Duclo honored as consummate librarian
Photo by Kathy Browning Delta County Commissioner Mark Roeber presents a plaque to Duclo at her retirement party on Feb. 1. He noted her commitment to the community and dedication to the library district. "There's been a lot of things happen in the district since I started. A lot of improvements and a lot of wonderful people I've worked with.
I'm going to miss it," Rhonda Duclo said at her retirement party Feb. 1 at the Hotchkiss Library.
She has worked 30 lustrous years at the Hotchkiss Library. She was feted by her peers in the Delta County Library District, the Delta County Commissioners and appreciative library patrons and friends.
"I'm excited about moving on and being able to do some other kinds of things," Duclo said before her party began. "I'm still going to be doing some outreach to the schools. I've already set up book talks during February at [Hotchkiss K-8]. I'll still be going over to Horizons [Healthcare and Retirement Community] twice a month and doing day care. So, it's not like I'm absolutely done with library."
Photo by Kathy Browning Delta County Library District Director Annette Choszczyk presents a lovely plaque to Hotchkiss Library manager Rhonda Duclo at her retirement after 30 years of service.She's also helping get everything ready for the library book sale on Friday, Feb. 15, from 9 to 6 and Saturday, Feb. 16, from 9 to 3. "Then I'm going to go home and clean house," she laughed.
Among the changes Duclo has witnessed over the years in the district: all towns have new libraries and Hotchkiss has a new addition. "We're really proud of ours and the way it looks. People like our library," she said. "We're doing more programs. We're doing more things with the kids, and that's fun."
Annette Choszczyk, district director, told those at Duclo's retirement party, "We have a couple of presentations for her because she has been here for over 30 years and we want to acknowledge that has meant a tremendous amount to our communities and to our library district and to all the people she has come to know in that time."
Choszczyk then presented a plaque to Duclo on behalf of the library district.
County Commissioner Mark Roeber gave her a plaque for her 30 years of service. "That's quite a milestone and that's quite a commitment to service to the community of Hotchkiss." The commissioners congratulated her and "acknowledge your special talents, innovative ideas and dedication to the library district."
Ann Murphy, library board president, read a letter from Commissioner Bruce Hovde who was not able to attend. He extended his "heartfelt thanks for all the years of service you have contributed to the citizens of Delta County and to the patrons of the library."
Hotchkiss trustee and former teacher Georgia Hopper said, "Rhonda has done so much through the schools. I've been retired for a good many years, but Rhonda used to come to my classroom every week and read a story to the kids. She had such a gentle manner about her, and the kids really looked forward to her time."
Photo by Kathy Browning Outgoing Hotchkiss Library manager Rhonda Duclo shows the plaque she received from the Delta County Commissioners. And with that more pictures were taken and the beautiful cake was cut.