Proverbs 3:27 says, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it.”

We all have the power to say good words and show our appreciation. Crisp & Dooly County Health Departments are definitely due some good words. In fact Chick-fil-A should be a little bit envious of them.

On Thursday, February 18, I went to the Cordele Farmers Market for my second Covid vaccination. What I experienced was a flawless delivery as the Health Department vaccinated 1,248 individuals.

A few days before my appointment, I received a text reminder. I also received a phone call reminder from someone with the Health Department.

Thursday was cold and rainy as I turned into the Cordele Farmers Market. Sheriff Billy Hancock’s deputies were there to guide the traffic through the vaccination line.

Even in the rain and wearing masks, I could still see the deputies’ smiles. They stood at strategic locations and directed incoming traffic through the lanes of traffic cones.

A deputy along the path pointed me toward the end of one of the covered sheds. One of the Public Health employees, or maybe it was a volunteer, told me to pull into lane 13.

It looked like there were 15 lanes and every one had two or three cars in line. As I drove forward, a Public Health employee handed me a form to complete and give to the staff ahead.

While sitting in the car, I filled out the form. The line steadily progressed. The nurse at the station took my form and asked me which arm.

She asked the routine questions and gave the injection. I asked her how many vaccinations she had given today.

She said that she could not keep count but they were prepared to give 1,800 that day. When she finished she asked me to pull into the parking area ahead and wait 15 minutes.

They wanted to be sure that there was no adverse reaction. While I was waiting, volunteers and Public Health personnel walked through the parking lot to be readily available.

I never left the car. I never got wet. My window was not down long enough to get cold. There was no confusion. Traffic moved smoothly through the whole process. Most of all, everyone was friendly and cheerful, even on a cold, rainy morning.

Crisp and Dooly County can be very proud of our employees at the Public Health Department. We can include Sheriff Billy Hancock and his deputies, and volunteers, which included students from Crisp and Dooly County Schools.

The planning, logistics, and delivery of the Covid19 vaccine was a flawless operation. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but it seemed like I heard someone say as I left, “It was my pleasure to serve you.”

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