NEWS: HORIZONS Gives Back
Extending the Art of Hospitality to Covenant Mass Vaccination Clinics
Saginaw, Mich., April 21, 2021 – When you think of the “Art of Hospitality,” hundreds of people lining up for a vaccine in a venue known for hosting weddings, business and community events is likely not what comes to mind. But since January 21, HORIZONS Conference Center in Saginaw has welcomed thousands of members of the community to Covenant HealthCare COVID-19 vaccination clinics on Thursdays.
“The Art of Hospitality is about welcoming our guests and creating a unique and memorable experience and that spirit is infused in everything we do at HORIZONS,” said Pete Shaheen, president of HORIZONS. “We’re pleased to provide our facility free of charge so that Covenant can vaccinate as many people as possible. And we are truly honored to be part of this extremely important public health effort. It’s also fitting to use our venue for this purpose because COVID is really the reason it’s available.”
HORIZONS is providing more than 15,000 square feet of flexible event space for the Thursday clinics. For most of the past 25 years, the 11 venues within the 40,000 square-foot facility would be humming with a steady flow of business and community meetings and events. However, since mid-March of 2020, HORIZONS has largely sat empty.
“Covenant’s goal has always been to vaccinate as many eligible people in the community as quickly as possible,” said Rebecca Lavrack, Performance Improvement Manager, Covenant HealthCare. “To accomplish this, we knew we would have to have a large space that was convenient for our community to access. We reached out to HORIZONS late one Wednesday evening in January. The very next morning, we were doing a walk-through of the facility; one week later, Covenant hosted the community’s first mass vaccination clinic at HORIZONS. Nearly 2,000 people came through for that first clinic, but we’ve been doing between 2,500 and 3,500 doses each Thursday ever since.”
Lavrack added that the ample parking space at HORIZONS combined with separate entrances and exits allows for a safe flow of traffic on clinic days. “We are extremely grateful to Pete Shaheen, Kiron Choudri and the rest of the HORIZONS team for welcoming us each week,” she said. “HORIZONS has been amazing since the first minute we contacted them – and the customer service here is beyond compare. The collaborative efforts of HORIZONS, the Saginaw Township Police Department and Mobile Medical Response, have allowed us to provide over 22,000 vaccines to our community.”
“It’s good to see our parking lot filled with cars again,” said Shaheen. “It signals that we are moving in the direction of a return to business – and life – as usual.”
Vaccination Inquiries
Covenant HealthCare COVID-19 vaccination clinics, including those held at HORIZONS, are now open to anyone in the community age 16 and older. Minors must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Quick and easy scheduling is now available online, with occasional walk-in opportunities.
Anyone who needs assistance scheduling can call (989) 583-3180 Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm.
Additional details and links can be found at www.covenanthealthcare.com/covidvaccine.
For additional vaccination resources, including a list of additional clinics throughout Saginaw County, visit the Saginaw County Health Department website or contact your healthcare provider.
