Mary Dragomir was 16 years old when she first volunteered at Aultman Alliance Community Hospital (AACH) in 1974. At that time, teen volunteers were called candy stripers because of the uniforms they wore – red-and-white striped pinafores or aprons.

Mary loved serving at AACH so much that she never left. Fifty-one years later, she’s still volunteering, now helping in the gift shop. She assists with sales, cleaning, pricing merchandise and providing excellent customer service to gift shop patrons.

A 25-year cancer survivor, Mary enjoys meeting new people during her volunteer shifts. “I have made many valued friendships over the years,” Mary said. “I find volunteering very rewarding. I love to help customers find that special something for their loved one.”

Mary retired in April from Coastal Pet, where she had worked for 41 years, but she remains on the go. She is an active volunteer at her church, Alliance First Friends, helping with the tag table on Sunday mornings and registration for vacation Bible school. She also serves in the church’s FROG (Fully Relying on God) program as a greeter.

Mary remains close to her older brother Charles, her only surviving sibling. In her spare time, she loves reading, especially Christian romance and mystery books, and she always has a jigsaw puzzle going – the more challenging, the better. You might also find her pet sitting for her friends.

Most of all, she simply loves helping out wherever she can. “Serving is one of my gifts,” she said. “I enjoy helping and serving others.”

Visit Volunteering at Aultman for more information on how to become an essential part of the Aultman team as a volunteer.