Patient First in the Community

Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, PA hosts its "Boo at the Zoo" celebration every weekend in October, and for years Patient First has been part of the fun. We always choose to participate on the Saturday nearest to Halloween when excitement is high and costumes are ready to be strutted and shown off. This year was no exception, and every year this event seems to grow larger and larger. Kudos to Zoo staff for completely transforming then environment into a kooky and spooky environment for all to enjoy.

People were encouraged to bring their little ghouls and ghosts to the event, and that is exactly what they did.  

This year's crowd was enormous, most likely because Mother Nature was extremely kind to us this year and gave us a summer-like day with temperatures in the mid-80's. It couldn't have been more perfect. We got such a kick out of the steady stream of costumed children, parents and grandparents and families as they visited with us and picked up a variety of our promotional items. Our staff got into the spirit as well and donned their own costumes. The energy and excitement of all who came by our ten was electrifying.

We love being part of activities at this great neighborhood zoo, and we are amazed each year at how much things change there and how they continue to grow. It is such a fun place, and many folks find it to be a great alternative to the larger and more costly zoos in the area. Families of all ages just love their visits to this location. And the Boo at the Zoo is always one of our favorite community activities each year. We had a great time this year, and can hardly wait to find out what is in store there in 2024! 

On October 20th & 21st, our Patient First staff returned to the creepy campgrounds of Codorus State Park for their annual Trail of Treats event. Usually a beautiful, dense forest, this time of year campers pull out all the stops to get into the spirit of Halloween, with all manner of decorations, statues and animatronic figures, and light projection effects, scaring up a frightfully good time for 3,000 costumed trick or treaters and their families.

Much like last year's appearance, our tent was very popular, with kids fascinated and delighted to receive our safety blinkers, which lit up the night and our buckets as we handed them out. Parents were happy to receive hand sanitizer to clean up their little ones after a night of binging on candy and wandering through the woods.

Our Patient First staff got into the spirit of the night, dressing up in costume as Snow White, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, a spider, a nurse, and of course what fall event isn't complete without Pumpkin Spice? Directly across from our tent was a family of Barbies and Kens, both in and out of their boxes, who provided quite a bit of entertainment for us and all the passersby.

This is always one of the most memorable events of our year, and it was great to see new faces come out to join our staff. We're already looking forward to next year's Trail!

Patient First had a fantastic time being part of St Christopher's Fall Festival.  We hosted the MASH tent that the students loved.  With the help of our amazing staff and some wonderful student volunteers, we were able to ensure that it was an enjoyable experience for all.  Everyone jumped in and rolled up their sleeves to help out as we steadily wrapped fake injuries with gauze and garnished them with fake blood.  It was fun to hear the children's creative minds tell the stories of how the imaginary injuries were sustained.  

In addition to our tent, there were lots of games, several bounce houses, food trucks and activities in which the students could participate.  There was also a DJ on site that kept the atmosphere lively, coupled with an unseasonably warm day, making the event an overall success.

Patient First was thrilled to be part of this event and contribute to the community.  We look forward to future opportunities to bring the fun and excitement!

If you grew up liking police and emergency rescue shows like Adam-12, Emergency! SWAT, Chicago Fire, or 911, then the parking lot adjacent to Martin State Airport in the Perry Hall area was the place to be for this year's Baltimore County Public Safety Day. Police, fire, EMS and other public safety agencies trotted out their latest equipment for display, as well as providing an opportunity to meet the men and women who protect and serve our community, under less dire circumstances.

This was Patient First's first year participating in this event, which was located just eight miles from our Perry Hall center. Our tent and table were dead center in the in the heart of the crowds. While there were a few folk who had not visited our centers, most of those who came by knew exactly who we were, and had wonderful stories to share about the service and care we had provided them.

In addition to the presence of a hook and ladder truck that rose up 80 feet into the air, there was also a rescue boat, an ambulance, a police armored vehicle, and a police helicopter that landed on-site. Kids could later have their picture taken in the cockpit! Police also put on a K-9 demonstration, showing off the four-legged police officer's ability to sniff out contraband and subdue suspects. All that, couple with food trucks and an appearance by the BCPD color guard made for a fun afternoon for all ages. 

Fortunately the grey skies held the rain at bay, allowing everyone who came to have a great time. We look forward to participating next year!

We had such a blast at Woodbury's 2023 Fall Festival Parade, and we were well represented by an all-Woodbury staff team walking along the parade route this year. It's always great to be invited back to participate in this amazing community event, where we have been part of the action several times over the years. We have so much fun every year and really enjoy interacting with the huge and very enthusiastic crowd the parade draws each year. This year was no exception.

Parade goers enjoyed a beautiful fall evening - albeit a bit chilly and breezy - as they watched the participants strut their stuff down Woodbury's Broad Street. We waved at and greeted so many locals and even out-of-towners who came out for the evening to enjoy the parade. This year's parade was Woodbury's 73rd annual event, and the theme this year was "Halloween." There were many parade entries who adopted this theme to entertain everyone along the parade route.

Our team of Woodbury Patient First center staff were so excited to step out of their center to enjoy a brisk evening walk, sharing lots of waves and smiles along the way. They had so much fun! This event is likely to be one of the largest events Woodbury presents each year, and it is always a favorite among locals and others who anxiously await its arrival each October.

As a sponsor of the renowned Neptune Festival, Patient First embarked on an unforgettable experience that left us inspired and motivated.  The festival, held annually was cancelled in 2022 due to hazardous weather conditions, so everyone was excited to welcome it back this year.  Although the weather started off rocky, by the end of the 3 day weekend we were met with light wind and sunshine for an overall exciting experience.  The Virginia Beach oceanfront is the home of this event that continues to bring together a diverse range of businesses and individuals creating an atmosphere of celebration and community.

The festival went on for several blocks to include vendors, food trucks and the highly anticipated sand sculpture tent.  The captivating art displays by so many talented artist was an amazing sight to see.  In addition, there were live music performances, a parade, and other fun activities, so there was never a dull moment.  Engaging with festival goers was a highlight of our experience.  Everyone was excited that Patient First was in attendance.  Many of the attendees shared stories about their personal experiences at our facilities which were all very complimentary.  Some enjoyed the swag that we gave away while others jumped at the opportunity to have their blood pressures checked.  We were excited by the opportunity to interact with people from all walks of life.

The Neptune Festival was a great experience.It showcased the power of community and the importance of engagement and the limitless opportunities that arise when the two are brought together.  We had a great time and we look forward to joining you again next year!

It was a "Spooktacular" weekend for a Hot Air Balloon Festival.  This event has been billed the largest fall laser lit hot air balloon, music and glow festival in North America. It has become a premiere family entertainment attraction in Pennsylvania, specifically the Lehigh Valley. We were so excited to be able to participate in this event for the first time, and hope we will be able to return in 2024. It was great fun to meet and greet so many nice people from near and far.

The event drew an enormous crowd - on Saturday, in particular, when the weather was most favorable. People came from all over Pennsylvania from Western and Central PA, to Northeastern PA and the Philadelphia area and its suburbs, and many locations in between. We also had many out of state visitors to our tent, many who have had visits to Patient First in New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia.

What a thrill it was to have our own branded Patient First sponsored basket on one of the giant balloons! We even got to meet the balloon pilot and his crew. They were great people and so friendly.

Although windy conditions on Friday and Sunday kept the balloons grounded, dozens of technicolored balloons lifted off just after sunrise and before sunset on Saturday, creating quite a spectacular sight. The Lehigh Valley sky just north of our Allentown, PA center was filled with a spectrum of color against the scenic backdrop of the Lehigh Gap. Those seeking extra thrills stayed after dark on Friday and Saturday nights to enjoy a live DJ, laser light show, Balloon Glow, and fireworks. To accommodate everyone, Sunday was designated as "Family Fun Day," and the festival gave back to the community by hosting a free day of fun for special needs children and adults. What a great event this was for one and all. Our kudos to event organizers, and to the many balloon pilots and their crews and other vendors who stopped by to make our experience such a good one!

Mother Nature may not have been kind to the 2023 Celtic Classic event in Bethlehem, PA, but that surely didn't dampen our spirits, or the spirits of the world-class athletes who competed in the event, nor those of their families and friends, and attendees from all over the Lehigh Valley and beyond.

Much to our delight, after all of the competitions concluded, several of the athletes came out into the crowd for food and beverage, and even a visit to our Patient First tent. We enjoyed great conversations with them, and even provided free blood pressure checks to those who were interested. It was such fun to meet and chat with these athletes in person. They were such fun, and so conversational with us!

It was also great fun to see men, women and children of all ages in their kilts in keeping with the theme of the event and the Celtic cultural heritage. We enjoyed many compliments from people who had used the services of our Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton centers, as well as other centers as far away as New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. That always makes us feel good.

This annual celebration is hosted by the Celtic Cultural Alliance. Those who came enjoyed five stages of live music and the annual U.S. Highland Games National Championship during this multi-day event. It has earned its place as one of the biggest events on the Lehigh Valley's fall calendar each year.

How many days until the 2024 event? We can hardly wait to return! The staff, organizers and volunteers from this organization make participating in an event of this size a real pleasure for us and we are thrilled to be included each year.

On Saturday, September 16th and Sunday, September 17th, at the Springettsbury Township Park, just a little over two miles from our York center, a land of enchantment filled with fairies, gnomes, ogres, mermaids, pirates and believers of all ages sprung out of nowhere, as the York Enchanted Fairy Festival returned once again.

This is our second year participating with this fun and family-friendly event, and once again we embraced the spirit of the weekend, with several staffers dressing up in costume and hosting a second side table, where children could come and craft popsicle stick fairies, and decorate them with various materials.

Once again, our craft table kept the kids busy, freeing up the parents to talk with us about their experiences with us (100% positive), and for us to discuss the services we offer to the few who weren't familiar with us. Patients of ours from York, Mechanicsburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, White Marsh, Bel Air, Catonsville, and even Glen Burnie and Annapolis made the trip to this event, and all were glad to see us, and went away with some promotional swag.

This year, the festival expanded into a second day. While Saturday's weather was absolutely magical, Sunday brought clouds and intermittent showers. Not a downpour, but enough to keep the wet wings from flying for most.

This is one of our most unique festivals of the year, and it's also one of the favorites among our staffers. They all can't wait to return to it, and next year, neither can we!

NAS Oceana Naval Base opened their gates to the public this past weekend, as the highly anticipated Air Show returned to Hampton Roads.  The multitude of people that visited the base during this 2 day event could attest to the amount of excitement that was in the air.  Several vendors and food trucks were assembled along the flight line, accompanied by many service men and women who patrolled the area.  From the flight demonstration team to the jump team and jet trucks, there was so much to see and enjoy.  And of course the riveting performance of the Blue Angels concluded what was already an exceptional show!

This year's theme paid tribute to 50 years of women in naval aviation.  Since "The First Six" earned their wings of gold, these female pioneers went on to pave the way for so many to follow.  Over the years women have grown to assume numerous roles in aviation.  Their positions play an integral part in strengthening and protecting our nation and are worthy of recognition.

The Patient First tent was set up across from the bleacher seating.  We had lots of fun interacting with the attendees and we had a great view of the performances.  People stopped by our tent to chat and get their hands on some free promo items.  The yo-yo's and wooden airplanes appeared to be a big hit for the crowd.  We also offered free blood pressure checks when the noise subsided.

Patient First has been a long time sponsor of the Air Show.  Our deep appreciation for the men and women of service is undeniable and we thank each of you.  The 2023 Air Show was truly an amazing experience and we look forward to seeing each of you in 2024!