Giraffes Steal the Show as Health First Medicare Advantage Members Celebrate Wellness on Perfect Zoo Day
By Space Coast Daily // February 26, 2026
400 Health First Health Plans Medicare Advantage members gather at Brevard Zoo
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – On a picture-perfect Florida morning, when the breeze felt just right and the sun showed a little restraint, over 400 Health First Health Plans Medicare Advantage members gathered at the Brevard Zoo for a day that blended wellness, wildlife, and community.
It was a calm, comfortable day to wander shaded paths and linger at exhibits. If you happened to be a lion stretched across a shady platform, it was the perfect afternoon to let the gentle breeze run through your mane while you took a nap.
Members checked in near the entrance, where they were greeted by Health First Health Plans team members and handed their purple Health First tote bags along with calendars and snacks.
After a few hellos and quick catchups with familiar faces, they were off, fanning out along the shaded paths to begin their day. By late morning, the giraffe platform was packed.
For Health First Health Plans Medicare Advantage member Barbara Jo Brackett of West Melbourne, this marked her third-year attending.
“I just enjoy it. It’s really nice and relaxing and you can just converse with everybody, you know, it’s fun.”
Brackett has been with Health First Health Plans nearly 11 years and says her experience with the plan keeps her coming back, both to events and for her coverage.
“I’ve been with Health First Health Plans almost 11 years, and I’ve had the best service. I can’t complain at all. It’s been great.”
She added, “It just seems to me like the plan fits my needs right now and like I said, everybody’s just been great and I just had surgery on my leg last month. Everybody at the center [Health First Medical Group – Gateway] was super, absolutely super, from the doctors to the nurses to the end.”
Just weeks after surgery, she was back on her feet at the zoo, smiling as she spoke about one of her favorite animals at Brevard Zoo.
“I like the giraffes,” she said. She is not alone.
Throughout the morning, members clustered shoulder to shoulder at the giraffe platform, laughing as the towering animals stretched their long necks toward the feeding area eager for pieces of lettuce.
Health First Health Plans Medicare Advantage member, Robert Nelson of Palm Bay said he has attended before and continues to look forward to the outing.
“I’m enjoying it,” he said. His favorite part of the day was simple. “Watching the giraffes.”
Nelson said he appreciates seeing a variety of animals. “Just seeing all the different animals since I’m a Floridian, I like to see, you know, all the animals,” he said, adding with a laugh, “Yeah, something besides the gators.”
The zoo event is one he never misses, and he also enjoys the movie theater event each year.
Beyond the fun, Nelson said, “I just love Health First Health Plans though. I like the way they tie everything together between the different doctors and everything, so that’s really been a good thing for me.”
For Jamie Forrest, interim president and chief operating officer for Health First Health Plans, that sense of connection is exactly the point of gatherings like this.
“It’s about focusing on their wellness and wellness is more than their health. It’s their ability to come out and enjoy the nice weather and be with friends and other members, it’s the socialization part of it,” she said.
She said part of what makes the event meaningful is the chance to enjoy a community gem together. “We’re really blessed to have the Brevard Zoo right here in our backyard and there’s a calming aspect to being outdoors and enjoying the animals.”
Watching the giraffes never gets old for her either.
“I think the giraffes are one of my favorites,” Forrest said. “I think they’re just so magnificent. I’m in awe when they come out.”
Looking ahead, she said 2026 will bring even more ways for members to connect, including bowling, bingo, and many other engaging events.
“Bowling is a new one this year and I’m a closet bowler,” Forrest said with a laugh.
“There’s a competitive side of me that likes to go with the family and bowl. I’m not very good at it but I like the challenge of bowling,” she said.
For Forrest, being face to face with members reinforces the mission behind the plan.
“I think what differentiates the health plan and how we care for our members is our members are our neighbors, our family members, and our friends. It helps us really bring back the purpose of what we do,” she said.
“When we process a claim, when we process an enrollment form, it’s a lot more than just doing those acts. It’s about helping someone else. There’s a human aspect to it, so I think being at the events is a nice reminder and we’re lucky that we get to be here in the community and see our members. It really makes a difference in the passion that I and all the other team members bring.”
As the afternoon unfolded, members continued strolling the shaded paths, purple tote bags in hand, pausing at lions, jaguars, and meerkats. Yet time and again, the crowd drifted back to the giraffe platform.
On a day when the breeze cooperated and the animals seemed especially relaxed, wellness looked less like a checklist and more like conversation, laughter, and over 400 neighbors enjoying something special together.
