December 12, 2016 - TCO
Minnesota Prosthetics and Orthotics fits those in need with new shoes
For the past decade, volunteers from Twin Cities Orthopedics and Minnesota Prosthetics and Orthotics, TCO’s prosthetics and orthotics services provider, as well as other community members and business leaders have spent the Tuesday before Thanksgiving providing foot care and new footwear to the homeless.
The group’s 10th annual Soles for Souls event on Nov. 22 at the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul served 300 people by fitting and providing them with comfortable socks and shoes. Guests also had access to free flu shots and legal advice.
Students from Century College’s orthotic and prosthetic program joined MPO and TCO volunteers to assist with foot care and footwear, which was donated by Red Wing Shoes.
“It is a beautiful collaborative effort between multiple individuals, businesses and organizations,” Chris Boosalis, MPO director and certified prosthetist, said. “Century students learned to serve the community, practiced their shoe-fitting skills, interacted with health care professionals, engaged with a diverse community and experienced the joy of helping others.”
Volunteers from Schuler Shoes and Fairview Health Services joined the large group of physicians and orthotists from TCO and MPO, including TCO’s Dr. Paul Langer and Dr. Joseph Teynor, and volunteers from Century College and Red Wing Shoes for the two-hour event.
About MPO
Minnesota Prosthetics and Orthotics, a part of Twin Cities Orthopedics, provides orthotic (body braces) solutions for the back, knees, ankles, feet and upper extremities from seven locations throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. MPO also offers prosthetic (artificial limbs) solutions to help individuals return to a lifestyle that allows them to participate in important activities.
“Our practitioners are experienced with more than 150 years of practice in the Twin Cities,” Boosalis said. “This means you will be fit with an orthopedic device that will meet your needs to improve your quality of life.”