Every Thursday morning, Mardy DiGiacinto greets visitors at the Aultman Hospital retail pharmacy with a smile. Volunteering at the hospital is Mardy’s way of giving back to the community after she retired as a school principal.

In her role, Mardy welcomes customers to the pharmacy window, enters their information into the system and makes sure that customers receive the packages that pharmacy personnel have prepared for them. Mardy also helps with mail orders.

She enjoys the steady pace of the work and the camaraderie of the group. “At the pharmacy, I’m always busy, helping in any way I can,” she said. “The pharmacy team is great to work with; they are so friendly to everyone.”

Mardy has been in her role at the pharmacy for nearly three months. She first volunteered at Aultman several years ago as a cuddler in the NICU, providing comforting contact for babies when family members couldn’t be with them. Her next assignment was assembling information packets for cardiology patients. She served in the Birth Center helping grieving families, as well, before moving to the pharmacy.

A Lifetime of Service

Serving others comes naturally to Mardy, a Jackson Township resident who worked in schools for decades. As a building principal, Mardy balanced the needs of students, families, teachers and staff in ensuring a warm and nurturing environment for elementary school children.

Her most recent role as principal of Plain Local Schools’ Plain Center, a kindergarten building, was one of her favorites. “It was so much fun having a whole building of little ones,” she said. “I loved the teachers. They were so dedicated, constantly giving so much of themselves for the betterment of children.”

Mardy also works part time at her church, where she serves as an administrative assistant. Having attended the church for more than 50 years, she appreciates being able to use her organizational skills to further the church’s ministry.

Mardy applies her interpersonal and organizational skills in her role at the pharmacy, as well, helping to make sure that customers receive friendly service in a timely manner.

Living Life to the Fullest

Activity is central to Mardy’s life. Even during the winter, she meets up with friends five days a week to walk in a local park – a tradition that started during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. When the weather is bitterly cold, they head to the gym.

Last summer, Mardy and her daughter traveled to Switzerland, where they hiked in the Alps for six days straight. They stayed in a small village about an hour from Geneva, awed by the beauty of the landscape. Mardy has also taken five hiking trips to Glacier National Park in Montana.

When she isn’t hiking, you might find Mardy singing. She not only sings in her church choir, but she was also a member of the Canton Symphony Chorus for a number of years.

Mardy and her husband Tom have four adult children and 10 grandchildren, ages 9 to 19. For Mardy, nothing is more heartwarming than hearing the grandchildren shout, “Hooray, Grammy’s here!” when she visits one of her children’s homes.

Volunteering at Aultman fits perfectly with Mardy’s zest for life. She works with a terrific team, meets new people every day and makes a difference in the community. “I feel as if I have been very blessed,” Mardy said. “Life is wonderful, and we should all appreciate it.”