A local advocate for people with disabilities was honored with a new award from the Erie County Clerk's office Friday.

Stephanie Speaker was awarded with the first-ever Erie County Clerk’s Community Service Award.

Speaker has worked to increase the distance that paratransits can travel beyond a bus stop, making it easier for people with disabilities to get around. 

Erie County Clerk Michael Kearns awarded Speaker for her diligence and attention to the communities' needs.

"By loving our neighbors as ourselves, the better off we're going to be," Kearns said. "Not only as a community but as a country. And now with COVID-19 and everything that's going on, I'm hoping people soften up a little bit and we really look out for each other."

Speaker says that with a lot of violence in the world, having people that you can trust is important because they can look out for you and keep you safe. She says this was her goal in working to help those with disabilities.