Marcus Sherels, Boys & Girls Club of Rochester team up for COVID vaccine clinic

(ABC 6 News) – Rochester native and former Minnesota Viking Marcus Sherels is teaming up with the Boys & Girls Club of Rochester for a free COVID-19 vaccine clinic Saturday, February 5.

The Boys & Girls Club issued this press release Wednesday:

Rochester, MN, January 26 – Former Minnesota Viking Marcus Sherels will team up with Boys & Girls Club of Rochester on Saturday, February 5 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm to encourage our community to protect themselves and those around them from COVID-19.

A free drop-in vaccination clinic at Boys & Girls Club – that will also include giveaways and activities for kids – will feature the chance for photographs and autographs with Sherels, a Rochester native. The first 30 attendees who get a vaccine or booster at the event will receive an autographed NFL football.

The Minnesota Department of Health’s mobile clinic will offer 1st, 2nd, and Booster vaccines to individuals ages 5 and up. Registration is not required. Those under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to be vaccinated. “This is important because getting vaccinated can lower the risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. It can help protect you, your family, your friends and the people around you from serious illness and in some cases death,” Sherels said about the event.

Event highlights for those age 18 and over will be hourly giveaways and a prize drawing for an Apple iPad 10.2. Kids’ games and activities will be offered throughout the day. Attendees under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Robert Jacobson, Pediatrician, and Dr. James Hill, Internist, will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about the vaccine.

In addition to the vaccine event, a limited number of private, one-on-one virtual meetings to discuss vaccine concerns are available with Immunologist Dr. Azza Gadir. “I don’t make recommendations. I invite people to tell me where they’re at in the process and what their vaccine hesitations are,” says Dr. Gadir. To schedule a conversation with Dr. Gadir, please contact Boys & Girls Club of Rochester at info@bgclubroch.org or by calling 507-287-2300.

The event is made possible through funding from Boys & Girls Clubs of America in support of vaccine education. Marcus Sherels regularly gives his time to charitable organizations and says working with youth and giving back to the community is something he enjoys. The Rochester native attended John Marshall High School before walking on to the Minnesota Gophers football team. He went on to play 10 years for the Vikings. Sherels paired with fellow Vikings player Adam Thielen to bring an ETS Sports Performance Training to Rochester and co-owns Bin Cleaners.