Granville Homes will be hosting a COVID vaccine clinic, free and open to the public, on Friday afternoon and evening.

The event will run from 5- 8 p.m. offering free food and entertainment with the goal of encouraging Fresno residents to help stop the spread of COVID.

It will be held at Granville Homes’ conference center at 1368 W. Herndon Ave. (near the Fruit Ave. intersection).

Granville Homes a Resource For Free Vaccinations

“The goal is to get as many people in our community vaccinated as quickly as possible,” said Parker. “As COVID continues to surge here locally in Fresno County and throughout the world, we all need to do our part to end this pandemic,” said Veronique Parker, the company’s assistant communications manager.

Granville Homes President and CEO Darius Assemi said that he would like to encourage everyone who is eligible for the COVID vaccine to get the shot, and to help spread the word to their friends and family members who may still be hesitant.

“I know too many people who didn’t take COVID seriously until it directly affected them or their loved ones,” said Assemi. “I don’t know anyone who regrets getting vaccinated – it breaks my heart to see so much suffering in our Valley, especially needless suffering that might have been prevented by getting a shot.”

(Assemi is the publisher of GV Wire.)

How Will Vaccines be Administered?

The Fresno County Department of Public Health is partnering with the local homebuilder to offer the vaccinations, according to Nicole Ozburn, Granville Homes’ human resources director.

Providers from UCSF will be on hand to administer both the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Walk-ups are welcome and pre-registration will not be required.

Both vaccines will be available to anyone over the age of 12. Those under 18 will have to be accompanied by a parent.

Ozburn says that if the event is a success, Granville may host future vaccination clinics.

Granville Homes Will Offer Free Food and Entertainment

Ozburn said she met with FCDPH and UCSF officials to come up with ideas and incentives that would draw people to the event.

“We decided some sort of food and music were good ways to get people excited about attending,” she said.

The health department coordinated with community partners to canvas the area and invite people to attend while Granville’s marketing team developed a social media campaign, and posted flyers and posters in the hopes of reaching a wider audience.

Kona Ice will be giving free shaved ice to anyone who gets vaccinated while the Big Elk acoustic band will be on hand to provide live music.

Vaccination Data in Fresno County

Data from FCDPH shows 52.8% of Fresno County residents have been vaccinated.

In a recent media briefing, health department manager Joe Prado said his agency is continuing to offer vaccinations through mobile sites and has received requests from area school districts.

“We are seeing a lot of people access the traditional pharmacies for COVID vaccines and accessing our mobile units,” said Prado. “When we do our mobile units, we get a good uptick on that was well.”

Sponsors and partners of Friday’s event include Granville Homes, UCSF Fresno, the County of Fresno, COVID-19 Equity Project, Reading and Beyond, AMOR, UFW Foundation, Kona Ice, Healthy Fresno County and Big Elk Acoustic.