Volunteerism is rampant at Emory University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program!

Talitha Rector takes time to make some children giggle.

With a focus on the health and wellness of others, students, faculty and staff have joined together to support community needs locally, nationally and internationally.   

Thinking of the needs of countries less fortunate than ours?  

For the last two years, several students have spent their vacation weeks traveling to Nicaragua to help at a wound care clinic for adults and children.  Funds for this student initiated effort were raised through bake sales and donations.   These students had an incredible impact, not only on the people they helped in Nicaragua but also on the DPT Program here at Emory.  Our thanks go out to Elise Nathan, Talitha rector and Kendra Richardson for forever changing our Program.    Now we are preparing to help with other needs of the international community. 

Want to raise money to support cancer research?   

Closer to home, students participated in the Emory University Relay for Life, raising money to support cancer research.  Most of the money the DPT student team raised was through team members asking friends and family for donations.  They also held a bake sale in CRM in which they raised $318.83 due to the generosity of staff, faculty, patients, and others.  They chose to do a bake sale because many of them love to bake and love making others happy with tasty treats.  Lead by Amber Vance, a first year DPT student, the team raised $2,726.68 all together, the 4th most of all Emory Relay for Life teams.  Amber decided to get a Relay for Life team together because she has been volunteering with the American Cancer Society for the past 4 years and knew that others in her class would be interested in helping support cancer research since many of them have family, friends, and patients affected by cancer.  The team of 15 first year DPT students took turns walking around the track for 12 hours straight from Friday night till Saturday morning.  The theme of Relay this year was "A Night with the Stars" so they decorated their tent site with stars, a red carpet, and Hollywood decor and wore boas and glitzy accessories to support the theme. 

Want to participate in a service-learning experience?    

Faculty member Jeff Hoder talks with a wheeler after the race.

New this year is the participation of DPT students in the South Georgia Farmworker Health Project.   The South Georgia Farmworker Health Project is a collaborative project of the Emory University Physician Assistant Program, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, the Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center (SOWEGA AHEC), and many community partners in the counties surrounding Valdosta and Bainbridge, in southern Georgia.   The Project began in 1996, and has been recognized for its outreach efforts and service-learning experience offered to students, medical residents, faculty, and other volunteers. Utilizing a team of students, faculty, and other volunteers, the Project provides free basic health care to 1200-1600 migrant and seasonal farmworkers over a two-week outreach effort in the migrant camps, packing sheds, and other non-traditional clinical settings. Working under the direction of physicians from the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory School of Medicine, faculty from the Emory PA Program, and licensed physical therapists, students and faculty provide free health care to farmworkers and their dependents in far south Georgia during a peak period of the summer agricultural season. Community volunteers participate as interpreters, as health care providers, and provide logistic support and supplies for the Project.

Want to support health through exercise?  

Over 70 students, faculty, and staff joined in to form Emory Rehabilitation and sponsor the Wheelchair Half-Marathon event at the new ING Georgia Marathon and Half Marathon.  We held a

Children need help as well.

Wheelchair Volunteer Corp training session so students and faculty could become more familiar with wheelchair racing.  Three professional wheelers, Scot Hollenbeck, Jason Fowler, and Rafael Ibarra, talked about wheelchair racing, transitions, safety and demonstrated the tricks of getting in and out of the special racing wheelchairs.   Volunteers organized the “Fun Run” events prior to race day – providing bananas, PowerAde, and bagels on the course.    Then there was the Expo booth, along side of Emory Healthcare.  The students arranged for a prize wheel had a full crowd for both days of the Expo.  In addition, they provided pre-race massages, pamphlets on how to avoid injury during the race and have a good time, and reflector bracelets and water bottles. 

On race day, the volunteers arrived at 5:00 to get the wheelers' numbers marked and equipment to the start area.  Other volunteers were on their road bikes to act as escorts to the wheelers on the race course.  Feedback about the experience was great

• “It was one of the most worthwhile and inspirational activities I’ve done in years.… I ended up towards the back of the pack because one young lady popped a tire at the first turn – it was dark and she was strapped in tight to her chair, so I stopped and changed her tire for her.  So, I ended up supporting the two final wheelchair athletes -- Scott and Bert.  They are amazing individuals! “
• “I am just so impressed with those athletes.  It’s funny – before starting to bike about 7 years ago, I was a marathon runner … For years I ran alongside wheelchair athletes, but until you do what I did yesterday, you don’t really understand their effort, perseverance and determination -- amazing.” 
• “That was an absolute blast.”
• “…. It was an amazing experience, and one I will do again in a heartbeat.”

And then there was the crew of 35 volunteers who handled the water station at Mile Two of the race course.  With 14,000 runners coming by – most wanting water, theirs’ was a crazy and chaotic experience but one that provided essential support on a hot March Day.

Staff and students as part of the Wheeler Volunteer Corp.

And there’s more to come

Students are volunteering at MS 150 bike rides in Georgia and North Carolina; faculty volunteer at local triathlon events!

 
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