The UPMC Horizon Community Health Foundation would like to thank the group of Physical Therapist Assistant students from Penn State Shenango who recently participated in a workday at the Medical Equipment Recycling Program at our Farrell location. The students are part of the Physical Therapist Assistant Club. As part of the club’s community service activities for the academic year, the students chose to assist MERP staff by cleaning and organizing equipment, moving furniture, mopping floors, unloading equipment, and working on wheelchairs.
Gizelle Dean, the club advisor, shared this:
“I strongly believe in the MERP program. I’ve seen first-hand how the program benefits patients from the local and surrounding areas. It was wonderful to see the physical therapist assistant students working along with local volunteers for the good of the community. This opportunity fostered cooperative spirit between the student cohorts which is one of the purposes of the club. The PTA students demonstrated social responsibility, caring and compassion, and excellence. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, these characteristics represent three of the Core Values for the Physical Therapist Assistant. Additionally, students learned about the MERP program and how it could benefit the future needs of the patients they will serve. The collaboration was a huge success for both organizations.”
MERP is an initiative of the Horizon Community Health Foundation. Click here for more information about the program, which helps assist patients throughout our community through the loan of durable medical equipment.
