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.
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We had such a nice time at the recent Limerick Community Day in Royersford, PA near our Collegeville and Pottstown centers. Held at the beautiful Limerick Community Park, this family oriented event was hosted by Limerick Township Parks and Recreation and the Spring-Ford Chamber of Commerce. We enjoyed a day full of activities with appeal to all ages.
The Spring-Ford Area High School Marching Band opened the event, and were in great musical form to kick off the festivities. Friends and families of these student musicians came out to cheer on the band, and then stayed for the rest of the fun which included tents and tables from a variety of local businesses and community vendors, including Patient First. RAM Nation Spring-Ford High School Sports and Athletics also participated in the event. A Food Truck Festival made the overall success of the event extra special and kept people on site for the duration of the event. And best of all, Mother Nature provided us with a picture perfect day – bright sunshine, blue skies and warm weather.
We love opportunities where we can get close with community folks, talk with them and answer their questions about urgent care, and what we do. Participating in community events like this gives us the perfect opportunity to do so. We look forward to doing even more as the Fall season approaches!
Musikfest returned for its 39th year in the Lehigh Valley this year, and we were part of the action again. This 10-day event is the country’s largest free music festival, and draws more than 1 million people to Bethlehem annually. It also provides huge economic impact to the Lehigh Valley area – and estimated $60 million+ each year.
Throughout its 10-day run, Musikfest offers hundreds of performances for “Festers ” to enjoy, and almost all of them are free. The only ones requiring tickets are the nightly headliners, which this year included Counting Crows, Ziggy Marley, Willie Nelson, Kelsea Ballerini, and of course, Boys II Men, who headlined Preview Day- our day of participation.
Although we are only there for a single day, Musikfest and Arts Quest organizers always go above and beyond to be accommodating and welcoming to us. They even joked with us about picking the hottest day of the year to participate, and this year was no exception. Temps hovered near 100-degrees all day. We are already looking forward to returning to this amazing event in 2023.
Red Knights PA Chapter 10 is a motorcycle club comprised of past and present firefighters and their families who are devoted to helping their fellow First Responders in a variety of ways. They organized their inaugural Berks County Firefighter Appreciation Day, and invited Patient First to be part of the celebration.
What an honor it was to stand with so many first responders – fire, ambulance, police and more in a day of appreciation – heroes just like those of us who work in the medical profession during these challenging, pandemic times.
This was a family-friendly event … and we interacted with families of all ages.
There were about a dozen fire trucks with their crews on site, several EMS/Ambulance providers … and even a medical helicopter flew in and stayed for a few hours. The event provided demonstrations of a vehicle extraction, and extinguishing a vehicle fire – both fascinating to view, and educational. There were also many events and activities/contests geared just for the firefighters, so it was fun to watch them compete and cheer them on in races and tactical/skill activities.
We are already looking forward to joining other activities that recognize First Responders.
A delicious “Blueberry Festival” tradition in Bethlehem, PA returned to celebrate its 35th milestone anniversary this year, and we were part of the festivities for the first time this year. Held over a two-day weekend at the historic Burnside Plantation — site of an 18th-century Moravian farm complete with historic barns, a Colonial kitchen garden, a pollinator garden, and an apple orchard, and affectionately known as Bethlehem’s “Farm in the City” — the annual celebration provided participants with a variety of ways to enjoy all things blueberry. We had such a fun weekend representing our Lehigh Valley centers in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton and talking with event participants about how we take care of people when they are sick or injured with non-emergency medical issues. Proceeds from this event will benefit Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites to maintain 20 historic landmarks, and Patient First is proud to support such worthwhile community activities.
We participated in the FAF Coalition/Lot 323 event in Woodbury, NJ previously a few years ago, and it has always been a fun time with large attendance. Our return to the event his year was so much fun. It is amazing to see great things happening on summer Friday evenings, all organized and hosted by a group of outstanding volunteers who bring together food, games for children and families, music, vendors of all types … including us!
The FAF Coalition champions initiatives rich in arts, culture, and sustainable design as a catalyst for community development and economic revitalization. It executes those initiatives by creating engaging places and innovative experiences that transform the lives of the community, like the Lot 323 event. It was great to be part of all of the fun on Friday evenings, and we are already looking forward to participating again.
The Hanover Township Independence Day event was just that ... Spectacular! We kicked off the Fourth of July holiday weekend by returning to one of our favorite event locations in the Lehigh Valley – Hanover Township Park at the Hanover Township Community Center in Bethlehem, PA. Even though thunderstorms were in the forecast, Mother Nature was kind to us and we enjoyed a great outdoor event that was warm, sunny and dry.
This location is literally right down the street from our Bethlehem center and we have enjoyed many events there over the years. Each time we return they welcome Patient First back with friendly, open arms.
Patient First was the first sponsor to return to the Community Center as things opened up after forced shut-downs due to the pandemic. We are already looking forward to the next opportunity we'll have to participate in an event at there.
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!
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.
Radnor Township Parks & Recreation Department in cooperation with the Wayne Business Association brought the 8th Annual “Wheels of Wayne” car show event to downtown Wayne, PA and Patient First was part of the fun again this year as a proud sponsor.
Mother Nature may have threatened the event with thunderstorms on event day, but organizers decided it would be a “go” and they made a perfect call. We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon for this family-friendly community event which attracted more than 3,000 attendees and presented nearly 100 vehicles – some vintage, others late model – on display.
With its proximity to our Devon center, this event provided us with a perfect opportunity to talk attendees about the experiences they have had with Patient First, or to learn more about what we do. It was such fun seeing folks enjoying a day out after the pandemic “paused” this event in recent years.
Everyone waited in anticipation for the announcement of the show’s award winners where a 1948 Cadillac Sedanett won “Best in Show.” Other awards went to “Most Unique,” “Best Muscle Car” and “Best Foreign and Domestic” cars, plus many more. They even had a pizza contest to identify the “Best Pizza” in the area. The hospitality of downtown businesses along with the many restaurants and food vendors, which were open and available for the day, was outstanding.
We are already looking forward to returning next year!
On April 30, more than 1,400 YMCA locations across all 50 states – plus D.C. and Puerto Rico— hosted events featuring fun games and activities to keep kids moving and learning. We joined the Gloucester County YMCA in Woodbury, New Jersey as a sponsor for their celebration.
For 30 years, Healthy Kids Day has celebrated kids’ mental and physical health, while teaching healthy habits for kids and families, encouraging active play, and inspiring a lifetime love of physical activity. This year was no exception. The mission of the YMCA is to strengthen the community through youth development and healthy-living programs, and Healthy Kids Day having been celebrated for 30 years only enhances those goals. We get to meet some of the nicest people at community events just like this, and we are already looking forward to next year’s event.