When paraprofessional Mike Feasby heard that it might take a while to get his COVID-19 vaccine through the school he started looking into quicker options. He came up empty-handed until noticing a Facebook post from a friend who teaches at Spring Lake High School stating she had received her first dose. 

Feasby shot her a message and just like that he knew how to get one too. 

Feasby sat down and secured his appointment at 6 a.m. the morning following his conversation with his friend. It was at this instant that he decided he was going to tell as many people as he could how to get an appointment, whether they wanted the vaccine or not. 

“I started shooting the link for these people to get it, and then they started shooting back, ‘Got my appointment on this day!’, and it just kind of spread,” Feasby said. “Then all of a sudden I got people that were emailing me saying, ‘Heard you’re the person to get the link to get the appointment!’ and I just started sharing it with anybody that wanted it.” 

He shared that his personal comfort level with the current COVID-19 situation has been low which has caused him to be more uptight than usual. Feasby figures that if he’s uncomfortable and wants life to go back to normal, others might as well. 

This is why helping others has brought him some peace of mind. 

“It feels good because I think the more people that are vaccinated, the better it’s gonna be, so that’s why it has been my goal to spread the word,” Feasby said. 

English teacher Abby Williams was one of the staff members included in Feasby’s emails. Shortly after receiving it, she was able to schedule an appointment for both her and her husband at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s in Grand Rapids. 

The process to schedule an appointment is relatively simple, but it can be tricky to get the timing right. 

The Mercy Health website displays available time slots, the problem is  these spots go quick which makes it difficult to secure a time. This is the process that Feasby used and shared with others. However, the situation is constantly changing and it’s important to note that these steps might change at any moment. 

“We clicked on the link and we had to fill in basic information,” Williams said, “We had to say we were teachers and then set the appointment. When we got to the actual appointment, they asked where we work. Other than that, there were no other questions.”

Williams was excited to receive the vaccine. Like Feasby, she believes that the vaccination is a step in the right direction

“I trust the scientists who are working on it,” Williams said. “It just seems like this is hope. I am a Type One diabetic. That adds another level of fear on top of being a teacher and having that exposure so I was more than ready to get it. ”

Feasby’s desire to help was also the catalyst that led attendance secretary Cindy

Baker to schedule an appointment.

Due to the lack of available appointments, Baker was nervous that she would not be able to receive the vaccine but was thrilled when she heard there were openings.

“I heard through a paraprofessional in the building that they had appointments available at Mercy Health in Muskegon,” Baker said. “I got online and I managed to get appointments for both my husband and myself very quickly.”

Baker looks forward to a world with fewer COVID-19 restrictions. She hopes the vaccine will provide a safe transition into a new norm.

“I know that our normal will never be the same old normal that we had but hopefully we’ll have a new normal where everyone will be able to hug each other again and be with each other again,” Baker said. “I haven’t touched any of my grandchildren or my children since March 13 so I’m ready for some hugs, I’m ready to squeeze them.”