BUFFALO, N.Y. — When presented with an opportunity to help her community during the pandemic, Willa Arnet took a chance. Since January, Willa has been helping with vaccine distribution at UB’s South Campus
"Early January. I got a text out of the blue asking, 'Would you be interested in working in the vaccine clinic?'" she told On Your Side's Karys Belger.
"I started there the first weekend that they opened and I’ve been there almost every weekend."
I started there the first weekend that they opened and I’ve been there almost every weekend.
"I actually go to Hopewell Baptist Church and I work with the health ministry there."
The Health Ministry at Hopewell Baptist Church was created by Pastor Dennis Lee Jr. he says Willa’s involvement already made a difference and it meant the congregation was prepared when the pandemic came to Western New York.
"People had a lot of information going into the COVID", Pastor Lee Jr. told 2 On Your Side's Karys Belger.
"Most of our members that I know of already received a vaccination I believe because of the health information we had prior."
That information came from Willa, and she continued to talk to people in her congregation and her community about ways to stay healthy during the pandemic and what they should know about the vaccine. For her, the reward is the increasing number of people asking for help and the progress people make when they take her advice.
"You can see that they actually listen and they trust you and they actually carry out what the plan they prepared is."