Dorothy Diotte, known as Dot to her friends, has been recognized for dedicating more than 30 years of her life to the Squamish General Hospital Auxiliary.
And at 94 years old, she continues to give of her time and energy to the cause, though she acknowledges some current health challenges slow her down a tad.
Diotte was honoured for her service to the Squamish General Hospital Auxiliary Society at a ceremony on Friday.
Originally from Toronto, Diotte moved to North Vancouver in the early 1970s and then to Squamish about 32 years ago, with her husband and two of her four children.
At the time she didn’t think there was much in Squamish, she says, but the place grew on her.
Soon after arriving in town, she started volunteering with the auxiliary.
She had recently retired and was looking for something to do when she saw an advertisement in the paper for the organization.
“I thought, maybe that might work. If I don’t like it, I don’t have to stay — 30 years later I am still here,” Diotte said with a laugh.
While there was plenty of work involved, she also had “a real good time” volunteering, she said.
Over the years she held various roles in the society including stints as president and vice-president. She helped in the mammogram clinic and put her former career as a women’s wear buyer to good use organizing and buying for the hospital gift shop.
“She still plays an important role in the auxiliary today,” says fellow auxiliary member Carolynn Robertson, in a history of Diotte that Robertson wrote and had framed for Diotte.
Diotte’s granddaughter, Sarah Bainbridge and grandson Nicholas Goodwin, 14, were also in attendance for the ceremony.
“She’s an incredible woman, and I am in awe of her contributions,” Bainbridge said. “She is a dedicated volunteer, and she takes a lot of pride in working with other people in the community to raise money for the hospital. I know they have accomplished so much over the years.”
Though the spotlight was on her at the ceremony, Diotte shined it back on the other members of the auxiliary.
“No one does anything alone,” she said. “We have a wonderful group.”
