Lisa Urban has been a stellar volunteer for the South Boston Chamber of Commerce and South Boston NDC for the last 25 years … and counting. 

It all started with a chance meeting with Karen Stanley that led to a great friendship and a passion for helping.

One day Lisa was hanging up flyers for South Boston Neighborhood House at Mount Washington Bank when Karen saw her and asked what she was doing. Right there on the spot, Karen, who owns Vibrant Event Productions and plans events for South Boston Chamber and South Boston NDC, asked if she’d like to volunteer for her and the Chamber.

“I said, ‘Yeah, I’d do anything for you,’ ” Lisa said, knowing that Karen had a shop at the time called Karen’s Boutique.

Since then, Lisa has been putting up flyers and posters for the South Boston Street Fest – and then Taste of South Boston – in small businesses and doing whatever else she’s asked. She knows most of the shop owners and almost everyone knows her! 

She’s a fixture at the Street Fest, usually stationed in the information tent and directing people to where they need to go. 

She doesn't have a favorite volunteering activity. “I love it all,” she said.

“I like doing stuff; I like to keep busy,” said Lisa, who has lived in South Boston her whole life, graduating from Southie High.

“Karen is always helpful. We became friends,” said Lisa, who also helped out in Karen’s shop after they first met. “She’s caring and kind. We hang out other than the Street Fest.” 

“Lisa has become more than just a friend to me,” said Karen. “Through the years she has been there helping me at my store and now has continued to assist and guide me whenever I need her for South Boston events. 

“I really don’t know what I would do without her. She is my right hand and my North Star!” 

Lisa, 45, has autism and has been living with arthritis since the age of 12, but none of that stops her from helping out her neighborhood. 

She volunteers at the Neighborhood House three days a week, answering phones, cleaning, helping out with the seniors (who love her!), assisting with events (Ollie-Palooza, Playdates at the Beach), and doing whatever needs to be done. 

Lisa had a connection to the Ollie from way back. Neighborhood House Executive Director Kathy Lafferty was a counselor at Camp Joy that Lisa attended for special needs kids.

When Lisa’s not volunteering for the Chamber, South Boston NDC, or the Neighborhood House, she keeps busy hanging out with her friends (once a month she and Sibeal McPhilbin, Kathleen Walsh, and Christine Carney-McDonough have a ladies lunch at the Seapoint), participating with South Boston Special Kids and Adults, and bowling in a league at the South Boston Yacht Club through Special Kids. The Special Kids program puts on a show every year and Lisa has been known to sing.

She’s looking forward to this year’s Street Fest and hopes more people come and that we don’t get the R word (rain). 

“Every year it gets better and better,” she said.

Thank you, Lisa, for being an amazing volunteer!