10/30/09

By Rachel Azevedo

Cars lined up bumper to bumper Friday morning for the drive thru flu clinic held at Partners In Care in northeast Bend. A half hour before the clinic was set to begin, about two dozen cars snaked through the parking lot and down the street, prompting the clinic to begin 15 minutes early.

"Well I thought it would be a good idea to be early because I knew there was a limited number of flu shots. I got here before nine, sort of accidentally, but after I got here and realized people were here already, it seemed like a good idea," said Linda Dupree.

She was the first person in line to get vaccinated for the seasonal flu. She came here after being told by her doctor's office she wouldn't be able to get a flu shot until November. Dupree also came to this clinic last year, but for others, a drive thru vaccine was a first.

Partners In Care only had a hundred vaccines. Friday's clinic saw many seniors come though. One woman drove her elderly parents from LaPine.

"We brought them here because we heard there were vaccines available, and they're in need of it," said Bonnie Peterson.

A volunteer advertising the clinic from the street corner took his sign down about an hour into it.

"To cut the flow down because cars were backing up and we didn't want a traffic problem," said Don VanDusen.

Volunteers began turning folks away an hour and a half after the clinic started.

"We were planning to come at ten, but he was on the phone with the unemployment office, and that takes a long time," said Vickie Peterson.