Colette Nelson recently received the “2017 Outstanding Community Leader” award from the Eastern Shore Center for Independent Living (ESCIL) because of her dedicated involvement with the Eastern Shore Public Library. Nelson faithfully has served as a member of the Board of Directors of ESCIL for nearly five years. She has been involved with the public library for more than thirty years serving as both an employee, volunteer, and, later, as a Trustee and Chairman of the Library Board. Nelson traveled many miles up and down the Shore on the bookmobile! She is currently the President of the Eastern Shore Public Library Foundation Board of Directors, working diligently with the Foundation’s campaign to secure funds for the new regional library.

The Eastern Shore Center for Independent Living empowers people with disabilities to make their own life choices and to realize their greatest potential as individuals. A major component of the mission is educating and encouraging these individuals to be able to impact policies that affect their daily lives, as well as, assisting them with accessing the resources that are necessary for the independence in their homes and community. Nelson recently assisted the Library Director Cara Burton in developing a policy that supports service animals in the libraries. For more information about ESCIL, call (757) 414-0100 or visit online at http://vaescil.org.