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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Each year the amazing Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, PA hosts its annual "Boo at the Zoo" event in October, and this year was no exception. We were able to join the fun on site on Saturday, October 29 and it was a sensational day. Mother Nature was beyond kind to us, and everyone who came out to enjoy this fun day. We loved the temperature in the mid 60's and the bright sunshine we had all day.
Organizers encouraged participants to bring out their little ghouls and ghosts for this annual Halloween event as the entire Zoo gets transformed for a "kooky, spooky Halloween celebration." And that they did. This family-oriented event attracted hundreds of children and their families. It was such fun to see all the fun and unique costumes that came by to visit with us. Many of the moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas were also in costume, which made things extra fun.
If you haven't visited this beautiful little zoo, we encourage you to do so. The zoo's mission is to foster an appreciation for wildlife and the environment that will inspire active participation in conservation. It has been around for a long time -- since 1924, to be exact. Our hats off to the Norristown Zoological Society, which owns and operates this gem of a family-friendly destination embedded within the community. More than 100 species from around the world call Elmwood Park Zoo their home. This includes giraffes, zebras, bald and golden eagles, jaguars, red pandas, and so much more. It is definitely worth a visit.
Our staff had so much fun interacting with all the people who visited our tent, and we are already planning for our return to participate in this event once again in 2023.
Woodbury's annual Fall Fest Parade was delayed a week this year due to heavy rain, but the new date brought perfect weather for what is undoubtedly one of the town's largest events. This year's 2022 parade was the 72nd in its history, and it did not disappoint. Staff from our Woodbury center brought their smiles and friendly waves as they carried the Patient First banner along the parade route. The evening event began at the corner of Colonial Avenue and North Broad Street and continued to the corner of Carpenter and South Broad streets, lining the route with happy parade goers every step of the way.
Groups that participated in the parade stopped for performances in front of the Gloucester County Stage in front of Woodbury High School.
We enjoy being out in the community at events like this, and we are already anticipating what the 2023 event schedule will look like. We always value input from local folks who tip us off on events we can take part in, since interactions like this are so fun! Our schedule fills fast, however, so if you or someone you know has thoughts or ideas of where we might go next, please let us hear from you!
The 35th annual Celtic Classic, sponsored each year by the Celtic Cultural Alliance, returned to the streets of beautiful Historic Downtown Bethlehem, and Patient First was part of the fun again this year. We have enjoyed participating in this event for many years and join others in celebrating all things Celtic while we are there. That includes education, musical performances, and traditional competitions in athletics, piping and dance. Celtic refers to seven nations - Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, the Isle of Mann and Galicia.
The event drew competitors from all over the county, and visitors from all over as well. We participated in the closing day of this three-day event and the culmination of the "Highland Games" which has been described as the biggest competition that a professional men's Highland gamer can go to.
The day was full of plenty of men in kilts -- women and children, too. And even though we had a little afternoon rain on closing day, it surely didn't dampen anyone's spirits. Caber throwing was probably our most favorite featured activity of the event since we were set up in an area that gave us a front row view of the athletes in action. A caber looks like a telephone pole, but it's essentially a large, cleaned tree that ranges anywhere from 12 to 16 feet, and can weigh up to 160 pounds. It was just amazing to see men compete by flipping and turning over these large poles in the air.
What an incredibly fun day we had. Our congratulations to Jayne Ann Recker, executive director of the Celtic Cultural Alliance, and her team of volunteers who make this an outstanding experience for us, and all participants each year. We are already looking forward to our return in 2023!
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!