My First All-nighter since College!
When the large vaccination spots started ramping up in Arizona, I received an email from a good friend offering volunteer opportunities through Friends of Blue Cross/Blue Shield. At first I didn’t pay much attention to it but after a couple of weeks I decided to sign up as a volunteer, knowing full well that volunteers get the vaccination shot at the end of their shift. However, my procrastination led me to their waiting list as all slots were filled. I completed the online form and said that I was available at any time for any shift on any day, thinking that if I couldn’t work the shift offered I could always turn down the opportunity. About a week later, I received an email that volunteers were needed to work the overnight (10:00 PM – 6:00 AM) shifts on Monday and Tuesday, January 25th and 26th. I didn’t have anything pressing on my calendar for Tuesday morning so I signed up for the Monday night shift. For those who know me well or have spent any time with me socially, you might be aware that I have a quite unbecoming habit of falling asleep very early (most weeknights I am in bed around 8:45)…the unbecoming part is when I fade on a weekend social evening anywhere/anytime/in any company. My family was quite dubious that I would be able to stay awake and complete my responsibilities. I did not let them deter me…and on Monday night, January 25th, I volunteered at the State Farm (Cardinals) Stadium COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic.
It had rained all day Monday and the rain was expected to continue throughout the night. Temperatures were in the mid-40’s (that is wickedly cold for us softies from AZ) and expected to bottom out in the mid-30’s overnight. After an afternoon nap, I had dinner with my family. I then put on many warm layers, ski pants, hiking boots (closest to snow shoes/boots I had), a scarf and hat, gloves and the warmest jacket I own. I drank a large cup of coffee at 8:15 and headed out to the stadium where I was to report at 9:15.
I checked in and was told to immediately return to my car to “shelter in place” as we were experiencing a lightning delay and the entire site was shut down for a bit. After about 20 minutes they sounded a horn to call us all back and I was given my assignment…I was going to be checking people in on the iPad in one of the eight check-in lanes.
While we were getting our assignments I noticed a young man wearing a “KU” knit hat. I gave him a “Rock Chalk!” shout and he smiled and replied “Jayhawk!” I explained that my daughter was a senior at Kansas and one of our sons will be attending there as a freshman next year. He said that he graduated in 2017. We reminisced over our favorite eateries and bars and he asked me if I ever heard of the Bar Band…I excitedly said, “I LOVE the BAR BAND!” The Bar Band is a group of students who travel from bar to bar in Lawrence and entertain people with songs played on their marching band instruments. It is a very old tradition in Lawrence…well this young man was in the bar band! I felt like I was meeting one of my rock star idols…was a funny story to start the night. We snapped a picture and I put in my “Family” text thread explaining that one of my co-volunteers was a real live bar band alumni of KU! Earned major street cred with my kids—what dad doesn’t love that? This was my first “small world” story of the night.
I had a 15-minute training session with the volunteer finishing the prior shift and I was ready to go. There were four of us in our pod. We briefly introduced ourselves and started checking people in. Each car had an “appointment verification number” that was originally written on their windshield in a dry-erase marker but the rain soon changed that system to a note card inside the car/on the dashboard. Once we saw that number, we entered those numbers into the iPad and the person’s information would appear. We would ask a few screening questions and complete the check-in process and move them on to the vaccination line where they would line up to receive the shot (from a volunteer who was an actual health care professional). The main thing we had to find out during check-in was if the person had any type of blood disorder or was on blood thinners…if so, we tied a ribbon around their driver side mirror and the medical professionals did their thing once they were there.
There was quite a bottle-neck of cars in the check-in lanes due to the lightning delay; the vaccination lines also were quite thick so we were told to hold up until the vaccination lines were at 2-3 cars in each lane (down from 8-10). Once the lines got moving it was a very fluid process. The rain was coming down in every direction (was windy too) and keeping the iPad dry and functional was a challenge. I wasn’t bothered by the cold or the rain at all other than trying to keep the iPad working…I was very well prepared for the elements. Eventually we got people going to where we could do all of our checking in under the pop-up tents which kept us (and the iPads) somewhat dry.
Two of the people in my “pod” were mother/daughter. We were all bundled up and wearing masks so no one was very distinguishable other than by what they were wearing. I started making small-talk with the daughter as she was wearing a BROWN University jacket under her yellow volunteer vest and I asked if she went there. She said she graduated recently with a Finance major and was now working at Wellington Management in Boston but was working from her mother’s house in Phoenix during Covid (and went on to tell me that Wellington was a money management firm). I told her I was a financial advisor and knew of the company. Her mother then chimed in that she was a recently retired financial advisor as well. When I asked where she worked she said, “Morgan Stanley.” I told her I was at Smith Barney for 16 years just prior to their merger with Morgan Stanley and she said that she was too. I looked harder and immediately realized that I not only knew this woman (and her daughter who I recall was elementary school age when I knew her) but she literally sat in the office across the hall from me for a few years at Smith Barney! We had been working this shift for about two hours before this conversation took place. We re-exchanged more familiar hellos and caught up on family, friends and colleagues as we worked. It is indeed a crazy, small world!
The people getting vaccinated were unbelievably patient and grateful to all who were making this operation run. It was invigorating to feel like I was being a small part of the solution to this problem that has rocked our world for the last year…and there was a great sense of comradery throughout all of the volunteers as we all felt we were in this battle together.
At one point when I was verifying an address for a car of four 75+ year olds, I realized that I recognized the address as being in the same complex as one of our winter visitor clients who I have known for 20+ years. I told them I knew that address and asked if they were friendly with the client and they excitedly answered how much they enjoy them (that is one common thread of Weiss Wealth Strategy clients…you all are incredibly nice!)…this was small world story #3. It was amazing what good spirits some people were in at 2:00 AM!
I found it inspiring that the FEMA and Blue Cross teams onsite were focused on getting as many folks vaccinated as possible—with no dose wasted. It was not a perfect process, but I can say that there was no dose wasted.
The only time I felt tired all night was when I was told to take a break. I went into the volunteer break tent, sat for a few minutes and had a cup of coffee. I met a young man from Israel during the break. He had moved to the valley recently. He worked for PayPal in Tel Aviv and moved to run a team at their office in Scottsdale. I asked if he had discovered the JCC yet and he said he had one daughter in preschool there and another who was on the junior swim team. I told him of my long time involvement as a lay-leader volunteer there and we had a great connection. My fatigue started kicking in and I didn’t want to doze off as my new Israeli friend was talking to me so I told him I needed to move around so I didn’t fall asleep. We went back to our posts and I continued to check in people. The lines of cars were steady throughout the night. The Arizona Department of Health has done a good job of making appointments available around the clock.
Around 4:30 AM or so the lines got much busier, but we were operating like a finely tuned machine. We volunteers were very experienced at our tasks by now and were directing traffic with authority. As the rain slowed to a mild drizzle, the feeling of hope permeated throughout the site. The sensation that we were all rowing the boat simultaneously like a veteran crew team is a feeling I will not soon forget.
At 5:45 AM, the new volunteers came along to get trained and take over for us. A petite woman was assigned to me and I explained the check-in process, then walked her through a live example. I then handed her the iPad and told her she was doing the next one and I would be there to help. She did just fine and said that she was good to go and I was free to leave. As I was saying goodbye, she said, “Are you Gary?” I again looked harder at her eyes (the only thing I could see as we were all still bundled and masked) and realized it was an old friend from U of A who I have known in the community for the last 30 years…we haven’t seen each other much as we were both busy raising families but it was another incredible small world story!
I checked out, turned in my yellow vest and got my paperwork to get in line with the other cars for my vaccination. I whipped through the line with little delay…10 minutes or so until I got to the vaccination station. I quickly got my shot…they really move fast—didn’t even have time to look away before the needle was in and out! I pulled forward to wait the required 15 minutes to make sure that I had no reaction. I was given my appointment date for the second dose and the 15 minutes were up and I was off to drive back home by 6:30 AM. I even made it through the workday without a nap! Tuesday was a celebratory birthday dinner at our house and I made it until 8:00 PM before excusing myself and making my way to bed (it was after cake/candles and everyone understood). I don’t know that I have ever fallen asleep faster...I think I was out by the time my head hit the pillow!
I know this was not true community service, as there was a nice reward at the end, but it was one of the coolest, most rewarding things I have ever experienced. I would encourage anyone who is able to volunteer…you can sign up HERE.
-Gary Weiss, March 2021
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