Giving Back: 2016 PT Day of Service

Volunteering at nursing homes. Tutoring kids after school. Donating blood or cold, hard cash during times of need or just because. Whether you give of your time or your money, if you’re fortunate enough to lend a helping hand, doing so won’t only benefit those receiving your help; I’m willing to bet it’ll make you feel pretty darn great, too. Plus, you’ll likely inspire others to do the same.

That’s the idea behind Global PT Day of Service (PTDOS): coming together as a community in a united effort to give back. This year’s celebration is right around the corner—October 15, 2016, to be exact—which means physical therapists far and wide are busy preparing to make a difference in their local communities in a variety of ways.

The team behind PTDOS—which is now in its second year—hopes to capitalize and build on the success of the event’s inaugural year in 2015, when more than 3,700 participants worldwide raised $745,000 for charity and served a combined 11,000-plus hours:

• cleaning up communities;
• sorting, prepping, and delivering food; and
• spending valuable time with senior citizens.

In support of the amazing profession we serve—and in the spirit of sticking to our company-wide core value of community service—the team at WebPT is also paying it forward this year by hosting a fundraising drive for the Arizona Recreation Center for the Handicapped (ARCH). During our annual Blocktoberfest health fair—which takes place today (October 14)—we’ll collect employee donations to help ARCH build an ADA-accessible playground for handicapped kids. The best part? WebPT is matching each donation, dollar for dollar. Talk about making a little bit of kindness go a long way!

And the goodwill doesn’t stop there: Several WebPTers have also pledged to take part in a number of community service events to benefit nonprofits throughout the Phoenix metro area, including Maggie’s Place, Banner Health, United Food Bank and the Special Olympics. The old adage, “it’s better to give than to receive” resonates strongly throughout our halls and among our team members. Indeed, we practice what we preach ’round here, and we hope you’re just as excited to give back to your community, too.

Wanna keep tabs on all the PTDOS happenings? Be sure to follow our social media channels, and check out the #PTDOS hashtag to see what fellow PTs around the world are doing in honor of this awesome event.

What plans do you have in store for PTDOS? In what ways do you hope to get other PT professionals involved? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.