Operation Safe: Road to Recovery

Shanna Adamic

Executive Director, Cerner Charitable Foundation

“Thank you for giving us hope.”

A patient said that to me at the first Operation Safe vaccination clinic, and the sentiment has been echoed by countless others throughout the 12 weeks, 32 clinics and nearly 100,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered since.

Operation Safe launched in February as a high-throughput mass vaccination site at Cerner’s World Headquarters lead by a unique coalition of Cerner, North Kansas City Hospital, Liberty Hospital, Clay County Public Health Center and surrounding municipalities. The coalition’s shared goal was to safely vaccinate as many Missourians as possible and serve as a bridge clinic until vaccines could be widely available in retail pharmacies.

The community-minded spirit on display at Operation Safe inspired us all. Each dose was a shot of hope for our community and proof that a group of people can make a difference. One memory that stands out to me is the celebration we had when the 50,000^th dose was administered. The moment was made even more poignant when I realized the milestone recipient was Ms. Mabery, a staff member from my Liberty High School days. So many connections were made at Operation Safe between community members separated for a year by pandemic restrictions—or people like Ms. Mabery and I who hadn’t seen each other in much longer. Many patients shared their excitement for seeing grandchildren for the first time in a year and exchanging long-awaited hugs.

Operation Safe patients were guided every step of the way by dedicated volunteers. Whether directing traffic, registering patients, administering vaccines or sanitizing the recovery area, volunteers powered every component of Operation Safe. Led by the Cerner Charitable Foundation team, volunteers from Cerner, coalition partner organizations, and the community worked together to deliver hope and ensure a world-class patient experience for all.

On behalf of Cerner Charitable Foundation, thank you to the 4,250 volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to this mass vaccination initiative. It’s been my honor to be a part of this initiative and see the collective power of our dedicated volunteers. The hope and relief delivered to vaccine recipients eager to end the pandemic is immeasurable.

Below you’ll see a list of the volunteers from the Operation Safe clinics at Cerner’s World Headquarters.