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'It's bittersweet': Seattle's Lumen Field vaccination clinic closes its doors

More than 100,000 Seattle-area residents received their COVID vaccines at the stadium.

SEATTLE — The "largest civilian-led vaccination clinic in the country," located in Seattle's Lumen Field Event Center, administered its last COVID-19 shot and closed its doors on Saturday.

The closure of the Lumen site was, in itself, a milestone for the city and for hundreds of thousands of Seattle-area residents who are now vaccinated.

102,414 vaccines total were given at the Lumen Field site alone since its inception in March and closure in June, according to public information officer Susan Stoltzfus, with 534 shots given Saturday, the last day.

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"This was one of the biggest moments in my life because we were able to save lives," said Philip Saunders, one of the coordinators at the Lumen site.

Saunders and a team of hundreds of volunteers at the Lumen clinic wrapped up the final day with cheers, hugs, tears, and left the sprawling venue with lasting memories.

"To see all this work to wind down now, to see the last person go through, it's bittersweet," Saunders said.

RELATED: Seattle is the first major US city to fully vaccinate 70% of residents 12 and up against COVID-19

Eduardo, the last person to walk through the clinic door, received his second shot on Saturday.

Saunders and the "Lumen Team," as they are called, rang a cowbell and cheered for Eduardo after his shot and presented him with a certificate of recognition.

Friendships were also made. Stephanie Davis, a nurse at Swedish Hospital, worked full time while also volunteering at the Lumen clinic.

"To be a part of history and just knowing we are getting people back to where we can start living normal lives," Davis said.

She met volunteer Patricia Elder and they became friends. Elder, who was named after her grandmother who died in the 1918 influenza pandemic, said she wanted to give back to the community. "I feel lke I can offer something and help," Elder said.

Seattle will continue to offer COVID vaccines at a drive-thru clinic on 6th Avenue in SoDo and at various pop-up clinics throughout the city.

On Wednesday, Mayor Jenny Durkan announced 70 percent of people living in Seattle are fully vaccinated, with 78 percent of its residents 12 and older receiving at least their first shot.

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