church, 2018 DSLCC recipient of the 13th annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. Long-time educator and member of Temple Baptist Church, Ovella Worsham left a large estate gift to the church, part of which was given to the DSLCC Educational Foundation for the purpose of funding scholarships for area students. In recognition of this gift, the Temple Baptist Church—Ovella Worsham Scholarship will be awarded for the 2018-2019 academic year. Row 1, left to right: Lynda Thompson, Interim Director of the DSLCC Educational Foundation; Teenie Kegley, Educational Foundation Board member; Donna Vaughn, President of the DSLCC Educational Foundation; and Jodi Burgess, Advancement and Interim Marketing Coordinator. Row 2: VCCS Chancellor, Glenn DuBois; Reverend Hartsfield, minister of Temple Baptist Church; John Stone, member of Temple Baptist Church and Treasurer of the DSLCC Educational Foundation; Steve Vaughn; and DSLCC President, Dr. John Rainone.