WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - When the West Sacramento City Council found out that the number of vaccinated people in the 95605 area code was far less than anywhere else in the county, they decided to do everything they could to make the vaccine easily accessible. Health experts say that it is much easier to get people to show up to some kind of event, and to have the vaccine available, than it is to just have a vaccination clinic. With this in mind, Mayor Martha Guerrero and the rest of the city council have been doing their best to make sure that vaccines are offered as often as possible.

Councilwoman Quirina Orozco had another thought in mind. Quirina started making phone calls and before long organizations began to volunteer to be a part of Sunday’s Fall Festival, held at Bryte Park.  There was booth after booth, sponsored by the vast number of resources available in West Sacramento. Most of the booths had some kind of game or activity for the kids to do. There was face painting, gunnysack races, three-legged races and lots and lots of give-a-ways.

County Supervisor, Oscar Villegas cooked and gave away 500 hotdogs. Music was playing and there were Superheroes and Princesses walking around, taking pictures and teaching the children that they all have a superhero inside of them. Everyone that got vaccinated received 2 River Cats tickets, all while Quirina was announcing winner after winner of $25 and $50 gift cards from Walmart, Target and Grocery Outlet. It was a great time, on a beautiful day. And it was all free

Yolo Food Bank had bags of groceries available to anyone who wanted them, Yolo County Children’s Alliance gave away free diapers and other needed items. Best of all, everyone was smiling! Quirina said “Today was exactly why I ran. It’s one thing to sit in a meeting and vote on things; it’s another to celebrate local heroes, but celebrating the community and all of its diversity where everyone openly comes together is why I love this community so much!”

Quirina is quick to say that this event was such a huge success because of all of the people that were a part of it, in whatever part that was. “It was just a great day!” she said. The following organizations collaborated in order to bring this together; Elite Sound for the music; Matt Hargrove; Yolo Board of Supervisors – namely Oscar Villegas and Gary Sandy.

In addition, the Yolo Food Bank, Waste Management, League of Heroes Inspired, Yolo County Children’s Alliance, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, Councilmember Orozco, Habitat for Humanity, BBCAN, Washington Unified School District, Girl Scouts Heart of Central Calif., RCDC, Home Run/City of West Sac, Bryte Culinary program, Northern California Construction Training, Elkhorn PTO, Boy Scouts, Lighthouse Charter School, Parks and Rec, Nugget, Grocery Outlet, Whimsy and Wishes, Peggy Bell – Children’s action team, River City Democrats, Broderick Love, Luis the Paletero, Blyue Rose Dance Project.

These organizations came together in a big way, for a lot of people. Last but certainly not least, Quirina would like to thank her children Alexis, Erika and Noa for running the face painting and other booths. Only around 20 people got vaccinated, but that 20 more than were yesterday and the goal is just to keep everyone healthy.