United Way seeks volunteers for mass vaccination event this weekend and beyond
United Way of Thurston County is seeking volunteers to help staff a mass vaccination site at South Puget Sound Community College this weekend.
Volunteers can select from 72 shifts through a sign-up website administered by United Way. If all shifts are taken, volunteers also can sign up via the United Way website to be on a contact list for future vaccine events, executive director Chris Wells told The Olympian.
“What we really need are people who can volunteer, not just one shift one day, but ‘Could you maybe volunteer, a shift every week or two?’” Wells said. “That would keep us from having to recruit and train new volunteers every single time.”
Shifts include helping with set-up, reception, traffic control, vaccine runner, vaccine card writer and take-down.
The vaccination site will be open Friday through Monday, but United Way is seeking volunteers through Sunday, according to the sign-up page. Thurston County Public Health and Social Services is hosting the event, which will focus select days on certain populations.
The county will focus on vaccinating older adults and senior citizens on Friday, said health department spokesperson Magen Johnson, while Saturday will be reserved for educators and child-care workers.
She said Sunday and Monday will be open to anyone currently eligible in Phase 1B Tier 1, which includes people 65 and older, those 50 and older living in multigenerational households, K-12 educators and licensed child care workers.
Eligible volunteers must be at least 18 years old and able to work on their feet for multiple hours, Wells said. All volunteers also must pass background checks and receive training for their specific duties.
“We wouldn’t expect somebody to volunteer if they were part of an extremely vulnerable population who is at high risk if they’re infected with the virus,” Wells said. “If you’re healthy enough to be on your feet for several hours, if you can make sure that you’re available to volunteer for the entire shift that you sign up for, that’s about it.”
Wells said United Way helped organize about 70 volunteers for a clinic last Friday at the Thurston County Fairgrounds. Among the volunteers was Laurie Tebo, chief executive officer at Behavioral Health Resources. Tebo said she was able to be vaccinated early and felt moved by the experience.
“Volunteering to help others was a way to give back,” Tebo said. “Car after car of eager people came through, and they were so grateful. Some cried, most were extremely thrilled to get protection from COVID, which has controlled our lives for over a year now.”
Johnson said volunteers may be eligible for any unclaimed vaccine doses that remain at the end of the day they attend. However, she added no volunteer is guaranteed a vaccine.
Those seeking vaccinations can make appointsments at vaccination events and local providers through the state’s FindYourPhaseWA.org website.
Thurston PHSS Department Director Schelli Slaughter said 20% of the allocation PHSS receives will be reserved for people who lack internet access or have difficulty scheduling an appointment online.
Such people can call the Department of Health vaccine hotline at 888-856-5816 or the Thurston County public health line at 360-867-2610 for information on vaccine availability.
