Patient First in the Community

The Devon Horse Show has been held in late May through early June in Devon, PA since 1896. It is both the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed horse competition in the United States. It is also directly across the street from Patient First's Devon center location. Since we opened our Devon location several years back, we have had a great relationship with the Horse Show organizers and staff, which we have appreciated so much.

It is great to be a part of such a prestigious organization, and once again, we were the presenting sponsor for the "Itty Bitty Hat Parade" on the final day of the show, which was also Children's Day. At the event, children decorate hats as a crafting activity, and then they participate in a parade around the fairgrounds. It is such a fun and adorable event, and it has been organized by the same delightful lady and her daughter since we first came on board. It's an excellent event hosted by excellent people, and this year did not disappoint!

Miss Pennsylvania 2022 event appeared at the event this year and she, too, participated in the parade to the delight of all the children who strutted their stuff in the beautiful and creative new hats that they had just decorated. It was a perfect weather day, the crowd was huge, and we are already looking forward to returning next year.

It may have been over 46 years since Star Wars hit the silver screen, but the cultural impact of that sci-fi blockbuster saga is clearly alive and well generations later, as the Bowie Baysox held its annual Star Wars Night Saturday, June 3rd, at Prince George's Stadium.

As part of our partnership with the Orioles' AA affiliate, our Patient First table was set up right outside the First Aid station during this, one of the team's most well-attended games of the year, as the Baysox took on the Harrisburg Senators.

There were professional cosplayers on hand for photos with the fans, many of whom came in costumes of their own. In addition, there were Star Wars themed events in between innings featuring music and video presentations, and light saber duels.

Our table was well-received by the fans, who told us wonderful things about our centers, our services, and our staff. The patients we spoke to came from as far north as Aberdeen and as far south as Waldorf.

Unfortunately, the Force was not with the Baysox that night, as the team lost 13-4. But the score was quickly forgotten, as kids were allowed to run the bases after the game, and the night culminated in a spectacular fireworks show set to John Williams' iconic themes.

We still have a few games left to attend in this year's partnership with the Baysox, but this is by far one of the most fun to attend, and we look forward to our next outing with the club!

Mayfair Festival of the Arts has been held in Allentown, PA for more than 30 years, but this was Patient First's first appearance at this big Lehigh Valley event. We are sure glad we joined the Friday night opening festivities for this multi-day Memorial Day weekend event this year! It was held on the beautiful Cedar Crest College campus, which is a nationally registered arboretum with more than 150 kinds of trees. Allentown's West End was filled with fun, funky music and international food and what made our experience there even more fun was the proximity of the college to our Allentown center -- almost walking distance!

We couldn't have asked for better weather for opening night to kick off the event and the holiday weekend. There were all kinds of fun, family-friendly activities staged all over the campus for people of all ages to enjoy. Food trucks, craft vendors, artists, and two stages for music and live performances were among the highlights of the event. Of course, our Patient First tent was a popular stop for event goers, as well.

The line for our free blood pressure checks kept a steady clip all evening, and we had some amazing conversations with people from all over the Lehigh Valley and beyond. Of course our swag was a big hit, too, as it always is.

The planners of this event couldn't have been more organized, helpful, or accommodating, and we hope our schedule will permit returning in 2024 to participate once again!

After a 5-year hiatus, the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Power of the Pines Air Show and Open House weekend returned May 20 and 21, 2023, and Patient First participated for the first time in this enormous two-day event.

Although Mother Nature didn't cooperate on the first day of the Show and brought us rain all day, cancelling all flights, the inclement weather didn't dampen the spirits of event goers who came out to enjoy all of the ground features of the event. The second day of the event made up for it with perfect weather and a huge crowd. Estimated attendance over both days was 150,000+ people!

The show kicked off with a performance by the U.S, Army Parachute Team, also known at the Golden Knights. It featured members of the New Jersey Army National Guard, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army and Massachusetts National Guard, who flew a variety of planes including tankers, transports and airlift aircrafts.

The event also featured demonstration of the Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team, as well as the Warbird Thunder team, which specialized in competitive aerobatics. Multiple aircraft and military vehicles were displayed on the grounds, many of which people were free to climb in and on.

Organizers hope things are now back on track for an "every other year" event. Next year's event will be at the military installation in Dover, Delaware and it will return to South Jersey in 2025. Patient First was well received at this event and we are looking forward to returning to the Joint Base for this event in 2025, and other events there in the future as our schedule permits.

The Dominion Energy Riverrock Festival returned to downtown Richmond for a weekend of action-packed fun! Held on Brown's Island, the festival celebrates the great outdoors while displaying some of the city's most scenic landmarks and natural resources.

Over 1,000 people signed up to participate in a number of events, including bike trail races, kayaking, paddle boarding, slack lining, rock climbing, boulder smashing, and so much more! This year, Patient First enjoyed the festival from a prime location in front of the air dogs show. This was filled with riveting acts from dogs all over, who literally leapt at the opportunity to strut their stuff. The crowds cheered on the pups in amazement! The energy was great, and there was a lot of excitement surrounding this multi-day festival that brought out more than 100,000 people. 

Patient First truly enjoyed participating in this festival, and we look forward to seeing you all next year!

This year marked the 9th anniversary for people to cruise on in for this annual car show in downtown Wayne, PA.

Patient First has participated in the event several times over the years, and it has become one of our favorites near our Devon center. As a sponsor, we have enjoyed interacting with the local community, and the many others who traveled from out of the area to enjoy a fun-filled day.

Originally slated for Saturday, April 30, inclement weather prevailed and the event was moved to it's May 7th rain date. This was such a great call, since Mother Nature smiled upon us and delivered a beautiful day with bright sunshine and temperatures in the mid-70s. Large crowds came out to enjoy the day, and all of the new, antique, classic and custom cars, trucks and motorcycles that were on display on two streets in Wayne. In addition to the many vendors, there was entertainment of all sorts, food and beverages, prizes and more for the whole family to enjoy.

Radnor Township organizes this event with the Wayne Business Association each year. Tammy Cohen, our primary contact person for the event, was once again amazing to work with prior to, and during the big event.

We were happy to provide many free blood pressure checks for folks who visited with us at our Patient First tent, and we were excited that people made a point of telling us about their positive experiences at not just our Devon center, but many of our other centers as well!

The energy and excitement of the promise of spring was felt in the heart of Towson this past weekend, as tens of thousands of people turned out for the annual rite that is the Towson Spring Fest! 

Every year, this event draws throngs of people who take part in the sights, sounds, smells, and taste experiences that make up this two-day event. Once again, Patient First was proud to participate in the fun, and our tent was visited by a vast number of people (and their pets) who told us wonderful stories of their experiences at our centers, and walked away with our treasure trove of promotional items. One of the most frequent refrains heard from those who came by was, "Your table gives away the best stuff!" 

In addition to the over 100 vendors that lined the streets of this six-block block party, there were musical acts and dance troop performances showcased on two stages, a petting zoo, carnival rides, and a wide variety of foods spanning the culinary culture of the globe. Mercifully, unlike past years, the weather for this year's festival could not have been nicer. The Spring Fest is one of the largest events that Patient First participates in in the Baltimore area, and it is also one of the most fun! We always look forward to being a part of it, and we certainly look forward to the fun in 2024!

For the very first time Patient First was excited to partner with St. Catherine's School for their annual Daisy Days spring carnival.  With over 40 years of continued success and a favorable forecast, we were definitely in for a treat.  Daisy Days was originally created to bring the community and alumni together, and that's exactly what they did.  The Saturday festivities kicked off with multiple dance performances by K-4th graders.  These performances definitely drew in the crowds.  Once that concluded, the kids were free to roam about the campus and explore the games, activity stations, vendors and food trucks.  Patient First was happy to host the M*A*S*H tent.  Several students approached the tent asking to be wrapped in bandages and gauze and garnished with lots of fake blood. 

Thanks to our wonderful event staff and an awesome group of volunteers, this event was very enjoyable for everyone.   Patient First would like to thank the amazing folks at St. Catherine's for having us this year.  We look forward to seeing you all next year!

The 2023 edition of the Woodbury Relays marked its 49th anniversary this year, and Patient First was part of the big day as an event sponsor. We have supported this fun, high profile event in the past, but things felt much bigger this year. More than 4,000 athletes from across New Jersey gathered, along with their families and friends, at Woodbury's Junior-Senior High School on April 22, 2023 for this year's event. Runners in South Jersey are always excited about the Relays event each year; and organizers have it running flawlessly, with lots of activity from start to finish. It has become the highlight of nearly every South Jersey runner's program schedule, since it is one of the most historic track meets in the tri-state area. It's a big deal; gold watches are even awarded to the winners!

We enjoyed being on site for this event, where we offered free blood pressure checks, and talked about our services with those who stopped by our tent. Our Woodbury and Cherry Hill, NJ centers in particular received big shout outs from the many happy patients who visited, and told us how much they appreciate all that the providers and medical staff in our centers do. It also was fun for us to receive acknowledgement and thanks from so many local folks for our sponsorship of the "Patient First Scholar Athlete of the Week" at Woodbury's high school-- the venue for this huge relay event.

Even though it was a bit windy, Mother Nature was kind to us and brought us a mild, warm weather event day, which made everyone very happy. We are excited to continue to follow the amazing athletes who participated in this event; and, we hope to return again next year.

Patient First was excited to team up with the city of Newport News for the second annual Outdoor Enthusiast event.  After a very successful first time event in 2022, there was a lot of anticipation about what 2023 may bring. Held at Newport News Park, this showcased one of the area's many municipal parks.  With live entertainment, fun activities and games, the day was an exciting celebration of the great outdoors.  Canoeing and kayaking were available for free at the reservoir.  There was also zip lining, an obstacle course, rock climbing and laser tag, all scattered throughout the park.  Live entertainment included a DJ, a gator show and lumberjack show.  The only thing missing was the sun! Unfortunately, the event was forced to end early due to inclement weather.  However, we had lots of fun while it lasted!

Patient First would like to thank the city of Newport News for organizing such a great event.  We look forward to joining you again next year!