FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 25, 2024
Martin Library Honors Delma Rivera
YORK, PA – The Martin Library Honors Committee will recognize Delma Rivera as its spring 2024 honoree during an upcoming ceremony and reception. The event will be held at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 10 at Martin Library in York. Individuals interested in attending should register at donate.yorklibraries.org.
The honors ceremony will feature tributes to Rivera by several guest speakers. They include Arch Street Center Executive Director Ed McManama; Pennsylvania Municipal League Deputy Executive Director of Operations Abe Amoros; retired York County Community Foundation President and CEO Jane Conover; and retired pastor and former chair of the York County Council of Churches Rev. Guy Dunham.
Rivera is a graduate of Central York High School, and Gettysburg College with a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Sociology. Her professional career at Central York School District spanned nearly 17 years. She recently retired as the district’s diversity education specialist.
She has continued her family’s legacy of community service as a member of the Governor’s Advisory Commission for Latino Affairs as well as numerous boards and committees. They include the York County History Center, United Way, YMCA, Latinos Unidos of York, CASA, First Presbyterian Church Racial Justice Committee, Confronting Racism Coalition, and the Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation. Rivera is active in the community distributing books to York City youth and reading to students during Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.
“When Delma was a child, her family moved here from Puerto Rico. Reading books at Martin Library helped her to learn English,” says York County Libraries President Robert F. Lambert. “Today, Delma’s extraordinary community involvement and persistent drive to make York County a welcoming place for all is both heartwarming and inspirational.”
She has received numerous awards including the Central Penn Business Journal Circle of Excellence Award, the YWCA Dorrie Leader Advocacy Award, and the JCC Lifetime Diversity Education Achievement Award. Notably, she was named Ms. Pennsylvania Senior America 2022, winning the national community service award.
A key component of the Martin Honors event is establishing a perpetual fund to purchase books in the honoree’s name. Contributions are welcome by donating securely online at donate.yorklibraries.org or by mail to Martin Library Honors Fund, 159 East Market Street, York, PA 17401. Anyone with questions can contact the Development Department at 717-849-6979 or [email protected].
The Martin Library Honors Committee is chaired by Lori Rene Weyant, with members Robert Cox, Liz Dellinger, Robert F. Lambert, Donna Pullo, Kelley Gibson, Patrick Ball, and honorary member Lynne Danyo.
Serving the community since 1935, Martin is one of York County’s oldest libraries and is a branch of York County Libraries. Located at 159 E. Market Street in the City of York, it is recognized as a PA Forward Gold Star library for its outstanding provision of programs and resources to community members. Martin Library also holds the distinguished honor of being the first library to receive the Library of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Library Association.
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