OMA Award Spotlight - Eileen Litchfield
On Sunday, April 19, the Ohio Museums Association held our Annual Awards dinner to recognize the winners of our 2025 Awards of Achievement and 2025 Visual Communication Awards, in conjunction with the 2026 Annual Conference in Columbus.
During the ceremony, OMA celebrated the outstanding achievement of Ohio museums in Visual Communications, individual and institutional achievement, and the tireless work museum professionals undertake to help to advance Ohio’s museum community both locally, and on a national level.
Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting our 2025 OMA Award of Achievement winners with our OMA Award Spotlight.
OMA Award Spotlight - Awards of Achievement
The Awards of Achievement are presented to reflect the outstanding quality and caliber of work by Ohio museums and their professionals in two categories: Institutional Achievement Awards and Individual Achievement Awards.
Nominations for these awards are incredibly detailed. This in-depth process helps to illustrate how these institutions and individuals have gone “above and beyond” the normal call of duty to support their institution, serve their public and advance the cause of the museum community.
Each year, the review panel is overwhelmed by the outstanding projects, innovative programming and dedication to our field as exhibited in each of the institutional and individual nominations. Congratulations again to each of our award winners!
Today, we'll be featuring our winner for the 2025 award for Museum Advocate.
Eileen Litchfield - Darke County Historical Society / Garst Museum
Eileen Litchfield’s preferred footwear is athletic shoes, according to those who recommended her for this award, because she is always on the go advocating for the Darke County Historical Society/Garst Museum of which she is a board member, along with serving as president of the Annie Oakley Center Foundation. Through her efforts, a mural featuring Annie Oakley was installed in the town of Greenville and several interpretive markers honoring Oakley were installed in community spaces. These projects required ongoing coordination, fundraising, and teamwork with city officials and community groups.
Eileen actively promotes the museum through media outreach, organizational roles, and direct community engagement, while also providing behind-the-scenes support. From coordinating events to developing board leadership, her efforts help ensure the organization’s long-term sustainability. Her selfless dedication has strengthened the museum’s resilience, visibility, and community trust, making her advocacy both impactful and enduring.
In a textbook example of her tenacity is the time she gave an unusual tour of the Garst Museum/National Annie Oakley Center to descendants of the executor of Oakley’s estate. The descendants were considering donating some Oakley artifacts they had inherited. A tornado had knocked out power to the museum while the descendants were in town for the visit. Undeterred, Eileen procured enough flashlights to guide the guests around the museum, which led to the donation of the Oakley artifacts. Artifacts that included letters hand written by Oakley and a pistol Oakley slept with under her pillow.
Eileen is an outstanding and outspoken advocate for education, historic preservation, and community storytelling throughout Darke County and western Ohio for several decades. She is a well-respected public ambassador, often interviewed by journalists and authors about Annie Oakley and the museum’s mission. Her efforts help increase the museum’s visibility across the state.
The writer of one letter of support stated: I believe Eileen wakes up in the morning and asks herself, “What can I do today to help my community? Eileen defines the phrase, “When you see a need, fill the need.”
Do you know someone who consistently promotes the growth and sustainability of Ohio museums? Be sure to nominate them for the 2026 award for Museum Advocate! Learn more here.