Juanita Ross Gray Community Service Award Winner

Peggy J. Wortham Named 2009 Winner

Peggy J. Wortham Biography
"Peggy J. Wortham is the personification of a community liaison because she is the go to person for whatever is needed," said Juanita Gray Community Service Award Chair, Zelda DeBoyes. For obvious reasons, Wortham is the first one many community leaders and residents call. She goes above and beyond her duty to help whenever called upon. Her ready service includes everything from making sure a person has a place to stay to helping friends and their children find a job or assist in their programs or events.

Born and raised in Virginia, Wortham has been in Denver since 1964. Since that time, she has given unselfishly of her time and talents to those in her community. While raising her family, she still found time to be active in her community including Shorter AME Church, the Urban League of Metro Denver, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Slipper and Sliders Ski Club, NAACP, Colorado Black Women for Political Action, Metropolitan State College Alumni, Especially Me, Juneteenth, and the Bill Picket Invitational Rodeo. She is also involved in Denver politics such as the Summit of the Eight, the Colorado Democratic Party and the 2008 DNC. Peggy is resourceful and a highly independent leader with a calm demeanor and giving spirit. She is truly one of Denver's unsung "shero." For never saying no when asked to lend a hand, Peggy J. Wortham has been presented the 2009 Juanita Gray Community Service Award.

Award Background
Juanita Ross Gray, for whom the Award is named, valued Library and service to our community for more than 40 years. The Juanita Gray Community Service Award was established in 1987 in her honor. Formally, the Library presents the honor to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the Denver-metro area and who has exemplified high-minded ideals for the citizens of Denver. Mrs. Gray certainly did.

Now deceased, the late Juanita Ross Gray was employed by Denver Public Library from 1965-1977. During her employment with the Library she established a comprehensive outreach program between the Library and the Black community. The period of Gray's employment was distinguished for her efforts to promote the Library to the people of the black community. She was much-admired by her peers, even securing the nomination and award for the Library's coveted Nell I. Scott Award, which honors the year's top employee. Gray was the second black to win the Nell I. Scott Award, and its sixth recipient.

Mrs. Gray, or Nita made comprehensive contributions to the Denver Public Library. She worked with community groups to help plan the location and development of the Ford-Warren Branch Library, even running a contest for its name. She also managed purchasing and is credited with building the Library's first black collection, which was housed in Denver's Ford-Warren, Dahlia Street and Five Points Branch Libraries.

The 2009 Juanita Gray Community Service Award presentation was held on Saturday, February 16, at the Ford-Warren Branch Library.