Anna Moshier takes helm as Village Volunteers executive director

Anna Moshier, the new executive director of Village Volunteers, believes seniors must have a quality of life that enables them to live with dignity and independence for as long as possible.

She succeeded Jackie Sullivan, the organization’s first paid executive director, on March 1. Sullivan retired after serving in that capacity since 2015.

If anyone wants to seek out Moshier, she won’t be found behind a desk. She has already embarked upon face-to-face meetings with committee members, encouraging them to set goals and then assisting with their execution. She is actively seeking new volunteers to answer the ever-increasing number of requests for assistance from seniors in the communities of Lewes, Rehoboth Beach and Milton.

Explaining her interest in applying to lead Village Volunteers, an organization that has expanded exponentially since it was founded 10 years ago, Moshier said she wanted to work locally, especially with the senior population. Today, 394 Village members live independent lives at home thanks to the assistance of 312 volunteers who help with a broad range of tasks, from transportation and friendly calls to household chores.

“Overall, there are still not enough services to care for older people in need,” Moshier said. “One just has to look around. When people find they can’t live in their home because of physical limitations, most often they move out of town or in with family members who support them. This situation really speaks to me. I want to know that I’m making a difference in people’s lives in a direct way. I see older people as vibrant, people whom I have so much to learn from. I can’t wait to tap into all their knowledge.”

At the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, where Moshier directed programs and facilities from 2009 to 2021 across five locations in Sussex and Kent counties, she dealt extensively with volunteers including instructors, as well as member-students. Their average age was 73.

“I learned that for seniors – whatever their age, members or volunteers – continued learning and socializing is of vital importance,” she said. “I’ve learned from them how to age gracefully.”

Village Volunteers President Steuart Martens praised the work of the search committee that recommended Moshier. “What attracted the search committee’s attention is Anna’s ability to lead others, build relationships in the community, and adapt to the fast-changing culture of Sussex County,” Martens said. “What stood out above all else was her motivational fit, her empathy and compassion for helping others. It didn’t take her long to recognize that all the volunteers she met had the same empathy and compassion.”

Martens noted that the search committee included representation from the 3-year-old South Coastal Village Volunteers, serving the communities of Bethany Beach, Millville and Ocean View. SCVV recently extended a collaboration agreement with Village Volunteers to continue working together until at least January 2026.

The Village Volunteers office is located on Kings Highway at Clay Road, Lewes. To learn more, email info@villagevolunteer.org, call 302-703-2568 or go to villagevolunteer.org.