By RUTH STANLEY
Managing  Editor
   Heather Kauffman expected to wait in line to get H1N1 vaccines for her children, but she was surprised at where the line was when she joined it.
   Kauffman and her children, Maggie, 5, and Wyatt, 7, took their place in the line a little after 1 p.m. when it was just turning the corner at the intersection of Chauncey and Van Buren streets. The line for Thursday’s clinic stretched from inside the immunization clinic, through the Government Center and out the door down Line Street to Van Buren and down the block to the intersection of Chauncey where it turned back north.
   Officials estimate that approximately 650 people were in line at that point.
   “I can’t believe the line,” Kauffman said. “I knew we would have to wait, but I didn’t think we’d have to wait quite this long.”
   Many in the line were disappointed when officials announced, even before the clinic officially opened, that the amount of available vaccine would only reach those standing in line in front of the former Our Compliments building.
Lisa Sunderland, who, like many other parents, took her children out of school in hopes of getting them vaccinated, was disappointed after officials made their announcement, but she knew there was a chance they wouldn’t get their vaccines today.
   “When I got to Northern Heights, they said there was a huge line, but I thought we’d take a chance,” Sunderland said.
   Cathy Broxon-Ball, director of Whitley County Emergency Management, said that she has not seen any anger or outrage from those seeking to get a vaccine only to be turned away because of limited doses.
   “(I’ve seen) irritation not anger or outrage” she said. “Irritation because there is just not enough of the vaccine available to the public at this time, and that these people took their children out of school and themselves out of   work to get this vaccine only to be turned away.”
   Some residents had been waiting since morning for their chance to get the vaccine.
   Bobbie Nix and Mary Ann VanEmon had been in line since 11 a.m. awaiting vaccinations for their three school-age grandchildren.
   “I’m concerned our grandchildren will get the flu from either the school or the daycare they attend, and I want to make sure they are protected,” both grandmothers said.
   Thirty minutes and 30 people later, LaToshia Gilbert from Columbia City,  and her three children, ages four, six and nine, joined the line to ensure her children received the vaccine.
   “I’m worried about my children being exposed to the virus,” said Gilbert. “Better safe than sorry.”
   Tammy Schillace of Columbia City, who joined the line with her 8-year-old daughter, expressed concerns over the vaccination, but chose to get her daughter vaccinated anyway.
   “I want my daughter to be protected, but have concerns with the mist vaccination,” said Schillace. “It is my understanding the child could break out with a fever and be contagious for a few days. It would be nice if the community was more educated on this vaccine and had pamphlets to pass out while you are in line.”
   Kay Gatton from Collins brought her two boys, ages seven and 10 who attend Smith-Green Community Schools, to get vaccinated because of the virus going around the schools.
   “I brought my boys in today because there were about 20 students absent from the fifth grade at one point in SGCS,” said Gatton. “I want my boys protected, but I have heard things are starting to level off.”
   Broxon-Ball was not surprised by the turnout, saying that Whitley County Consolidated Schools had sent a letter out to parents and also used their automated phone-calling system to alert parents of the clinic.
   “We worked very hard to communicate  this opportunity to parents,” said Julie Turpin, Mary Raber principal.    “Parents are concerned, so it’s important for schools to get them the information they need so they can keep their kids healthy.”
   “We did it as a service,” said superintendent Dr. Laura Huffman. “Knowing we had the opportunity to use the dialer, we did.”
   As for Kauffman, she and her children moved up the line quickly when officials counted out where the amount of available vaccine would end. Kauffman opted to stay in line and take a chance that maybe there would still be some available when she got to the front.
   Her gamble paid off. At 4:47 p.m. Kauffman and her children left the clinic with both children vaccinated.
   “I’m very happy we got it,” Kauffman said.
   “I cannot express my thanks to the residents that showed up yesterday for this clinic at how patient they were with our process to get them through the line as effectively and efficiently as possible,” Broxon-Ball said. “The kids were very well behaved and the line as long as it was moved very smoothly.
   “We urge the Whitley County residents to be patient with our health department concerning the vaccine.  We get our vaccine from the state department of health and we are not sure when or how much we will be getting each week.  The entire country along with the world is requesting this vaccine from the manufacturers and they are sending what they can when they can. This was something that we were expecting, but not to this extent.”

Freelance writer Linda Hoskins contributed to this story. E-mail managing editor Ruth Stanley at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it