RehabVisions’ founder Joel Larmore, PT grew up in Kenesaw, Nebraska, population 750, where his parents ran the local grocery store. After physical therapy school and several years in different practices, Joel started RehabVisions in 1983. His idea was to bring high-quality rehab therapy to rural communities. Since then, we’ve grown to provide physical, occupational and speech services to more than 80 small towns in 12 states. We now have contracts with hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, 14 outpatient clinics, and we serve dozens of home health agencies as well as schools and industries. With almost 40 years of experience, we’re sort of experts in rural America, and now we’re out to celebrate these communities and the people who make them so cool.

What makes small towns cool:

There’s a lot of pride in small towns. Residents of small towns choose to live in their communities and love the lifestyles it affords them. They will readily tell you why they live there and why it’s better than big cities—sense of community, spirit of high school sports, the freedom kids have, low cost of living and a slower pace of life.

Each small town is unique. RehabVisions has therapists in a town known as Little Sweden USA. We have a clinic in a town with a transcendental meditation community that brings the likes of Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities there. We manage a therapy department in a community that was the basis for the Disney movie Cars, and one of our Washington locations has less than 6000 residents but 30 wineries. We could point out something unique in all our communities.

Small towns have traditions. Whether it’s flower tours, Whole “Hawg” Days (we also have a Rawhide Rodeo and Bull Bash), county fairs or even outhouse racing, small towns are known for some quirky local festivals and traditions that bring their communities together each year. They often do their holidays right too with big 4^th of July parades, Halloween activities and major Easter egg hunts.

Everyone knows your business. Outsiders may see this as a negative but it’s not. Because community involvement is so easy, small-town residents truly get to know their neighbors, business owners and the youth in their communities. People support local businesses, local sports and are excited when new things come to town. They want their towns to thrive, and they know that people are looking out for them just as they are looking out for the others around them.

We think all these attributes add up to some pretty cool communities, and we’re here to celebrate them. We’re often hiring therapists in these locations and need small-town cool therapists to fill our positions—like-minded individuals who appreciate all the things that make small-town living cool. Be watching our social media for profiles on some of these communities and be sure to share what makes your small town cool.

#smalltowncool