Second year physical therapy students Nicole Richter and Sara Ventura are raising donations for Winnipeg Harvest.
Giving thanks by giving back
Thanksgiving is a time of year when many of us consider the things that we’re grateful for, but for two physical therapy students Thanksgiving is a time to get motivated and give back.
The second annual Physical Therapy Day of Service (PTDOS) is an initiative that encourages physical therapy clinicians, practitioners and students to volunteer in different communities around the world.
Last year was the first time PT students from the College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, participated in this event by raising donations for Siloam Mission. As part of the local initiative of PTDOS, second year physical therapy students Nicole Richter and Sara Ventura are concentrating their efforts on raising donations of food items for Winnipeg Harvest.
“We’ve heard on the news that Winnipeg Harvest is low in their food supply,” Richter says. “We want to get our proceeds in before Thanksgiving so we can dish them out to those who need it.”
Food items that are particularly needed include baby formula, rice, pasta, and canned meat, beans, soup and fruit.
Richter says there were a few reasons that inspired her to get involved with Physical Therapy Day of Service.
“It’s a great way to promote physical therapy and show that we care about the community,” she says. “I love to organize and help people out so physical therapy helps me with that.”
Ventura agrees.
“One of our job descriptions is improving peoples’ quality of life and this is a way to do that,” she says. “I’m privileged to be able to be given the opportunity to do this and it’s opened doors for me. It’s great to be able to give back to the community.”
To get involved, participants can pledge online or drop off donations of food at the College of Rehabilitation Sciences head office, Room 106, 771 McDermot Avenue, Bannatyne campus by Friday, October 7.