{"id":28330,"date":"2021-11-17T15:47:12","date_gmt":"2021-11-17T23:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sop.washington.edu\/?p=28330"},"modified":"2025-12-22T11:36:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T19:36:08","slug":"commitment-to-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staff.washington.edu\/twentzel\/wordpress\/commitment-to-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Commitment To Community"},"content":{"rendered":"

Katterman\u2019s Pharmacy immunizes hundreds of children against COVID-19.<\/h3>\n

\"Child
\nEven a cold, rainy November morning in Seattle can\u2019t dampen the enthusiasm of volunteers on hand at Katterman\u2019s Pharmacy for its inaugural pediatric COVID immunization clinic. According to Katterman\u2019s co-owner and UWSOP alumna Bev Schaefer <\/strong>\u201870, the event showcases both the strength of local volunteerism and how integral neighborhood pharmacies are to the health and success of the communities they serve.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something that has a huge effect on our community and really enhances the ability for people to recognize that pharmacy plays a vital role in staying healthy,\u201d she said. \u201cTo pull this off requires an army of volunteers and a lot of planning. Luckily, we recruited students from the UW School of Pharmacy, retired physicians, neighbors and parents \u2013 it\u2019s a wonderful event.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the line of parents and children stretching around the block well before the clinic\u2019s 9 a.m. opening is any indication, all that effort paid off in spades.\"Vaccine\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re expecting about 350 kids coming through,\u201d said Katterman\u2019s pharmacist Lisa Garza. \u201cWe\u2019re very experienced in vaccinating children of all ages, so when the COVID vaccine for kids was announced, we knew we had to have it available here. The sooner we can get kids vaccinated, the sooner families can go enjoy the holidays, the sooner schools will be safer.”<\/p>\n

In an effort to ease any anxieties for both children and parents, Bev and her team have created a welcoming environment, complete with a bevy of lollipops for the successfully vaccinated and a purple \u201cbadge of courage\u201d that reads \u201cReady To Hug Grandparents! \u2013 I Got Vaccinated.\u201d\"candy\"<\/p>\n

Operation Immunization, an initiative UWSOP Clinical Professor Don Downing<\/strong> helped pioneer as a training program for students to provide vaccines to local communities, also played a part in Sunday\u2019s festivities. First-year Pharmacy student Zoe Amaris<\/strong> was among the first batch of volunteers on hand to help prepare vaccines and witness the initial wave of satisfied customers trot out the door fully vaccinated with lollipops in hand. Zoe was inspired to volunteer for the clinic due to her background and interest in process development.<\/p>\n

\"Zoe
UWSOP volunteer and first-year student, Zoe Amaris. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cBefore attending UW, I was working in pharmaceutical development, so it\u2019s great to see the manufacturing side come into practice in terms of application and giving vaccine doses to patients,\u201d she said. \u201cJust seeing kids being able to get their vaccinations \u2013 that\u2019s really awesome. I\u2019m so happy to help and give back to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n