Advanced Therapy and Sports Medicine celebrated National Physical Therapy Month in October by organizing its third annual community food drive. As the Give Back Community Food Drive concluded Thursday, employees at the Great Bend location, 3715 10th St., filled the back of a jeep with non-perishable food items people had donated during the month.
The Give Back Community Food Drive ran from Oct. 1-31 at Advanced Therapy and Sports Medicine locations in Great Bend, Larned and Hays. Teresa Malone, co-owner, said all food collected in Great Bend was being delivered Friday afternoon to the Community Food Bank of Barton County.
Malone called community participation “impressive” the first two years, but this was the best year ever. Advanced Therapy’s location at 3725 10th St. in the Cottonwood Shopping center, and the fact the business is open Monday through Friday, made it a convenient drop-off location for the public at large as well as regular physical therapy, rehabilitation, and pain management patients.
“I think it says something for our community,” Malone said. “We’re a good hometown ‘got your back’ community.”
Food Bank President Evelyn Essmiller agreed.
“It’s a real blessing to be able to help people who are struggling right now,” Essmiller said. And the struggle for some community members is continuing, with job hours cut or eliminated. Essmiller said many proud, elderly residents on Social Security also need the extra help.
“We really appreciate businesses such as Advanced Therapy doing this,” Essmiller said. “We are fortunate to live in a community where we are backed by our businesses and our churches.”
The Community Food Bank is located at 3007 10th St. and is open from 1-3 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The same building houses Emergency Aid, which is open from 8:30-11 a.m. on those days. Food donations may be dropped off any time the Food Bank or Emergency Aid are open.