09/11/2026
💙 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: CONNIE LEWIS 💙
Since August 2020, Connie Lewis, PT, DPT, GCS, has been a steady, big-hearted presence with Chosen. She first got involved through the equipment exchange program, moved by the chance to help under- and uninsured community members get equipment they desperately need — support that’s needed everywhere, in every corner of the country.
So, what keeps Connie coming back?
She’ll tell you simply:
“How good I feel every single time I leave, knowing that I have helped others in need.”
That feeling has stayed with her through countless moments, but one in particular left a lasting mark. While helping load mobility equipment into a patient’s van, Connie realized the woman and her husband were living out of that very van. It was a quiet, gut-punch of a moment, confirmed by the couple themselves — and tears were shed all around.
A little more about Connie…
📍 She grew up in Eastchester, NY.
🐾 When she’s not volunteering, you’ll find her curled up with her pets.
🧶 She also loves crocheting something cozy.
😏 She’ll be the first to tell you she’s sarcastic — but underneath it, she’s “actually quite sensitive.”
🎬 Her favorite movie is A League of Their Own, which gave her a line she lives by:
“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard… is what makes it great.”
And if you’re on the fence about volunteering with Chosen, Connie has a simple promise for you:
“Your mood will always be elevated after each time you are there — no matter what stressors you are experiencing, emotions you are feeling or struggles you are encountering — helping others will instantly make you feel amazing.”
There’s another important part of Connie’s Chosen story, too. She serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor in Gannon University’s Physical Therapy Program and Co-Director of Clinical Education for its Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Each year, she leads a team of Gannon’s Doctor of Physical Therapy students to Yucatán, Mexico, where they serve with Chosen and put their skills into practice.
From Erie to Yucatán, Connie has found meaningful ways to combine her profession with her passion for serving others.
Thank you, Connie, for the heart you bring to this work — in Erie, in Yucatán, and everywhere you serve! 💙
