Librarian and quilter Diana Donohue was awarded the 2021 Dolores Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce for her contributions to the community over the years.

“She goes out of her way to share, help and serve the people,” said Chamber Director Susan Lisak during the annual chamber banquet April 30.

Donohue has worked at the library for 17 years and is in charge of acquisitions and programming.

She delivers books for people in her free time, assembles Christmas stockings for the Piñon Project and local families, donates her handmade quilts to those in need, helps with chamber events and is active in her church, Lisak said.

“I appreciate the honor. I love to support my community whenever I can,” Donohue said in her acceptance speech. “I want to share this award with all the other people who contribute to the community just as much as I do.”

Donohue also is a dedicated quilter with Dolores Mountain Quilters and serves on its charity committee. She and the group donate about 100 of their custom quilts per year, reaching people from Montezuma County to Ukraine.

Working in public service at the library has been her passion, she said.

She started as a librarian when the new library was built and guided the expanded services and collection.

“We used to have just three computers; now, we have 13,” Donohue said. “I’m so glad to have been a part of growing our library and helping people get what they need.”

Before the new library, locals would often have to go to Cortez for basic services like copying, internet and faxing.

“Now we have so many resources in Dolores, a much bigger and varied collection, Wi-Fi, and high-speed internet,” she said.

Receiving the Citizen of the Year award to applause from friends and family was a “heartfelt moment I won’t forget. I’m so happy living here, this community is very dear to my heart,” she said.