See what Patient First is doing in the community.
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!
Spring has sprung, and there was plenty of evidence that people were ready to emerge from not just the winter, but the pandemic as well, at this year's Towson Town Spring Festival! Encompassing five square blocks in the heart of Towson, this two day event is one of the largest outdoor events of the year for the community, as it made its return for the first time since 2019. An estimated 90,000 people lined the streets to take in the sights, sounds, and services of the community.
The staff of the Patient First center in Towson came out to participate in the Festival, handing out promotional items, and interacting with both former patients, and a few who were unfamiliar with our services. Plenty of those who stopped by our table took the time to say thank you for the care and efficiency with which our doctors, nurses and support staff helped them through their emergencies.
Some storm clouds might have washed out the last 90 minutes of the second day for the festival, but it didn't dampen the experience of anyone who took part in the fun of this weekend event!
The Harford County Department of Community Services held its 3rd biennial Family Resource Festival on Saturday, April 9th. About 1,000 people ranging in age from 86 years to 8 months flocked to the APG Federal Credit Union at Harford County Community College to learn about a host of services and programs serving the Harford County area.
In addition to the information and materials available to parents, there were also Tae-Kwon Do exhibitions and appearances by characters like Mario, Bluey, and even Darth Vader and his Imperial Guard to keep the kids entertained.
Patient First was a proud sponsor of the event, and our staff had many great interactions with attendees, all very familiar with our brand and quality of care. One person even recounted how the staff at the Bel Air center saved his eye, after getting a screwdriver lodged in it following a workplace accident!
Take me out to the Ball Game is a tune closely associated with baseball, and that is exactly what Patient First recently did for 100 Lehigh Valley area veterans and their families as part of our sponsorship of “Operation Send a Vet” promotion with the Iron Pigs baseball club. Other organizations and businesses joined this promotion on Opening Night of the 2022 season, bringing together 2,500 vets and their families to feel our appreciation of servicemen and servicewomen – whether active duty or retired, in the reserves or national guard. It was such an honor to recognize and thank our veterans in such a public and high profile way. More than 7,000 people came out for the game, despite the rainy weather. We did stay dry for an enjoyable “first pitch” opportunity, and it was a first-of-the-season WIN for the Iron Pigs. So, at the end of the night, everyone was a winner!
It was a chilly and blustery day, but that wind carried with it the promise of the return of the boys of summer, at this year's Bowie Baysox Family Fun Fest!
About 12 hundred people flocked to Prince George's County Stadium in Bowie for a day of fun, games, and anticipation for the 2022 Bowie Baysox season. There were even appearances from team mascots Louie from Bowie, and the Oriole Bird!
Patient First, which staffs and supports the First Aid station at each and every home game, participated in the event welcoming families and fans, and providing information and materials, illustrating our continued commitment to the community.
Good luck to the Baysox, as we look forward to a fun-filled and successful season!
The words of Dr. Seuss are being put into practice at Oakwood Elementary School, near our Glen Burnie center. School staff and administrators are using Patient First’s donation to purchase mobile book carts for their classrooms. The goal is to make reading accessible and fun, fostering a lifelong love of academic growth.