For just a moment, the spotlight shone on a Hackensack woman who has dedicated her life focusing on others. Dianne Montuori was one of 19 recipients of this year’s Russ Berrie Awards, presented by the Russ Berrie Foundation to New Jersey residents that have made a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

"I’m very honored; it was a big surprise. I didn’t really know any of this was going on," she said during last month’s award ceremony at Ramapo College.

"It’s a big compliment for me. I feel like a lot of the other people that I worked with should also be here, too, because they had a big part in all the missions that we did," she added.

A registered nurse, Montuori was recognized for her recent trips to Haiti, where she provided much needed medical services to Fond Jean-Noel, a small mountain village.

After vowing to return following her initial trip, she recruited a team of medical professionals and translators and made the journey back to Haiti in just six months. The team, made up of members from her church in Upper Saddle River, brought with it medicine and supplies, working from a makeshift clinic that had neither running water nor electricity.

Since that time, Montuori has made the pilgrimage to Haiti twice a year, and to date, she and her team have made nine trips to the impoverished area. The team, through the Church of the Presentation’s Parish Twinings Organizations of America, has also sponsored a church in Haiti.

According to "The Catholic Advocate," the program partners North American churches with those in Central and South America. The Church of the Presentation was twinned with St. Michael’s Parish in Fond Jean-Noel.

"The mission itself is non-denominational in the people that participate and also the patients that we see; there’s no religious basis for it," Montuori said.

President of the Russell Berrie Foundation Angelica Berrie said the annual award ceremony at Ramapo College came from her late husband’s dream to identify, recognize and reward people who make a difference.

"He felt that this was the message that we needed to send out…the power of one person to make a difference," she said. "He believed in the way people could make a difference in the world, to transform it and that’s really what the foundation is all about."

Montuori and 15 other residents received $2,500 for their acts of community service. The top three prizes were monetary awards of $50,000, $35,000 and $25,000.

Montuori said she didn’t have many volunteer endeavors as a child but her parents instilled the value of helping others.

"My parents always kind of stressed to us that it’s important to reach out to other people," she said.

"I think [volunteering] is just really important, especially for parents to raise their kids to be socially conscious and feel like the problems in the world have nothing to do with them because they’re not in the midst of it. I feel like everybody is responsible for helping out someway in the world."