The good Cornellians can do: Sarah Lister ’79, DVM ’84
When Sarah Lister '79, DVM '84 retired from her career as a veterinarian, she turned her attention from pets to their owners. Many of her former clients were socially isolated seniors. She had heard about the Village Movement from a friend, and the concept made sense to her. The ‘Village’ is comprised of volunteers like Sarah, who help seniors and persons with disabilities live independently.
“The Village concept grabbed me because I'm a kinless senior,” Sarah explains. “I live alone and no longer have any close family members. For now, I'm a part of the community safety net. As time goes on, I will need support myself. It's a wonderful concept.”
Sarah manages grants to expand local transportation access and emergency preparedness for Glover Park Village, in Washington, D.C. She hosts presentations for her neighbors that highlight simple, affordable steps they can take to prepare for a medical emergency, power outage, fire, or natural disaster. And she ferries members of the Village to medical appointments or on shopping trips.
She says the time she spends chatting with her passengers can make all the difference for them.
“On these trips, my car's passenger seat is a hub of comraderie and problem-solving; uncovering another needed service, helping resolve a Medicare or insurance billing issue, finding a new refrigerator ... there's always something. Recently, one of my rider's cancer returned,” Sarah says. “The time we spend talking brings her a sense of control that is so important to her quality of life.”
Sarah has volunteered with the Glover Park Village since 2022, and she looks forward to volunteering with Love Living at Home, the Tompkins County Village, when she moves to Ithaca later this summer. She also plans to volunteer as a Master Naturalist with Cornell Cooperative Extension.
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