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.
The Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce and Whitehall Township teamed up to host the Whitehall Heritage Festival, and Patient First was part of the fun. The day celebrated the extensive heritage and history of the Whitehall area, not far from Patient First locations in Allentown and Bethlehem, PA.
Although the temperatures were in the mid to upper 90’s all day with extreme humidity, it was a fun event. In addition to all the family fun available, the event also brought people out to take a look at improvements made to the Grist Mill and Peter Grim property and highlight the new greenways and pathways in the park areas. Live entertainment and food trucks were available all day, too, and more than 50 vendors participated.
A fun added feature to the event included Civil War and Revolutionary War Reenactments and Living History regiments. We are already looking forward to the return of this event next year!
On Sunday, June 19th, 8 blocks of Water Street in downtown Lancaster, PA became a pedestrian walkway in the form of Open Streets Lancaster. Sponsored by Lancaster Rec, the City of Lancaster, and Lancaster Bikes!, this event aims to encourage physical activity, a healthy lifestyle, and positive mental health.
Patrons could walk the streets and sample food, listen to a variety of musical artists set up along several blocks, shop from local vendors, and learn about a variety of non-profit services that are available for those in the Lancaster community.
Patient First's tent was located near the temporary skateboard park, which became quite a draw for spectators. We heard from several patients who recounted how our center on nearby Oregon Pike helped them when they needed urgent care. Patient First has been a participant in this event for several years, and we look forward to doing so in the years to come.
On Saturday, June 18th, the fields in front of The Markets at Shrewsbury were transformed into a veritable recreation of the Emerald Isle, for the 20th Penn-Mar Irish Festival.
The sounds of bagpipes, drums, and cloggers, along with the sight of flat caps, kilts and tartan surrounded the 6,000 people who attended this event, traveling from as far as Pittsburgh, Annapolis, and even North Carolina. Two performance stages entertained the guests throughout the day, while traditional Irish fare was served in the food truck court, and four Irish Wolfhounds were led around the grounds, to the delight of many.
The winds were as gusty as on the fields of Donegal County, creating some drama for some of the vendors who either lost their tents, or gave up their cover after a few close calls.
In addition to being a first-time vendor, Patient First also sponsored the shuttle bus that ferried the crowds from a satellite parking lot to the gates, just a few steps away from our booth. In addition to being greeted by patients from both Pennsylvania and Maryland, we also received several inquiries from people outside our territories, in western Pennsylvania and western Maryland.
This was a very fun afternoon, and we look forward to participating in future years.
It's billed as the largest and longest running one-day street fair on the east coast, and by all accounts, the 92nd Jubilee Day in Mechanicsburg, PA lived up to just that. Just 2 miles from our Mechanicsburg center, Jubilee Day was 4 square blocks of vendors, service providers, food, games and entertainment, drawing in 70,000 people from the morning until well after sundown.
Positioned near the live bandstand, thousands of people stopped by our tent to take home magnet clips and our wooden planes, which were clearly the biggest items of interest. Every one of the people who stopped by were very complimentary of the level of care and quality of service they've received from our centers. Only a handful of people were unfamiliar with what we do, and our staff were happy to enlighten them.
This is one of the biggest events of the year in central Pennsylvania, and Patient First is happy to continue our participation in this long standing Mechanicsburg tradition!
Chalk the Walk returned to Virginia Beach this weekend for a colorful, creative, cartoon pals themed event. Several local artist and aspiring artist gathered on the boardwalk creating murals of artwork along the pavement. All registered participants competed for a trophy and a cash prize. Others stopped by to join in the fun by drawing pictures of their choice.
Patient First was blown away by the mere talent of all the participants. What an awesome way to bring unity to the community!
The North American Sand Soccer Championships kicked off their 2022 tournament on Friday June 10th. This three day event at the Virginia Beach oceanfront was loaded with high levels of intensity and excitement. 720 teams came together to compete in the nation’s largest event of its kind. Thousands of people traveled from near and far to join in and witness the action.
The Patient First team was proud to support the North American Sand Soccer Championships as they continue to do great things for our community. It is with great pride that we congratulate all participants who competed this past weekend on a job well done!
The “Itty Bitty Hat Parade” at Devon Horse Show & County Fair returned this year, and Patient First was thrilled to be a sponsor once again. This has become a favorite event since it all takes place at the fairgrounds located directly across the street from Patient First’s Devon center.
Patient First staff made things extra fun by hosting a table where children enjoyed special horse-themed coloring sheets, while their moms and dads learned more about Patient First’s model and services.
At the end of the day, a giant hat parade through the Fairgrounds gave the children the opportunity to show off their newly-decorated hats. It was so fun to see them carry the parade banner as they toured the grounds, past the horses and the amusement and food areas.
As usual, this big event attracted families and children from near and far. Parents were very gracious and happy, and many talked about great experiences they have had at the Devon Center which always make us feel good.
CORE Foundation held its inaugural Health and Wellness Fair in conjunction with the Reston Sprint Triathlon on Saturday, June 4. 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 Health and Wellness Fair took place at Lake Newport Pool in Reston, VA. Over 700 athletes registered this year’s event.
Staff from Patient First came out to participate in the Health and Wellness Fair, handing out promotional items, interacting with patients and some who were unfamiliar with our services.
To top it off, the weather was immaculate! We look forward to supporting future CORE Foundation events!
On Saturday, June 4, more than 20,000 people gathered for the annual Bowie Fest in Bowie, MD. For 45 years, Bowie has celebrated this family-friendly tradition, returning this year with over 200 local vendors to the peaceful Allen Pond Park.
This year, Bowie Fest included three stages of entertainment by local entertainers. Other activities included paddle boating, face painting and an arts and crafts area. Around the pond, participants could enjoy and sample food from area vendors.
Patient First was a sponsor of the event and Kid’s stage. The Patient First Kid’s stage featured African drum songs, stories, games, Animals of Maryland, Caribbean Influenced Children’s song and a Magic Show.
Staff from the Bowie Patient First enjoyed interacting with event attendees. Several of the event attendees who stopped by our table were complimentary of the services they received and took time to say thank you for the care they received from our doctors, nurses and support staff. We are already looking forward to next year’s event.
The City of Rockville held its annual Hometown Holidays: A Community Gathering event on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29, at RedGate Park, near our center in Rockville, MD. About 10,000 people attended this free festival that included two stages of entertainment by local and regional entertainment, with more than 10 performers covering genres from rock and reggae to pop and blues.
Patient First was a major sponsor of the event and Kids Stage. The Patient First Stage featured kid-friendly performances, dance, and an animal show. Activities for kids included things like the Sand Dune, Selfie Stations, as well as games like Cornhole, and Connect Four.
In addition, the event featured Taste of Rockville, which featured cuisine from local restaurants.
The entire event was a great success, and our staff had great engagement and interactions with attendees.