Healthy Connections and Ambetter from Arkansas Health & Wellness to Host Pro Football Hall of Famer Cliff Harris on Oct. 12 to Encourage Covid-19 Vaccination
Healthy Connections Community Health Network and Ambetter from Arkansas Health & Wellness will host Pro Football Hall of Famer, former Dallas Cowboy, and Arkansas native Cliff Harris on Tuesday, Oct. 12 to provide free vaccines and encourage vaccination against Covid-19.
The free vaccine event will take place all day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Healthy Connections clinic location at 3604 Central Ave., Suite D. Harris will visit from 3 to 4 p.m. to meet and greet community members who come by to receive their free COVID vaccine.
“It was important to me to get vaccinated to keep my friends and family safe,” said Harris, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year. “I hope others will join me in getting vaccinated for the people that count on them, and I look forward to meeting members of the community at Healthy Connections.”
Covid-19 vaccine (1st or 2nd dose) and flu vaccine will be available at no charge to patients. Walk-ins will be accepted, or patients can register for a specific appointment time by calling 888-710-8220.
“Vaccination is the free, easy, and safe way to protect yourself and those closest to you from Covid-19, which is why we’ve worked so hard to vaccinate our community,” said Tony Calandro, CEO at Healthy Connections. “We’re pleased to have Cliff Harris to promote awareness of the vaccine and the protection it offers all of us.”
“The best action we can take to keep our communities safe from Covid-19 is to get vaccinated,” said John Ryan, President and CEO, Ambetter from Arkansas Health & Wellness. “Providing access to vaccines is a top priority of ours, and we’re grateful to have Cliff Harris with us to support these efforts and ensure a healthier community.”
Harris was born in Fayetteville and played at Hot Springs and Des Arc high schools. He played at Ouachita Baptist University before signing as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys and was nicknamed “Captain Crash” by his teammates for his punishing hits and reckless pursuit of ball carriers. The Cowboys ranked in the top 10 in defense every year with him in the lineup.
He played in five Super Bowls, six Pro Bowls, and was named All-Pro four times. He retired in 1980.
Harris was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020 but had his enshrinement postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions. He’s also a member of the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor and a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Healthy Connections is a Mena-based Community Health Network with locations throughout southwest and central Arkansas. Since its founding as a home-visiting program in 1998, Healthy Connections has been able to provide much-needed health, dental, behavioral health, and social services to families of every lifestyle. Services include primary care/family medicine, specialty services including cardiology, podiatry, and women’s health, My Kids Pediatric Clinic, Evolve Behavioral Health Services and Medication Management, Health For Life Clinic, Healthy Families Arkansas Polk and Garland counties, and more. Learn more about Healthy Connections at www.healthy-connections.org.
Healthy Connections clinics are offering Monoclonal Antibody Treatment at all locations. Clinics are also offering regular Covid-19 testing (results same day), and Covid-19 vaccines for free. Learn more at www.gettestedfree.com.