The AmeriHealth Be of Service campaign honors a Volunteer of the Year and a Corporate Citizen of the Year who go above and beyond for their community. Winners receive a $500 gift card from AmeriHealth and an additional $1,500 donated to a nonprofit of their choice.
We recently interviewed Leslie Klemm, the 2025 AmeriHealth Be of Service Volunteer of the Year.
Can you tell us about your background?
My love of books led me to a career in teaching. I earned my BA in English from Douglass College and my MA in Education from Marygrove College.
For 31 years, I taught language arts at William Allen III Middle School in Moorestown, New Jersey. Sixth, seventh, and eighth graders aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I adored them! There’s never a dull moment when you’re a middle school teacher.
I retired in June 2024, with hopes to pursue volunteer work and dig deeper into some long-neglected hobbies.
You’ve been recognized for your work at Larc Norcross School. How did you connect with the school?
The Larc Norcross School is a special education school in Bellmawr, New Jersey. My oldest daughter, Trixie, has a chronic seizure disorder that causes severe cognitive delays. She attended Larc since kindergarten; it was her home away from home.
My husband and I knew from our first visit when Trixie was five (she’s 22 now) that Larc was the right spot for her. Larc centers on the individual, whether a student or an older adult, and creates a dynamic plan for enrichment. As an educator, the entire environment at Larc impressed me.
Trixie was graduating from Larc’s Educational Program at the same time I was retiring. I mentioned to Stefanie Riehl, executive director at Larc, that I’d love to help out whenever they needed a hand at events.
An unfortunate drawback to being a teacher is that it’s hard to help out at your children’s special school events because you’re teaching class. I rarely attended my kiddos’ school events, but now that I had more free time, I wanted to help out.
My mother volunteered quite a bit at Larc. Trixie was her first grandchild, and my mom was devoted to her. Mom passed away a few years ago, so I’m glad to follow in her footsteps.
I was thrilled when I got a call from Stefanie and Kim Cowperthwait asking if I’d be interested in helping out with a new mural in the library.
Kim soon became my point person for further volunteer opportunities, such as helping with Run the Bridge sign-ups, participating in Trunk-or-Treat, helping at the Holiday Shop, and more. Her enthusiasm is infectious!
The mural is beautiful and inspiring. How did you tap into your creativity?
I spent a year in art school as a theater design major — think set and costume design. It took one trip to the garment district in New York for me to decide that professional theater design was not my real passion. Though my major changed, my love for creating art always stayed with me.
Assisting Gil Hansen, the very talented artist who designed the mural, was a dream opportunity for me. Imagine being able to combine four things that you love — painting, libraries, books, and supporting my daughter’s school. It was so much fun!
Gil is an amazing human being and a fantastic artist. It was a privilege to work with him to bring his vision to life.
Leslie Klemm and artist Gil Hansen, working on the colorful mural.
Which features of the mural resonate with you?
I was primarily painting the background of the mural, so Gil could concentrate on the animals. This was a happy coincidence because the background is a nature scene with flowers, trees, and rocks. I’m an avid gardener, so this was a neat opportunity to bring elements of the garden indoors to our community.
Having a welcoming, attractive space for students to learn and grow is very important. I’m happy to have played a part in creating such a beautiful mural.
What other projects do you work on? What’s on the horizon?
Once the mural was completed, I took on additional library projects, such as adding new books into Larc’s digital catalog, changing displays, and making book repairs.
Sometimes I do read-alouds when students visit the library with their teachers and aides; those are the BEST days because I love sharing books with kids.
I’m hoping to complete a full inventory of the library’s titles, adding digital tags to make it easier for our teachers and therapists to quickly find the right books for their needs. This won’t be a quick task, but I think it will be very beneficial.
What does the AmeriHealth Be of Service Award mean to you and the Larc community?
I’m really a bit flabbergasted to have been selected, but I’m deeply appreciative. To be in the same company as someone like Angela Krukauskas, last year’s honoree, is wonderful.
I would love to donate the award money to Larc. I can’t say enough about the wonderful things they do for special needs children and adults like Trixie. I’m hoping to purchase new books to support the curriculum as well as special seating for the library.
What advice do you have for others about volunteering?
Connect with a project or group that you’re passionate about. That’s what provides the staying power in the long run. There are lots of worthwhile causes, and it can be overwhelming because folks want to be of service and the needs seem so great.
Finding a group or project that you connect with makes volunteering your time and effort a joy. Walk dogs at a shelter, get out in nature and help pick up trash on the beach, train for a fun run to support research for an illness that a loved one is battling. Find what you love and do it!
