Sister companies BenchMark Physical Therapy and Drayer Physical Therapy Institute collected more than 600 children’s toys in December at their outpatient clinics in Central and Northern Kentucky.
The toys will benefit Jarrett’s Joy Cart, a charity started by Nicholasville native Jarrett Mynear, and, ultimately, children being treated at Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
Sister companies BenchMark Physical Therapy and Drayer Physical Therapy Institute collected more than 600 children’s toys in December at their outpatient clinics in Central and Northern Kentucky. (Photo provided)
Diagnosed with cancer six times from age 2 until his death in 2002 at age 13, Mynear received treatment and rehabilitated at a number of hospitals in the United States, including Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
“Jarrett’s goal in starting the Joy Cart was to bring excitement and joy into every child’s hospital stay,” according to the organization’s website, thejoycart.com.
Jonathan Harney, clinic director for Drayer’s Lexington Beaumont location, said the annual toy drive began there in 2018 as a way of giving back to the community. A patient who volunteered with Jarrett’s Joy Cart connected the charity with the clinic.
The past two holiday seasons, the toy drive expanded regionally. This year, the participating clinics were, in Central Kentucky, Lexington Beaumont, Richmond and Winchester (all Drayer) and BenchMark’s Frankfort, Georgetown and Masterson Station; in Northern Kentucky, BenchMark’s Florence South, Fort Mitchell and Union clinics.
“We promote the toy drive with weekly dress-up themes in the clinics, hoping to spread holiday cheer among our patients despite the ailments and pains that bring them to us,” Harney said. He thanked patients and staff members alike for donating toys.
BenchMark (benchmarkpt.com) and Drayer (drayerpt.com) are part of the Upstream Rehabilitation family of clinical care. They offer access to care within 24 hours and work with all insurance types.
BenchMark Physical Therapy and Drayer Physical Therapy Institute
