ROANOKE, Va. – Local health leaders expressed their gratitude to the unsung heroes of the COVID vaccine effort in the Roanoke Valley.
Leaders from the local health department and Carilion held a special ceremony during the general population clinic at the Berglund Center on Wednesday.
They awarded special challenge coins to members of the National Guard who have assisted with the clinics.
[National Guardsmen named unsung heroes of Roanoke vaccine clinics]
“It’s humbling. It’s nice to be recognized, but that’s what we do. We’re here to partner with the localities and provide the support that they need and so it’s good to see that we’re doing and actually executing the things that the locality needs,” said Lt. Col. Juanita Rohler, task force commander with the National Guard.
Dozens of National Guardsmen have been assisting with every step of the process since the end of February, including escorting vulnerable patients in and out of the vaccination site.