MARBLETON – Senior Center director Joan Mitchell just happened to be wearing a gold cardboard “queen” crown at lunchtime on Tuesday, Feb. 2.

The crown and other accouterments came as a “thank you,” congratulating Mitchell, staff and guests at the Southwest Sublette Pioneers Senior Center for their successful navigation through the COVID pandemic.

The crown was also appropriate when the senior center’s board president Bill Lehr called Mitchell to the center of the dining room where about 25 socially distanced diners had just enjoyed a tasty turkey dinner.

Lehr spoke of Mitchell’s strong commitment and energy over the past 20 years to make the senior center what it is today, presenting her with an engraved crystal timepiece from the board.