After 27 years of teaching as an early childhood intervention specialist with Canton City Schools, Aultman Hospital volunteer Judy Leszczynski learned one lesson above all others: People remember small kindnesses the most.

“Through teaching, I learned that it’s the little things that people remember for a lifetime,” Judy said. “I developed a lot of empathy while working with families for so many years.”

After she retired, Judy looked for an opportunity to continue serving the community and making a difference in a new way. Volunteering at Aultman was the perfect choice.

A Cheerful Greeter

Judy serves in the Aultman Hospital lobby on Fridays. She chose to volunteer there because she wants to help visitors feel more comfortable. “Most people are here under stress,” Judy said. “My small gestures of kindness can help ease some of their anxiety.”

In her volunteer role, Judy greets visitors and patients, helps them find their way through the hospital, assists individuals in wheelchairs to reach their destinations, delivers flowers and helps with various tasks such as stuffing envelopes.

Her favorite aspect of volunteering is interacting with people – patients, visitors, staff and volunteers. “I make a difference for people each day,” she said. “Those small moments really matter – helping visitors find their loved ones in the hospital, for example, or for patients who are having tests done, being empathetic about what they’re going through.”

The role fits perfectly with Judy’s outgoing and friendly personality. A Plain Township resident, Judy moved here from Chicago more than 30 years ago. She appreciates the interconnectedness of the Canton area.

“What I love about being here is that everywhere I go, I find out that I have a connection with new people I meet,” she said. “It’s a close-knit community. I’ll strike up a conversation with someone and find out that we have friends in common.”

A Heart for Others

When she was a teacher, Judy looked for creative ways to engage kids and their parents. Early in her Canton City teaching career, she realized that the best way to help kids grow and thrive was to involve their parents in their education.

In the SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids) program, she led classes for parents of preschool students, teaching them how to help their children become ready for kindergarten.

She was also involved in PlayRight, a program that encouraged teachers to integrate play and art into teaching. “The kids had so much fun, they didn’t even know they were learning,” she said.

For many years, Judy also served as an adjunct professor at Walsh University, teaching an integrated arts class and an introduction to special education class. Judy fondly remembers the special learning activities they developed for children, such as a make-believe trip to Hawaii.

Judy remains active in the Delta Kappa Gamma education sorority, which leads charitable giving projects for various nonprofit organizations, including Pegasus Farm, Samaritan’s Purse and local homeless shelters. She also serves on the Plain Local Schools Foundation and Alumni Board. The board raises funds to provide the staff with Star Grants for innovative educational programs and scholarships for graduating seniors.

Since she retired, Judy and her husband Henry have traveled extensively, visiting Costa Rica and Norway and taking a cruise on the Rhine River in Europe. Next year, they are touring Turkey and Greece with their traveling group of 25 people, all from the Canton area.

Judy and Henry have three adult children and seven grandchildren. One son and a daughter live in Colorado; another son lives in Pittsburgh. The entire family vacations together every other year, most recently on a trip to Yellowstone.

Judy’s love for others motivates her to continue volunteering at Aultman. “Hospital staff members are grateful that we are here to lift some of the load,” she said. “And the patients and visitors are always so thankful that we walk them to where they need to be. But most of all, I am grateful to have the chance to make that small difference in their lives.”