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.
On Saturday, August 6th the 2022 Water Lantern Festival was held at Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Thousands of people came together to experience unity in the community that was moving, yet uplifting. People channeled their creative side working effortlessly to design water lanterns that were meaningful to them. Many people listed their dreams and aspirations whiles others took time to commemorate the loss of a loved one. Some participants were brave enough to get up on stage and share their personal stories. As night fell, everyone headed to the lake to release their lanterns which is symbolic to releasing peace, hope and happiness.
For years Patient First has aided in healing the community through the services provided at our medical centers. We were proud to support an event that brought healing and community connection outside of the healthcare setting. Although the event just concluded, we are already looking forward to next year.
Red Knights PA Chapter 10 is a motorcycle club comprised of past and present firefighters and their families who are devoted to helping their fellow First Responders in a variety of ways. They organized their inaugural Berks County Firefighter Appreciation Day, and invited Patient First to be part of the celebration.
What an honor it was to stand with so many first responders – fire, ambulance, police and more in a day of appreciation – heroes just like those of us who work in the medical profession during these challenging, pandemic times.
This was a family-friendly event … and we interacted with families of all ages.
There were about a dozen fire trucks with their crews on site, several EMS/Ambulance providers … and even a medical helicopter flew in and stayed for a few hours. The event provided demonstrations of a vehicle extraction, and extinguishing a vehicle fire – both fascinating to view, and educational. There were also many events and activities/contests geared just for the firefighters, so it was fun to watch them compete and cheer them on in races and tactical/skill activities.
We are already looking forward to joining other activities that recognize First Responders.
From the sights of brightly colored saris, the smell of mouth-watering curry and masala spices, and the sounds of Bollywood pop, it was a feast for the senses at the HACC campus in Harrisburg, PA for the celebration of India Day 2022. After a two year pandemic-forced hiatus, this festival returned in force, showcasing the depth and breadth of Indian history and culture, coupled this year with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Indian Independence.
Anchored by a wide variety of restaurant booths and Indian clothing vendors, the main strip of the festival was also the site of a dazzling parade, representing many of the varied ethnicities making up the Asian Indian-American community. The main stage was at the end of the parade route, featuring dance performances, singers and a student robotics exhibition. There was even a flash mob, featuring 40 participants!
This was Patient First's first year participating in this event, which was held just five miles away from our Harrisburg center, and roughly 13 miles from our Mechanicsburg center. All in all, it was a big success, bringing us in contact with more than 4,000 attendees, and an event we look forward to coming back to next year!
CORE Foundation held its annual Super Hero Youth Triathlon on Sunday, July 31. Patient First was a proud sponsor of the event and attended the packet pick up on Saturday, July 30.
CORE Foundation uses the triathlon as a means to raise charitable funds to support a variety of projects, which are called CORE Causes, in the community ranging from food insecurity and youth empowerment.
This year the Super Hero Youth Triathlon consisted of swimming, biking and running which took place at Ridge Heights Pool in Reston, VA. Over 600 athletes registered this year’s event.
Staff from Patient First came out to support the event, handing out promotional items, interacting with patients and some who were unfamiliar with our services.
We look forward to continue to partner with CORE Foundation for future events.
Ashburn Village Association held its annual National Night Out event on Tuesday, August 2 which is in close proximity to our Sterling, Virginia and Leesburg, VA locations.
National Night Out is community-police awareness raising event in the United States, held the first Tuesday of August.
Hundreds of families gathered for this free events that included ice-cream, moon bounce and touch-a-truck. The Patient First yo-yo’s were a big hit for the kids and adults.
The entire event was a great success and our staff had great engagement and interactions with attendees.
After rain earlier in the year forced it to be rescheduled, it truly was the Dog Days of Summer at Upper Providence Dog Park in Phoenixville, PA this past Saturday. Despite the name, the weather was perfect for this event, bringing so many people and their pets out for a morning of games, activities, and information about our four legged friends. Located between our Collegeville, Pottstown, and Devon centers, this event drew people as far away as Lancaster!
Upper Providence Township and the Spring-Ford Chamber of Commerce brought this event to the community and they did not disappoint. Along with their "fur babies," crowds of people from all over the area visited a number of vendors, as well as rescue organizations who were on site for the day. We had so many good, positive conversations during the day from those who've used our services from all across the region. We always love making those community connections!
Mother Nature was very cooperative! We experienced probably the best weather we've had for an outdoor event this summer so far-- warm, sunny, and dry. No scorching heat, and no rain! A true winner of a day, in all regards!
The sounds of bagpipes, the sight of kilts and tartan, and the smell of corned beef & cabbage were everywhere at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds Saturday, July 16th, for the Annapolis Irish Festival. More than 8,000 people braved the heat and threat of severe weather to hear the bands, taste the food, play the games, and purchase all things Irish.
Our Patient First tent was set up within 25 yards of the entrance, giving us the opportunity to interact with virtually every fairgoer. From as far north as Aberdeen to as far south as Germantown, nearly everyone in attendance knew the work we do, and had glowing things to say about the quality of our service.
Unfortunately, the luck of the Irish ran out just before 6pm, as a powerful storm came through and literally washed away some tents. Despite the soaking, our staff hung in there, making this a positive experience for everyone!
On Friday, July 15 the Hanover County community welcomed the Hanover Tomato Festival back to Poole Green Park. This highly anticipated, family oriented tradition has been around for many years. There were several games and activities for the kids and some unique crafts and homemade goods. People came out to purchase the fresh produce and indulge in some popular tomato themed dishes.
Although the weather was warm, people were excited to be outdoors. Our friend, McGruff even took time away from fighting crime to say hello. Patient First was proud to be there to share some health benefits of tomatoes and support the return of this beloved festival.
A delicious “Blueberry Festival” tradition in Bethlehem, PA returned to celebrate its 35th milestone anniversary this year, and we were part of the festivities for the first time this year. Held over a two-day weekend at the historic Burnside Plantation — site of an 18th-century Moravian farm complete with historic barns, a Colonial kitchen garden, a pollinator garden, and an apple orchard, and affectionately known as Bethlehem’s “Farm in the City” — the annual celebration provided participants with a variety of ways to enjoy all things blueberry. We had such a fun weekend representing our Lehigh Valley centers in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton and talking with event participants about how we take care of people when they are sick or injured with non-emergency medical issues. Proceeds from this event will benefit Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites to maintain 20 historic landmarks, and Patient First is proud to support such worthwhile community activities.
We participated in the FAF Coalition/Lot 323 event in Woodbury, NJ previously a few years ago, and it has always been a fun time with large attendance. Our return to the event his year was so much fun. It is amazing to see great things happening on summer Friday evenings, all organized and hosted by a group of outstanding volunteers who bring together food, games for children and families, music, vendors of all types … including us!
The FAF Coalition champions initiatives rich in arts, culture, and sustainable design as a catalyst for community development and economic revitalization. It executes those initiatives by creating engaging places and innovative experiences that transform the lives of the community, like the Lot 323 event. It was great to be part of all of the fun on Friday evenings, and we are already looking forward to participating again.