Patient First in the Community

The mission of Laurel House is to advocate for and empower those impacted by domestic violence by providing crisis intervention, safe haven, supportive programs and resources. They also aim to advance social change through preventive education, community training and the collaboration to provide a coordinated response to domestic abuse. Several years ago the organization tapped Patient First for support, and we have been happy to engage in a variety of their activities as a sponsor ever since that initial connection. We are happy to support an organization like this that provides supportive services to individuals, families and communities throughout Montgomery County, PA. 

We participated in the organization's 2024 "Walk A Mile In Her Shoes" event, and had such a great day with the hundreds of individuals, groups and organizations who came out to join the fun. Each year at this event men are literally asked to walk a mile in women's high-heeled shoes to actively confront gender stereotypes and expectation in a playful way. This year Pfizer's Collegeville, PA Campus staged the walk, and popular Philadelphia disc jockey Preston Elliott from WMMR's Preston and Steve radio show returned to emcee the event.

Hundreds of men (women and families, too) signed up to raise awareness about this important cause. They came from all walks of life, too, which was remarkable. Participants included Assistant District Attorneys, firefighters, veterans, law enforcement officers, corporate executives, students and many more. The solidarity in raising awareness of domestic violence brought so many people together, and at the end of the day more than $50,000 was raise to support the good work Laurel House does to serve the community. We are happy to have been a part of walking a mile in her shoes again this year, and we look forward to many more opportunities to be supportive of the powerful and important mission of this organization in the future.

With sunnier skies and warmer temperatures, events returned to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront this month, where kite enthusiasts and spectators united for the Atlantic Coast Kite Festival. This popular event took place along 16th and 17th streets on the boardwalk, where kites of all varying sizes and shapes could be seen soaring from a mile away. 

Spectators watched as experienced members of the American Kite Association conducted captivating kite demonstrations and routines set to music. With an array of other activities, people of all ages and skill levels were able to participate in the fun through a "Best Kite Contest," allowing them to show off their flying abilities. Kite building workshops helped teach people not only  how to build a kite, but also on the various aspects of kite launching, flying techniques, and safety precautions. Daily awards were given out to the oldest and youngest kite fliers, the funniest kite, the most unusual kite, and the biggest kite. 

While Patient First did not have a kite of their own at the event, we were on site to conduct free blood pressure screenings, and to pass out informational brochures and other giveaway items. Patient First will be back on the boardwalk throughout the summer season for other fun events too!

We enjoy partnering with many sports organizations, but each year the Little League sponsorships near our centers always seem to catch a special place in our hearts. 

There's nothing quite like hearing or even singing "Take me out to the ball game," and it is even more special for us when we are at a game and see our Patient First name on team jerseys, or our banner hung at ball parks.

This year we were excited to be invited to participate in Opening Day activities for the Cherry Hill American Little League in New Jersey. And, what a great day we had! We have been a sponsor for many years, but this was the first time we had the opportunity to join everyone on site for the Opening Day festivities.

One of the day's highlights was meeting the Coach of "our" Patient First team, along with several of our team players, their moms, their dads, and their families. They were all so happy to see us, and thankful for our sponsorship support.

If it had just have been about 20 degrees warmer and without wind, our day could have been called perfect. But blue skies and bright sunshine prevailed, making it a beautiful day to be among the hundreds of people who came out to cheer on their teams.

Cherry Hill's team (the bigger boys) won the National Championship last year, and they were honored by having the whole team out to join the festivities. It was great inspiration for the younger players to look up to the older athletes. It's the local Little League where the national winners got their start!

The 21st Annual KORUS Festival, held from May 3 to May 5 at the Annandale Center parking lot, brought together the vibrant Korean American community for a weekend of celebration. Despite the weather challenges, the festival attracted a diverse crowd with its array of cultural performances and activities. 

Friday's grand opening under sunny skies featured a mix of musical acts, traditional dances from various cultures, and energetic performances that set the tone for the weekend. Saturday's schedule was packed with talent shows, K-pop performances, and cultural competitions despite the persistent rain. Sunday saw the continuation of festivities with the Seniors Superstar Singing Contest and a thrilling performance by the world champion Chun-Jae Park Taekwondo team. 

Throughout the event, attendees enjoyed a variety of activities, including games, job fairs, and cultural showcases. Despite the rain, the community showed up in full force, eager to participate and celebrate. At the event, our table provided valuable information to the Annandale community, including free blood pressure checks and a table for kids activities. With 97 blood pressure readings taken over the weekend, our presence was felt and appreciated. Our signage in Korean attracted attention and sparked conversations, with many attendees expressing surprise and gratitude for our presence in Annandale. We also connected with young attendees, encouraging them to follow us on social media and engage with our center. 

In general, feedback was positive, with attendees mentioning seeing our advertisements in the Korean newspaper and expressing appreciation for our services. We were particularly touched by the gratitude expressed by attendees who received first aid kits from us. Overall, the festival was a success, bringing the community together and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Annandale community.

Thank you!

As the weather and our community event schedule begins to heat up, Patient First would like to recognize and thank all our employees who helped with events over the past year. We truly value your contributions and your time in making our community events the successes that they are. 

It takes special people to give of themselves to help others, and each and every one of you who has given up your time to participate at the hundreds of festivals, family health nights, fun runs, and other events are very special to us. Thank you for your enthusiasm, your positive energy, and for being such amazing ambassadors for Patient First!

Take a look at this video we've assembled showcasing our amazing staffers! (Note: We have many more staff who support our events who may not appear in this video montage, but rest assured each and every representative from our centers is greatly appreciated!)

A beautiful, crisp, clear Sunday morning in downtown Baltimore provided the perfect backdrop for an event steeped in love, caring and support in the form of the Ronald McDonald House Red Shoe Shuffle.

While this was the 13th year that this 5k run/walk/stroll has been held at the site of the Ronald McDonald House (just three miles from our Bayview center), this was the first year that Patient First has been a part of it. Nevertheless, we could not have been made to feel more welcome, with friendly greetings and check-ins by the RMH staff, and a prime location for our table and tent in the middle of the event's Celebration Village.

With its mission of providing housing-- sometimes for months at a time-- for out of town families while their children undergo life-saving treatments at area hospitals, this nationwide event could not be a more worthwhile cause for us to champion, and we received countless thanks from not just the organizers, but the families and supporters of the recipients of this invaluable service.

This year marked the first time in its history that the event sold out, with 3,000 people participating in the Shuffle itself, not to mention the people that came out to cheer on and support the participants. So many of those who stopped by our table had been patients of ours, and self-proclaimed frequent fliers from as near as Bayview and Glen Burnie, to as far as Waldorf and Downington, PA. We had so many wonderful conversations with people who were incredibly appreciative of our services, the clean condition of our centers, and the professionalism of our staff.

With this year's record setting turnout, the money raised to support this charity hit an all-time high as well-- with over half a million dollars collected! Our staff felt honored to be a part of this celebratory day, and we certainly look forward to keeping this event on our schedule for years to come!

This past Saturday brought the return of sunnier skies, warmer temperatures, and Easter activities, signaling Spring is in the air, and here to stay. Egg-cited guests of all ages came by the thousands to enjoy the annual Dominion Energy Family Easter Event at Maymont Park. This event, which has grown by leaps and bounds from year-to-year, was spread out between the Carriage House Lawn to the Robins Nature Center, to Maymont Farm. With over 100 acres to eggs-plore, guests could be seen enjoying fun activities and hands-on crafts throughout the park. They also enjoyed tempting treats from local food vendors as they listened to live entertainment supplied on three different stages. Younger guests were able to win prize-filled eggs in a Golden Egg Hunt, solving riddles along the way to find the locations of where the golden eggs were hidden.

Patient First was posted in the middle of all the action, where families and friends gathered by our tent prior to seeing a certain VIP-- the Easter Bunny! We offered blood pressure screenings throughout the event and handed out promotional items and other material regarding our centers. Overall, the day was a hopping success!

Hats off to the Lehigh Valley's IronPigs ball club for organizing and hosting "Operation Send A Vet" on Opening Day, March 29, 2024. For the third consecutive year, Patient First was able to participate in this amazing "thank you" event by hosting 100 veterans and their families at the ball game. Several other local organizations joined in and collectively more than 1,300 veterans enjoyed a night out at the ball game. The frosting on the cake was an IronPigs win on this special night. We take pride in events and activities that help male and female veterans whether active duty or retired, in the Reserves or in the National Guard. It was heartwarming for us to meet so many vets during our evening at the ballpark. Even though Mother Nature wasn't very kind to us and delivered a bitterly cold evening, we all had a great time being on site again for this amazing event. What was extra special for us was meeting so many veterans personally. Many came by for a complimentary blood pressure check which we offered, or for some of our great give-away items. Others just stopped by to say "thank you" for the part we played in bringing them to the ballpark.

This event was designed to say "thanks for your service" to our military personnel, and it did just that. It was a home run for Patient First, and for all others who participated to make the experience so special. One of our event support staff even got a kick out of tossing out a "first pitch" at the game.

 Although Coca-Cola Park where the IronPigs play is in Allentown, home games there attract people from all over the Lehigh Valley including Bethlehem and Easton where we also have Patient First locations in additional to Allentown. Many folks travel in to enjoy ball games there from all over the region.

We are already looking forward to an opportunity to return to Coca-Cola Park and join our IronPigs friends for other opportunities in the future.

Following a week of forecasted rain, wind, and cooler temperatures, two-legged and four-legged friends were finally able to gather on Sunday, March 24th for the Richmond SPCA 22^nd Annual Dog Jog, 5K and Block Party. The event, which was originally scheduled to take place all day Saturday, split into a two-day event following heavy rains Saturday morning. Patient First took part in the block party portion of the event. The block party, which was free to attend, kicked off with live music by local cover band, Sold Separately, and featured more than 50 local vendors and artisans, food trucks, a kids’ fun zone, and even a pets’ fun zone allowing for fun activities for everyone to enjoy. Patient First offered free blood pressure screenings and handed out promotional material with information about our services and locations.

Funds raised from the event will benefit the more than 18,000 animals served by the Richmond SPCA this year, including approximately 4,000 homeless dogs and cats that the organization shelters and rehabilitates before adoption. The nonprofit also delivers crucial programs to pets and the people who love them, including low-cost veterinary care, a free behavior helpline, training classes and humane education for children.

While we're on the cusp of the return of the Boys of Summer at Prince George's Stadium, the weekend's weather wasn't exactly summer-like for the return of the Bowie Baysox Family Fun Fest.

The event, which is a family-friendly day at the ballpark, and a warm up to the Baysox 2024 season is one in which we've participated for a number of years, as part of our long partnership with the Orioles' minor league affiliate.

Our table was positioned at the center of the concourse, directly in front of the First Aid station, which we staff for every Baysox home game. We saw a lot of welcoming familiar faces from the Baysox staff, as well as the fans and season ticket holders who come out to support this event.

Unfortunately, the weather was not as supportive, with a cold, steady rain and chilling winds lasting through most of the day. A few hundred die hard fans did turn out, however-- all of whom were familiar with our centers, and complimentary of our services. Most of those who stopped by had been patients of our Bowie, Glen Burnie, and Pasadena centers.

It's always great to be a part of this event, in anticipation of warm weather and the return of baseball. Here's hoping for better weather next year to bring in even more crowds!