Patient First in the Community

On Wednesday, February 19th, Perry Hall Elementary, one of our partner schools, held its annual Kindness Night event. 

Created as an opportunity to gather at the school and take part in activities which promote kind and positive behavior, this year's event served a dual and poignant purpose. In addition to creating crafts that showcased cooperation, generosity, and selflessness, students also created heartfelt tributes to one of their beloved teachers, who passed away to cancer earlier in the year.

For a small, two hour school event, the evening was a huge hit! Over 150 people attended, sharing pizza, creating kindness cards, meeting Ravens mascot Poe, and generally having fun with one another. Patient First was the only community partner invited to attend the evening, and received a nice shoutout from the principal during her opening announcements. Everyone we spoke with had brought their families to our Perry Hall center, which is just over a mile down the road from the school, and all had wonderful things to say about the level of care they'd received. The PTA was very grateful for our annual donation, which helped fund events like this one, and future ones for the remainder of the year.

Algonkian Elementary, one of our valued school partners, allowed us to showcase our handwashing project during their STEM Night on Thursday, February 13th. Despite the cold and icy weather, it was a fantastic evening. 

The school is just 4 miles from our Sterling center and 8 miles from our Leesburg center. Algonkian Elementary holds a special place in our handwashing project journey, as it was one of the first to embrace the initiative, which has since expanded to many other schools. Each year, the project continues to grow, and the enthusiasm from students, parents, and staff remains strong.

The event was a success, with families coming out to support the students and their projects. The main stage in the gym hosted the award ceremony for the best invention, while classrooms were filled with engaging STEM activities. We were stationed in a classroom near the restrooms, making it easy for participants to wash their hands after testing their germ fighting skills. From kindergarteners to adults, everyone had fun. Many even turned it into a friendly competition to see whose hands were the cleanest!

One of the most rewarding moments was seeing third and fourth graders rush over to tell their friends how much they loved the handwashing activity, with some excitedly sharing that they had participated last year. I also had the opportunity to speak with parents who were waiting for their children, and the feedback about both our Sterling and Leesburg locations was overwhelmingly positive. Several parents who first learned about us at last year’s event are now loyal patients, and we also met many new families- some of whom recently moved to the area from Ukraine and South America. They were impressed by our services, especially the convenience of our extended hours and weekend availability.

Overall, STEM Night was once again a great success, not only because students look forward to our presence each year, but also because it allows us to connect with so many new families who can benefit from our services. The principal and staff expressed their deep appreciation for our continued support, and we are grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an impactful event.

We look forward to another great year ahead!

For the first time, Patient First participated in the 2025 Special Olympics Virginia Polar Plunge! The event, which took place February 7th and 8th, invited participants to take the plunge into the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean in support of Special Olympics Virginia athletes. This Virginia tradition raises $2 million annually for the organization by helping to lead the charge for inclusion of those with intellectual disabilities. This year's theme, "Go for the Cold" was a nod to this past year's Summer Olympic Games in Paris. An estimated 5,000 plungers turned out this year, with thousands more turning out to watch the event, all adorned in their costumes and swim attire.

The costumes are a particular staple of this event, which over the years has evolved into a costume parade and contest before the plunge. Among the sights on display were the Titanic, various board game characters, pirates, and many more, making for a fun and relaxed atmosphere. 

Our Patient First table was well positioned near the photo booth, where we saw a steady stream of participants the entire time-- many of whom praised our services. While most who stopped by were from Hampton Roads, we met with a few from our other service areas across the state as well. We look forward to taking the plunge again next year!

Patient First attended this year’s 2025 Business Expo on Tuesday, February 4th. This event brought together a diverse array of local businesses and organizations, providing a platform for engagement and collaboration.

We also proudly shared details about our urgent care services, underscoring our commitment to providing accessible healthcare solutions. Overall, the expo was a remarkable success, reinforcing our dedication to supporting the health of our community and its workforce.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed connecting with everyone that came to the expo and look forward to our next event.
 

We enjoyed returning to Bethlehem's SteelStacks again on December 30 to participate in PEEPsFest 2024. This has become one of our favorite events each year, and we were delighted to participate again as the final event of our 2024 calendar year. Although this is a two-day event and we are only able to participate for a single day,, we were not disappointed. We had a non-stop churn of visitors all day which kept us busy and able to meet and talk with many people. Some of the folks we spoke with were new to Patient First, and others have been long-time users of our neighborhood medical centers. Like last year, the event was a sell-out for both days, and it was great fun for all. Unlike 2023 when we had inclement weather on event day, this year Mother Nature cooperated and gave us a great day!

Event organizers had us stationed in a perfect indoor location which gave us the opportunity to interact with many people from all over the Lehigh Valley, and beyond. In fact, we had a very lively and enjoyable conversation with some Lehigh Valley natives who now live in Colorado, but returned for a family visit during the holidays and included PEEPsFest on their holiday visit itinerary. They joined the scores of people who stopped by to give our medical staff from our three Lehigh Valley locations - Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton -- kudos for the great patient care services they received throughout the year. We also heard from others from out of the area who told us about the great visits they have had at our locations in Central Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Maryland.

PEEPSFest is undoubtedly one of the "go-to" holiday events in the Lehigh Valley each year as evident by their continual sold-out status. The event featured lots of indoor and outdoor family-friendly activities-- all culminating with the drop of the giant PEEPs chick at the end of the event to help ring in the new year. The overall host/sponsor of this event is Just Bord, a candy manufacturer headquartered in the Lehigh Valley and manufacturer of PEEPs.

We are already counting the days until we can return in December 2025 to be part of this fun event. Hope to see you there- but remember to secure your tickets early as it will likely be a sell out once again!

On Friday, January 17, we were invited to participate in STEM Night at Signal Hill Elementary School, located just a mile from our Manassas Center. The event was bustling, with activities spread throughout the school. The cafeteria and gym were filled with engaging experiments, and we were stationed right by the entrance, which allowed us to greet everyone coming in.

This marked our first event of the year for our handwashing project, and it was a big hit with both kids and adults. Many were excited to participate in the experiment to see how well they washed their hands. It also sparked friendly competitions between kids and parents with comments like, “I bet I wash my hands better than you!” Throughout the event, we consistently had a line of 4-5 students waiting to take their turn. The kids especially enjoyed seeing their hands under the UV light, making the experience both educational and fun.
 

This event also provided a great opportunity to connect with parents, many of whom were familiar with Patient First. We are grateful to have been invited to this event and to have had the chance to connect with the Signal Hill Elementary community. It was a fantastic way to start the year, and we look forward to building even stronger relationships in the future.
 

The 41st Annual Dominion Energy Christmas Parade returned Saturday, December 7th, as tens of thousands lined up along Broad Street to watch Jolly Old Saint Nicholas come to town and usher in the holiday season. This year's theme was "Christmas Wishes," which included colorful floats, giant helium balloons, high school and college marching bands, princesses and superheroes, and more that even the Grinch could not resist!

The tradition, which is free and open to the public, has a reach that spans across the entire state, including many of our service areas. This year, Patient First was one of four balloons in the parade and had the prestigious honor of carrying the legendary Santa balloon. With 15 Patient First employees in tow, and a little Christmas magic, we pranced and sleighed around stoplights, light poles and tree branches, as the crowd cheered at each successful spin. This was a warm welcome in contrast to the bitter cold and wind we endured.

Our staff looks forward to participating in the parade each year, as it allows our mission to come full circle, affording us an opportunity to have a front row seat to our community and those we serve. We can hardly wait to see what next year has in store for us! Happy Holidays!

Bethlehem, PA's Hanover Township Community Center welcomed the 2024 holiday season in a big way with its annual tree lighting holiday event. We are always so happy to support and participate in events at this facility since it is literally right down the street from our Bethlehem Patient First center.

Each year, this evening event attracts hundreds of folks from the neighborhood, and the best part of all, it is FREE and open to the community. Each year it seems to get bigger and bigger, too, with all kinds of fun activities and surprises for young and old alike. Expertly organized, the staff at the Community Center effectively uses just about every square inch of the facility, both indoors and outdoors, to create a truly fun filled evening for participants. We loved being back on site for the event again this year, and got such a charge out of all the commotion, the fun holiday music provided by a local disc jockey. and seeing all the smiling and happy faces. 

Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, an indoor snowball battle, cookie decorating, free food and beverages including home made cake pops and popcorn, and crafts of all sorts and coloring table for the children to enjoy provided lots of indoor fun. Step outdoors, and you're treated to an ice carving demonstration, holiday music provided by a local school band, and a winter wonderland full of illuminated lights all over campus. All this combined to make it a great time for all who came out to enjoy the official start of the holiday season in Hanover Township. They thought of everything, including a huge outdoor grill for people to roast s'mores and grill hot dogs. 

Of course, the highlight of the evening was when the switch was flipped and the holiday tree was illuminated. The line for photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus was non-stop all evening. We did get to talk with Santa while there, and we put in our request for a safe, happy and healthy holiday season for us all.

The Towson Chamber of Commerce rang in the holiday season on Friday, December 6th with their annual Towson Tree Lighting celebration. Several hundred people braved the cold and wind to sing carols, patronize local chamber partners who lined the streets with their tables along Washington Avenue, and witness the lighting of the massive tree at the center of Towson's downtown circle. There were also appearances by holiday themed characters like the Grinch, Olaf, the Chick-fil-A cow (in Santa attire), and of course the jolly old elf himself, Saint Nicholas, who came in riding atop a fire truck.

Our Patient First table was one of the first to line the streets on the path to the tree. While the event only lasted 90 minutes we met with plenty of people, all of whom had been patients at our Towson center, which was less than a mile away from the festivities. Those we spoke with were an even mix of students from nearby Towson University, families, and retirees, and were all very complimentary about the care they received from our staff.

This was our first time participating in this event. Despite the chill in the air, the mood was festive and warm, and before we knew it, the celebration was over! The staff at our table had a wonderful time, and we look forward to being a part of it again next year!

The holiday season got off to a raucously festive start in Lancaster on Friday, November 30th, with the Mayor's Tree Lighting ceremony at Penn Square in the heart of downtown Lancaster.

For the first time in several years, Patient First returned as a sponsor for this event, and was afforded a table inside the warm and cozy confines of the city's Welcome Center, just feet away from the tree, where hundreds braved the frigid temperatures and wind, lining the streets shoulder-to-shoulder to witness this kickoff to the holiday season.

The event featured songs, poetry readings, and appearances from Cylo, the mascot of the Lancaster Stormers, and from Santa himself, who arrived atop a hook and ladder fire truck. After the mayor flipped the switch to illuminate the massive tree, the night concluded with a dance party in the square.

The city's tourism committee, who organized the event, made us feel very welcome, and encouraged people to come in, warm up, and visit our table. Everyone we spoke with had been patients at our centers in the past, whether it was Lancaster or points even farther out. The only family we spoke with that hadn't heard of Patient First had a good reason-- they were from the UK!

Despite the frosty weather, this was a very well attended event, and a very enjoyable one. We look forward to returning in 2025.