University Serves Community at Vaccination Clinic

SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga University faculty, staff and administrators are stepping up to serve the Spokane community during the COVID-19 pandemic after the University accepted an invitation by CHAS Health to use the Martin Centre Fieldhouse to safely and efficiently distribute vaccine to its patients.

Gonzaga has hosted two vaccination center sessions — Feb. 26 through March 2 and March 4-6 — and will host a third from March 15-16 and March 22-23. In the first two sessions, 513 volunteers, mostly faculty and staff, devoted more than 5,500 hours in various roles to the effort by non-clinical volunteers to help vaccinate an estimated 7,261 people.

Nearly two dozen Gonzaga employees volunteered for more than one shift of between 4-5 hours. Several Jesuits volunteered, as well. GU student nurses helped administer the vaccinations, along with volunteer student nurses from Washington State University’s College of Nursing.

CHAS Health is a nonprofit, federally qualified health center that provides high-quality health care services to families and individuals of all ages throughout the Inland Northwest.

 

Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh said the University embraced the chance to “live out our mission of being people for and with others who are committed to social justice and service for the common good.”

Gonzaga hopes to have additional opportunities to serve the community in this manner as the University has applied through the state Department of Health to become a point of distribution for the COVID-19 vaccine and receive doses directly from the state. 

“We are deeply grateful to everyone on campus whose extra efforts enable us to embrace this opportunity to partner with local health providers to care for the people of our community,” President McCulloh noted in a message to the GU community. “This is a critical time for our community and our country. Swift and efficient delivery of vaccinations is a key component of driving infection rates downward and preventing more precious lives from being lost. Thank you for your support, cooperation, and understanding in doing our part to help the people who need it most.”

“CHAS Health is appreciative of the Gonzaga University community for supporting our efforts to vaccinate patients against COVID-19,” noted Beth Ring, CHAS Health’s chief operating officer.