At a recent breakfast meeting of the Rotary Club of South Whidbey, Joan P. Nelson of Clinton was honored with the club’s first ever Community Service Award.  This award is not given on a regular basis, but is given when recognition is made of the spirit of volunteerism seen in a community member.  Joan Nelson is just such an individual, Rotarian Linda Senff said.

Throughout her more than 60 years of living on Whidbey Island, Nelson’s volunteer spirit, her sustained involvement in the community, her leadership skills and unselfish commitment to the community are well established and have been acknowledged many times.

Nelson recently retired after 18 years as a commissioner of the Clinton Water District and she spent as many years serving on the Clinton Ferry Advisory Council.

She volunteers at WICA and contributes to Good Cheer in various ways.  She and her late husband, Don, were instrumental in forming the Clinton Library, as well as pushing for the library to join the Sno-Isle Library Association.  Within the Friends of the Library group, she has held many positions, and she is still active with the monthly book sales.

In recognition of her award, Nelson was also presented with a Paul Harris Fellowship.