Patient First‘s commitment to the community goes beyond providing convenient, cost-effective health care. Patient First also supports numerous organizations that make a positive impact in our local neighborhoods and across the mid-Atlantic.
See what Patient First is doing in the community.
Spring-like weather arrived in time for the Dulles Virginia Camp & Summer Expo Event, and Patient First was thrilled to be a sponsor! This was an exciting indoor event, replete with information on sports, residential camps, arts, STEM, special flux camps, summer programs and summer fun destinations.
Our staff had a great time speaking with event attendees and sharing information about Patient First's services.
The expo event featured a magic show, Karate show, dance competition and even a DJ to keep kids and parents entertained throughout the day.
We had a blast, and look forward to seeing everyone next year!
The return to events in the Central PA region kicked off Saturday, February 18th with our return to the Lititz Fire & Ice Festival! This popular week-long event draws crowds from as far north as New Jersey and the Northern VA/DC area to the south, as this tiny Amish town suddenly bursts at the seams.
After a 3-year pandemic-induced hiatus, Patient First returned to this event, participating in this year's Chili Cook-Off, Vendor Fair & Kids' Carnival, sponsored by the Lititz Lions Club. This facet of the festival took place at Warwick High School, just a short walk from the rows of beautiful ice sculptures that lined the streets of central Lititz. About 2,500 people came through the doors to purchase arts and crafts, and partake in 11 different chilis offered by various restaurants, caterers, and senior facilities. The school's gym was also transformed into a bounce house and inflatable paradise for kids to get out all that pent-up winter energy!
After a few months' respite, it was great to get back into participating in these events, and get out and meet our patients, and thank them for choosing us as their urgent and primary care providers!
"Playing music fills the soul like no other activity, and it provides an incredible and thorough brain workout," says Mr. Jay Dorfman, instrumental music teacher at Delran Intermediate School. "Thanks to a most generous monetary gift from Patient First, we have been able to improve the band experience for our student musicians."
Each year Patient First provides select schools near its centers with financial support for innovative and creative programs, projects and activities. This year was no exception. Band is a "co-curricular" activity at Delran Intermediate School, where students receive small group lessons during the school day. The full band rehearses during after-school hours, and presents concerts in December and May, which are open to the public and free of charge.
Patient First has helped aspiring young musicians in Delran through the purchase of instruments to create an awesome band experience. New items include an electric stage piano, 24 ukuleles, various hand percussion items, an electric mallet station, percussion emulator, and much more.
Ms. Kim Hickson and Mr. Chris Sheridan, the school's principal and assistant principal agree that "Patient First's contribution has helped meet the needs of our students, and with the development of the arts and other creative outlets at our school-- especially the band program. Thank you!"
Jenkins Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia is an ongoing partner of Patient First. This school understands the importance of reading and focuses on initiatives to not only support the students, but also impact the community. This year, Jenkins used their donation to purchase books for their book vending machine. With this machine, students have access to brand new books at their fingertips. Jenkins also participates in the Books on Bikes program. This platform allows the children to ride their bikes while delivering books to members of the community. There are so many great benefits to reading, and it is something that we all can enjoy. Patient First would like to say "hats off" to Jenkins Elementary for positively impacting its students and the community!
The future is in reading.
Recently, Patient First partnered with Algonkian Elementary School near the Sterling, VA location to sponsor their school literacy efforts. Patient First has longstanding partnerships with several school in the Greater D.C. area.
The school used the donation to purchase decodable books which were needed in all grade levels. Decodable books encourage children to sound out words using decoding strategies rather than guessing from pictures or predicting from other cues.
Algonkian Elementary is grateful for the donation from Patient First to help the readers of the future. "The books have been successful in helping our students become better readers," said Brian Blubaugh, Algonkian Elementary School Principal.
This week's school partner spotlight focuses on Fort Garrison Elementary. Located near our Lutherville center in Baltimore County, Patient First has had a long history of supporting the school, its 283 students, and the community at large. This school year, we are proud to help provide Fort Garrison with the funding for communications and learning support equipment for their autism programs, as well as a Ballroom Dancing and Family Night for 4th and 5th graders! We thank Principal Dr. Hope Baier, and PTA President Rachel Mogilevsky for their hard work, and allowing us to work with them.
What started as an Eagle Scout project and construction of flower boxes at Uwchlan Hills Elementary School in Downingtown, PA has grown into something much larger. Through a monetary gift from Patient First, this project continues to bloom and grow, with harvests produced throughout the year benefitting the school's "Helping Hands" families as well as the Chester County Food Bank.
Each season 40 to 50 students in first, second and third grades participate in "Garden Club" where they hear gardening stories, assist with planting, weeding, watering and cutting flowers for bouquets. They also help with weighing and bagging veggies the garden produces at harvest time.
School principal Robert Giering along with two faculty advisors, Ms. Kate Cool (second grade teacher), and Ms. Alicia Reiner (first grade teacher) lead the project from school staff. School families and parent volunteers also help the program continue to thrive. Two parents have been particularly instrumental with this project - Heather Landgarden and Ali Bruenderman. They are the "garden experts" and have worked side by side with school staff every step of the way.
Planting begins in April each year and continues in June and August, with crops planted during the appropriate season. Harvesting begins in spring and continues into November. Patient First's donation has helped the Garden Club purchase hoses, gloves and tools for the children as well as added soil and compost, additional native plants and flowers and even umbrellas and cabling for vining vegetables.
Schools lay at the heart of the community as the constant link that tie people together. Each year Patient First donates to multiple schools in the Mid-Atlantic region to help support the needs of its students. This year Maude Trevette Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia decided to focus their donation on the purchase of ukeleles. Music instruction is a great way to help regulate emotions and focus on social and emotional development. It also creates community, a sense of achievement, and is a great way to build self-confidence. We hope that these musical instruments allow the kids a comfortable form of self-expression, while creating enjoyable interactions amongst their peers.
Patient First has longstanding partnerships with many local schools in the Greater D.C. area.
Recently, Patient First partnered with Brookfield Elementary PTA to sponsor their annual Fun Run. The school is located near the Patient First Chantilly center. A total of 700+ students from Pre-k to 6th grade spent the day running laps around the track. Each grade level was given 40 minutes to run as many laps as possible. The students were greeted by the school mascot "Buddy the Bronco," who cheered them on through the entire race. The students also danced and sang through some of the laps with the encouraging music.
Every student was given a unique shirt color to help build camaraderie and team spirit. The event embodied team building, school spirt and health and wellness. Even some of the teachers joined in to walk and run next to their students. The students were all smiles from start to finish.
Patient First would like to shout out the amazing Brookfield Elementary PTA team, staff and students and look forward to the continuation our partnership.
Every year, Patient First selects two elementary schools near each of its 77 centers as a community partner in an effort to further support the health and growth of neighborhood it serves. Our partnership begins with a donation to the school to fund projects or programs that directly benefit the students of each of our partner schools, but it doesn't end there. We continue to engage with the faculty, students and parents at each of these schools through community events like back-to-school nights, family resource nights, health and wellness fairs, school fun runs, and even fall and spring festivals.
This week, we are showcasing Nitrauer Elementary as our Partner School of the Week. Located just minutes from our Lancaster center, Nitrauer has been a committed partner with Patient First for several years. This year, Patient First will be helping Nitrauer Elementary fund student assemblies, and a program of lunches recognizing good student behavior, culminating in a recognition of outstanding students for each quarter.
Patient First thanks principal Smita Weakland, as well as the faculty, staff and students at Nitrauer Elementary for being such great partners, and we look forward to supporting their work throughout the year!