Deb Riddell was sure she didn't want a plaque right up until the time she was presented with one.

And she's thrilled that she wasn't able to take it home.

Deb recently retired as executive director of the New Hope Counseling Center, and the nonprofit's board of directors paid tribute to her at a May meeting. The plaque will be placed outside the door of New Hope's Art Play Therapy Room. It reads, "This room is dedicated to Deb Riddell for over 13 years of leadership & service to New Hope."

"When I opened the plaque (from its protective covering) and saw how the board honored me, I was touched beyond measure," she said. "I could not have wanted anything else. I didn't realize how much it would mean to me until I opened it."

Deb, who was a big proponent of creating a therapy room for children, officially stepped down from her position on May 23 and stayed on in a part-time role for the following two weeks to smooth the transition.

"The emotions are all different places," she said. "This was my choice to leave, but there is still some sadness to leave New Hope, a ministry that I love. But I know it's in good hands. It's a change, and any time you have a change in life, there are things to work through. I work at a counseling center, so I've learned a lot about that."

Deb served as executive director for six years. Prior to that, she managed the New Hope Community Closet, which is the fundraising arm of the counseling center.

"The board and I accomplished a lot since I have been here," said Deb. "We rewrote the bylaws. Now there is only one board, and there had been two boards. It now does what a board should do: strategic planning and governance."

New Hope formulated a policy manual for the first time and brought in a counseling supervisor. "There were just a lot of foundational things that were done with the board to help New Hope, as an organization, become stronger," she said.

Deb and the board worked closely to ensure New Hope's financial future. "New Hope is in a much stronger place financially than we had been when I started," Deb said. "That was something that I was very mindful of, that we be careful of our finances and get to a better place so we could be sustainable."

There are three employees and between 30 and 40 volunteers who work at the thrift store, which is located in Townsedge Shopping Village. The counseling supervisor and four other counselors, who are contracted; the executive director; and an office coordinator work in the Wagner Building.

"What I really appreciate is I had a behind-the-scenes hand in offering an opportunity for people to become healthier emotionally," said Deb. "That's very important to me, that we are all healthier and more whole in any way New Hope can help. I'm thankful to be a part of that."

On March 26, New Hope celebrated the completion of a successful fundraising effort to support the purchase and renovation of its home in the Emory D. Wagner Building, 307 Chestnut St., Quarryville.

Deb oversaw that capital campaign with help from treasurer Chris Coble and many others, and it is the most significant achievement of her tenure. Community contributions, including a sizable gift from Emory Wagner's son Dwight, enabled New Hope to do the renovations without having to take out a loan.

"I didn't right away think about the timing (of retiring)," Deb said. "I had always told the board I would stay until the end of the capital campaign. I became more aware that this is the time to step down. The board and I took New Hope from one place to the next, and sometimes you need somebody else to come in to help an organization grow in the next way."

New Hope board of directors chair Chris Rachor said, "Deb was pivotal in restructuring and refocusing the board when she arrived at New Hope. She was constantly learning and seeking mentorship throughout her tenure. She spearheaded our $1.1 million capital campaign, building purchase, and building renovation, and hired a lead counselor as part of the initiative to increase the professional growth, services, and reputation of our counseling center."

Deb found the hiring process difficult and added that she won't miss the minute details and hearing about things that go wrong. She will miss the people. "My co-workers have been such an encouragement to me," Deb said. "I could not have done this job without the support of the board and my husband."

Deb and her husband, John, moved to the area 40 years ago. The couple will spend the summer attending family outings. Deb said she will now have time to "get to do those projects at home that you don't have time for when you're working full time."

She plans to look for a part-time position in the fall and become more involved with the Oasis Women's Ministry, where she is a board member. "We'll see where God takes things," Deb said.