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.
For the first time, we proudly sponsored the Leesburg Airshow on September 28th, which took place at the Leesburg Executive Airport. Despite concerns about the hurricane, the weather cooperated, giving us clear skies and warm temperatures. The airshow attracted a large crowd, and it was an exciting experience to witness the aircraft land as we set up.
Throughout the day, spectators were treated to breathtaking aerobatic performances, including the Flying Circus Jumpers and War Thunder Air Shows. The event also featured a wide variety of modern and antique aircraft on display. One of the highlights was the Douglas C-54 Skymaster, also known as the Spirit of Freedom-- a plane that played a key role in the Berlin Airlift after World War II. Another crowd favorite was the Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter from the Vietnam War era, showcased by the Liberty Warbirds-- a non-profit based in Lancaster, PA.
The airshow offered more than just spectacular aerial displays. Attendees enjoyed aviation-related exhibits, educational activities, and a variety of food and beverage vendors. As a free event, it was a fantastic opportunity for the Loudoun County community to come together.
Overall, it was a highly successful event where many people learned about Patient First, and we look forward to returning next year!
For a third year, Patient First returned to the Enchanted Fairy Festival in York, PA as a sponsor for this event celebrating people who look at the world in a slightly more magical view than most. As always, we were treated very well by the organizers, and given a great spot in the center of the topmost level of this three-tiered event at Springettsbury Park, less than two miles from our East York center.
Most of the people who stopped by our tent had been patients at the York center, while a few came from Harrisburg, and a surprising number from points farther out, like Towson, Glen Burnie, Lutherville, and even Wyomissing.
Our staff had a great time interacting with the patrons of this event, almost all of whom came in some form of fantasy costume. While only a few dozen people wanted to avail themselves of our free blood pressure check offer, our second table where we taught children how to make popsicle stick fairies saw over 100 takers. The parents were happy to see that we provided this free opportunity for their kids to be creative, while we talked with their parents about our services.
This was scheduled to be a two day event, however, a violent storm blew through overnight, carrying off nearly every single tent at the site, and destroying the inventory of dozens of artisans and craftspeople. Fortunately, no one was injured, and our hearts go out to those whose livelihoods were destroyed by this act of nature.
This has become one of the more entertaining events in our calendar in recent years, and we're hopeful that despite the toll that this storm has wrought, that the Fairy Festival will return in 2025.
The Piney Orchard Street Festival returned to Odenton for another fantastic end-of-season celebration of the community! The event, just three miles from our Odenton center always draws large crowds with its mix of vendors, local food trucks, live music, and rides for the kids!
Unlike last year, when a sudden downpour cut the festival short just past the halfway mark, this year's weather was ideal, with just enough cloud cover to keep the temperatures down to a cool, but comfortable level.
About 95% of the people we spoke with had been patients at our Odenton center, and had nothing but praises for the efficiency, cleanliness, and care that they received there. We spoke to several hundred people throughout the course of the day, and every one of them were so complimentary.
The most popular item on our table for the day was hands down, our magnetic clips. The hand sanitizers were also a popular grab. Our table was about 100 yards from the bandstand, but our staff was still about to manage to perform a few blood pressure checks.
This event is always one of the best represented events that we attend in the area. We always look forward to being a part of this sprawling community get-together.
As summer draws to a close, the tradition of the Maryland State Fair returned to the Timonium Fairgrounds, just a mile and a half from our Towson center. For the third year in a row, Patient First has been a proud sponsor of this end-of-summer event, with our table greeting fairgoers as soon as they passed through the gates! And talk about visibility-- on Saturday, attendance was over 70 thousand, while Sunday saw even more-- nearly 73 thousand people passing through the gates! Over the entire course of the fair, our name and branding was seen by a record breaking 589,380 people!
This year, in addition to our branding all over the fair banners, promotional materials, and hand washing stations, we were featured among the proud sponsors of the annual pig races! Our banner was hung Daytona-style along the side of the track, as four piglets sprinted the length of the oval four times a day for a crowd of about 150 people each day of the fair. The races are always a huge hit with families, and we were happy to be a part of it!
Another first in our history at the fair came in the form of our staff offering free blood pressure checks- a service that was quite popular until crowd and ride noise made it difficult to provide accurate readings.
Among the most popular items at our table were the hand sanitizer (perfect for cleaning up after petting the horses and livestock) and band-aids (essential after the inevitable trip and fall of kids on the asphalt of the midway). While we spoke to people from as far away as Richmond and New Jersey, so many had been patients at Towson, Owings Mills, Bayview and Perry Hall centers. Nearly every center in the Maryland region was represented by folks who came by to thank our staff for the aid they provided in their time of need.
Whereas last year, our staff roasted as soon as we stepped out from under our tent, this year the weather could not have been better- mild temperatures that never exceeded 85 degrees, and absolutely no rain or humidity.
This is always one of the highlights of the event season for this region, and this year did not disappoint! Everyone who came out to help staff this event had a great time, and we're all looking forward to more fun at the fair in 2025!
On Sunday, September 8, we had the privilege of sponsoring for the first time, the 19th Festival Salvadoreñisimo at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. The fairgrounds are conveniently located just seven miles from our Rockville center and four miles from our Germantown center.
The doors opened at 11 AM, but eager attendees were already lining up by 9 AM. Over 30,000 people came together to celebrate not only El Salvador, but all of Central America. The weather was perfect, adding to the vibrant atmosphere as people gathered to honor Central American independence.
The festival featured more than 25 food booths, along with various community outreach organizations. We were proud to be the only urgent care provider present among a mix of orthodontists, dental offices, and chiropractors. Throughout the day, we met people from not just Maryland but also Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Richmond. Many stopped by our table to learn about Patient First, as the majority were unfamiliar with our services. It was gratifying to hear from those who had visited our centers and expressed their gratitude for the care they received. Our soccer balls were a big hit, enjoyed by both children and adults alike.
At the main stage, the festival organizers expressed their thanks to sponsors, mentioning our name every two hours.
With Hispanic Heritage Month kicking off this month, this event was a fantastic way to celebrate and honor the rich Hispanic culture and heritage. Overall, we were thrilled to be part of this vibrant event, connecting with so many people who were learning about our services. We can’t wait to return next year!
During the weekend of August 23rd and 24th, music filled the air at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront for two full days of music, food, and funk during the 15th Annual Virginia Beach Funk Fest Party. Rooted in R&B, jazz, gospel, and blues, thousands gathered from near and far to hear the likes of WAR, Doug E. Fresh, the SOS Band, and others reverberating off the shoreline and in between the hotels that line the boardwalk of the resort city. It was the perfect sendoff party to summer, and Patient First was there with a front row seat to all the action!
A participant for a few years now, Patient First was once again back to offer free blood pressure screenings to festival goers and other passersby along the boardwalk. We completed well over 200 blood pressure checks in the two days we were at the event! Our giveaway items were big hits as well.
This event marks the fourth event we've done at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront this summer. Events like these are a great way for us to not only meet locals who visit our centers, but those within the other regions we serve. We enjoyed many conversations regarding the efficiency of our services, and look forward to returning in October for our final event on the boardwalk this year!
On August 11, the community in and around Carytown gathered for the 42nd Annual Carytown Watermelon Festival- a sweet slice of Richmond tradition. Back in the day, merchants in Carytown would set out slices of watermelon in the middle of the dog days of summer to help promote their business and draw customers in. This idea grew in popularity and continued to grow until eventually, the merchants decided their idea would be better served as a 1-day festival. Since then, every August, Carytown shuts down for one day to hold an annual festival dedicated to summer's favorite fruit. At the center of the festival are still the bowls of watermelon, which are sold for $2, with proceeds benefitting local Shriners.
In addition to the bowls of watermelon, the theme of watermelon - red and green- can be seen throughout the event between the many vendors, food trucks, kids' activities, down to the festive attire worn by children and adults alike. An additional 3,000 watermelons are provided by Publix, the presenting sponsor of the event. There is also live music that spans across the six blocks for the festival, including the street closest to the Carytown Patient First center.
Patient First, who's been a supporter of the festival for many years, participated again this year; providing free blood pressure screenings and passing out additional giveaway items and informational material. As a staple in the Richmond community, we heard numerous stories of those who have visited at least one of our centers. A favorite event amongst our staff, we look forward to returning next year!
It was an Eco Extravaganza in Easton on Sunday, August 18, 2024, and Patient First was part of the action. The Easton Area Chamber of Commerce hosted this event. It was a fun new event for us, and it celebrated ethical eating, eco-consciousness and healthy living. This was a free event that invited locals to come check out the excitement at Scott Park for a day full of food, music, wellness, vendors and more. The venue was amazing - situated right along the Lehigh River. Renowned boxer Larry Holmes, an Easton native, is the namesake for the park. He was world heavyweight champion from 1978 until 1985 and is often considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.
The event attracted people from all over the Lehigh Valley, as well as New Jersey and New York,. We had so much fun chatting with folks, providing free blood pressure checks, answering lots of questions, and of course providing a whole array of Patient First giveaway items.
The main stage provided musical entertainment all day. It was fun to see people participating in yoga activities, and we enjoyed visits from a variety of event participated who came by with their pets as it was a pet-friendly and family-friendly event. Several food trucks and special treat vendors satisfied event goers, as well.
We really enjoy Chamber of Commerce sponsored events like these, and participate as much as our booking schedule allows. We are already looking forward to what is next in the Lehigh Valley!
On Saturday, August 10th, the campus of Harrisburg Area Community College was alive with the sights, sounds, and enticing smells that made up the annual India Day celebration! Organized by the Asian Indian Americans of Central Pennsylvania, this rich celebration of culture and heritage draws several thousand people from across the region. For a third year, Patient First has been happy to participate in this event!
After a serious storm blew through on Friday, which saw a tornado touch down in the Harrisburg area, there were concerns over the possibility of having the event at all this year. Fortunately, as the clouds passed through overnight, some absolutely gorgeous weather greeted us in the morning and lasted throughout the day.
The day kicked off with a parade showcasing the multitude of organizations within the local Indian community of central Pennsylvania. It continued with a wide variety of dancing, traditional dress parades, and music featured on the main stage, as well as a host of vendors and amazing food choices.
As always, our Patient First table was a very popular spot for people to come and visit. Most of the people we spoke with had been patients at either our Mechanicsburg or Colonial Park centers, but a few had traveled up from as far south as Glen Burnie and Bowie. Our yo-yo;s were a huge hit with the kids, while the magnetic clips seemed to be the big item among the adults.
This is one of the biggest cultural events that we attend each year in central PA, and this year did not disappoint. We're already looking forward to returning!
Musikfest is the largest annual event in the Lehigh Valley, and once again we were able to be part of the fun! This 10-day August event is the country's largest free music festival, and it generally draws more than 1 million people to Bethlehem, PA annually. Locals love this event because it provides 10 days of great music, with enough variety to appeal to everybody; and, it also provides a huge economic impact to the city and the entire Lehigh Valley area since it attracts people from all over Pennsylvania, many of our nearby states and others from near and far. We opened the event on the first day this year - preview day - and it drew nearly 7,000 ticketed guests for the evening's headliner performance.
Although we are only there for a single, day, organizers always go above and beyond to be accommodating and welcoming to us, and this year was no different. Thanks to our friends there, we were set up in a prime location to be seen by and interact with concert goers. We were right along the walkway to the big evening concert which was so much fun!
We received many praises about the quality of our care, and for always being available to patients seven days a week including weekends and holidays on a walk-in basis, no appointments necessary
As always, we were happy to provide complimentary blood pressure checks for a steady stream of adult Fest-goers who stopped by our tent on event day. Our give-away items were also a big hit. We shall definitely return again next year as this has become one of our favorite "legacy" events over the years. Kassie Hilgert, the organization's President and CEO and her team of event organizers are great to work with; and, they always help us by providing easy access to our set-up location, and convenient parking nearby. This location also hosts the Christkindlmarkt and PeepsFest events, which we also generally build into our booking schedule each year.