Patient First in the Community

It was an "All things Irish" weekend in Allentown during St. Patrick's weekend. We kicked things off by participating in the annual Irish Cultural Community Day on Saturday, and wrapped things up by strutting our stuff in the St. Patrick's Day parade through Allentown's West End on Sunday. We have enjoyed a long-time relationship with organizers of both events, and it was great to be back again this year.

Both events are provided to the community at no cost each year, which surely helps attract large attendance. That, combined with Mother Nature's kindness in delivering two great weekend weather days this year helped turn the events into blockbusters.

This year's Parade was extra fun. It featured us, of course, along with 10 pipe bands, eight divisions, and more than 2,000 marchers from organizations, schools, companies and community groups from through the greater Lehigh Valley area and beyond.

Event organizers are outstanding, and always make sure participants and crowds alike have a lot of fun to enjoy the Irish cultural heritages being celebrated. Putting things together is literally a year-round labor of love from a group of highly engaged and dedicated volunteers-- many who have been involved with these events for years. We were so happy to be invited to return, and we already look forward to our return in 2025!

Crowds were lined six deep, with numbers in the thousands celebrating all things Irish, as the town of York welcomed the return of the York St. Patrick's Day Parade!

This year, the weather wasn't quite as frigid, but March's occasional blustery winds were still a reminder that Spring hasn't quite arrived yet. Fortunately, the folks at Union Lutheran Church near our staging area provided us with shelter and snacks as we waited for step-off time.

The crowds were enthusiastically cheering our staff as we made our way down the mile-long, six block parade route. Our staff lined the streets, handing out hand sanitizer and yo-yo's in little pots of gold to the crowd, adding to the festive atmosphere.

This is the second year post-pandemic that we've participated in the parade, and we look forward to to leading the way again next year!

McIntosh Elementary School, located in Newport News, VA, hosted its inaugural Rhythm and Wellness Concert, Bookfair, and Fitness Night on February 29th. Led by the incredible talents of the school's second and third graders, students and their families sang, read, danced, drummed, stretched and learned as they embraced the beat, ignited their fitness journey, and delved into the world of literature all in one unforgettable night. Around every corner of the school was an activity to participate in. Patient First, who was positioned in the front of the school, offered parents, teachers and administrators free blood pressure screenings, many of whom took advantage of the opportunity. 

The school itself is a bilingual school. Approximately, 15% of their student population is Hispanic. Each activity for the evening was offered in both English and Spanish. Many of the families who attended the event were not aware of Patient First, despite our Denbigh center being approximately 1 mile from the school. This gave us a great opportunity to talk to these families about the services we offer for both the children and their parents, alike. Many were appreciative of the promotional items and brochures we had on hand at the event, and planned to come into the center next time they were in need of medical care!

We look forward to our continued partnership with McIntosh Elementary School and Newport News Public Schools as a whole!

This past March 1st-3rd, Patient First partnered with the Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS) for our first Pet Adoption partnership weekend. Based on the success of a similar campaign we sponsored in Richmond last year, we wanted to see how the program would be received in the Baltimore area. And what a success it was! 

Over the course of the three days, Patient First covered the adoption fees for every animal adopted in the facility. On every kennel that housed an adoptable pet, a sign crediting Patient First as the benefactor for the adoption was posted. We also set up a table at the entrance to the adoption center, where our staff was able to interact with every family that came in, as well as hand out our materials and promotional items.

Most of the people who spoke with us had been patients at our Glen Burnie center, which is less than nine miles away, or our Perry Hall and Bayview centers, which are 17 and eight miles away, respectively. One family came from as far as the Towson area, where our center is 21 miles away. Every one of the families we spoke with were extremely pleased with the care we provided them at our centers, and very grateful for what we were doing with BARCS, and for them.

Now that the weekend is complete, BARCS officials report that all 26 of the cats that they had been caring for had been claimed, and that over 70 of the 141 dogs they had been sheltering had been adopted! The weekend was indeed a testament to the fact that pet ownership provides health benefits to both the animal, but their owner, as well!

Thursday, February 15th marked our second year demonstrating the crucial importance of proper handwashing techniques at Algonkian Elementary School's Invention Expo and STEAM Fair. Our Patient First nurses kicked off their demonstration by applying a special germ solution to students' hands, which lit up under a black light. After the initial display, students washed their hands as they normally would, and a second pass of the black light revealed lingering germs. Our nurses demonstrated proper handwashing techniques, and the students ran to wash their hands again until no germs remained. The students' excitement was palpable, as they asked insightful questions about germ spread and illnesses. While kids immersed themselves in the project, parents expressed their appreciation for Patient First, with some mentioning visits to the Sterling location. Teachers from various locations, like Gainesville, stopped by our table commending our center. The principal also took a moment to say hello, extending a warm welcome and inviting us to participate in next year's STEAM Fair. We're thrilled with the positive impact of our demonstration, and look forward to returning next year.

On Saturday, February 10th, Patient First returned to the Baltimore Convention Center for the 2024 B'More Healthy Expo. Created by Baltimore television station Fox45, this event showcases a wide variety of medical services and providers from the area, in all fields of medicine. For many of the city's underserved citizens, this event can be their only interaction with a physician, a dentist, or a clinic for the entire year, and Patient First is proud to be among those involved. In addition to the medical services and information being dispensed, there were also three stages featuring healthy cooking tips, exercise regimens, and cardio-invigorating dance routines. There was also a 14 foot rock wall to challenge the indoor thrill seeker. 

This year saw crowds return to their pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 28 thousand people streaming through the doors of the convention center's great hall. Our table once again was positioned squarely in the middle of the event, directly across from the area featuring the Fox45 news anchors and reporters, ensuring maximum visibility for us.

The thousands of people who came by our table had such wonderful things to say about our service and our staff, and thanked us repeatedly not only for what we do every day for the community, but for being there at the Expo in the first place!

We look forward to a long partnership with this very worthwhile event.

On Saturday, February 3rd, the town of Havre De Grace hosted their annual Havre De Grace Ice Festival. 50 beautifully crafted and polished sculptures hewn from blocks of ice adorned the streets of town, creating a festive atmosphere amidst the doldrums of winter.

In addition to the outdoor sights, the festival also hosts a vendor fair and children's play area inside the STAR Centre, formerly Havre De Grace High School. The facility features a gymnasium that hosted the vendor fair with character appearances, as well as two large bounce houses for kids to frolic about. The Centre's auditorium played host for the "Elsa and Friends" character show, as well as a "Jurassic Kingdom" presentation for children and adults alike. To top off the afternoon and evening's events, the festival featured a bit of wintry fire, by holding a chili cookoff, with more than a dozen entries from local restaurants and food service providers.

This was Patient First's initial year of participation with this event, and it could not have gone off more smoothly for us! With our Aberdeen center just six miles from the STAR Centre, our Aberdeen staff served as amazing representatives, as hundreds of people streamed by to thank us for the services we provide, and to help themselves to the promotional items on hand.

 This festival was a welcome addition to our event schedule, and we are already looking ahead to sponsoring future activities at the STAR Centre, including their summer camp program, and their gymnasium, which hosts sports programs year-round. To paraphrase Casablanca, it looks like the beginning of a beautiful partnership!

Patient First recently participated on Market Day at Strathmore Elementary. The event took place at the school’s gym and was held from 4:30 until all of our giveaway items were gone!

The event is organized by the school to help their students and community with free fresh produce and shelf stable items. High School students are also encouraged to volunteer at these events by helping distribute produce, sanitary needs, and running heavy bags back to cars.

Our table was located near the exit. We had blinkers, hand sanitizers and band aids along with other Patient First goodies. We enjoyed interacting with everyone that came by to say hello and answered a few questions regarding insurance and self-pay pricing. 

Overall, the event was a success! There were only a few boxes of broccoli and some fruit left by the time the doors closed. 
 

Each year since 2017, one of our first events of the new year has been in the Lehigh Valley. This year was no exception. Patient First was delighted to return as a sponsor for "Super Sunday" at the Jewish Community Center in Allentown, PA. This community center is just a two-minute drive from our Allentown center, so the relationship we have established over the years has been a great one for all involved.

The facility is fantastic! They run a full-service community center with a gym, a pool, a pre-school and all sorts of family friendly and educational opportunities for all ages. The center is open year-round, and provides a valuable service to Allentown's "West End" community, as well as folks from across the Lehigh Valley. Everyone is welcome!

The Super Sunday event attracted hundreds of adults, children and families who participated in a day full of activities, and each had an opportunity to visit with our Patient First staff. Event organizers set us up in a prime location just inside the front doors. We literally got to interact with everyone who walked through the doors during the day. This year, in addition to the planned "Super Sunday" activities, they also hosted a basketball event in their gym, which attracted people from all over, boosting attendance.

We provided complimentary blood pressure checks for adults, and we kept everyone amused with our give-away items. Our yo-yos and balsa wood airplanes were particularly popular with both children and adults.

As we wrapped up event day, we were so pleased that we had the opportunity to interact with so many people who are big fans of Patient First. Many told up about their positive experiences at our Allentown and Bethlehem centers, in particular. We are already excited about returning to this event again next year!

On January 11, we had the privilege of participating in a PEP(Parents as Educational Partners) meeting at Leesburg Elementary School, marking the beginning of our partnership with them. The PEP meetings serve as a crucial outreach to the community, engaging parents with valuable information. 

This month’s focus was on health, featuring a presentation by the school nurse addressing important topics on when not to send children to school. I presented our “Are You Too Sick for School” information. Approximately 65 parents attended the event with their children, creating a vibrant and supportive atmosphere. Following my presentation and the nurse’s session, there was a Zumba class. Additionally, the school provided food and free winter clothing, emphasizing their commitment to the community’s well-being. 

The event served as a powerful connection with the community, fostering positive relationships and reinforcing our commitment to the well-being of Leesburg Elementary School and its families.