KORT Physical Therapy partners with organizations focusing on toy drives for cancer patients in need

KORT Physical Therapy has partnered with Jarrett’s Joy Cart and University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital to focus on a toy drive to benefit cancer patients in need.

“Another clinic did a toy drive last year and it was successful,” Holly Ratliff, marketing representative for KORT Physical Therapy, said. “Our athletic trainers had their annual meeting this summer and were all in favor of modeling our giving back at KORT Nights to a toy drive benefitting cancer patient throughout the state.”

KORT will be on site collecting toys during KORT Night at 6 p.m. Aug. 17 and 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 18 at East Jessamine High School, located at 815 Sulphur Way.

The toys being collected will benefit the Norton Children’s Cancer Institute in Louisville and Southern Indiana, as well as Jarrett’s Joy Cart which is benefitting the UK Children’s Hospital in Lexington.

“KORT has had contracts with East and West to provide sports medicine and athletic training for years,” Ratliff said. “We host KORT Nights in the fall and spring and are on hand at sporting events to market for KORT. We feel like it’s a better use of our time to do something for others in conjunction with KORT Night.”

Blown away from the more than 200 scarves collected during last year’s Hope Scarves, Ratliff said the Nicholasville clinic was the leader in donations and looks forward to repeating that title.

“Nicholasville and its community blew us away with their turnout to help out,” Ratliff said. “Our clinic was the leader in donations by a landslide and we would absolutely love to do that again. We appreciate all of the donations last year and hope that folks will once again give to this great cause to benefit children in need.”

Items needed include musical crib items, small sound machines, crib mirrors, snuggle blankets with soft stuffed character heads, rattles, musical or interactive toys, pillow pals, basic playdough sets, gift cards for $10 to $15 to Walmart, iTunes or Target; Hot Wheels sets, Lego sets, movie character toys, Disney-themed items, arts and crafts kits, baby doll and Barbie sets, interactive musical books, nail polish and make-up kits, soft colorful blankets and pillows, logo items for UK, Nascar, Nike or Adidas; dry erase boards with markers, body sprays and shower gels, LED flashlights, duffle or overnight bags, sketch pads with gel pens or colored pencils and packs of sports socks. No balls or outdoor toys will be accepted.

“There are no set goals,” Ratliff said. “Just as much as we can do for these patients.”

For more information, call 800-645-KORT or visit www.KORT.com.