November 5, 2011
Thanks to the generosity of Denise Medved, founder of the Metropoltian Cooking and Entertaining Show, 125 donors and Inn friends had the opportunity to meet Celebrity Chef Paula Deen November 5. The two-day Show included 600 vendors, as well as The Inn's booth, where staff and volunteers promoted The Inn's mission as well as our kitchen renovation project. About 25,000 attended the weekend event. Inn guests enjoyed a cooking demonstration with Paula Deen in the Celebrity Chef Theater and a small, private reception where Inn board member and award-winning journalist Cokie Roberts interviewed the Chef extraordinaire. The highlight: Paula Deen pledging to help stock The Inn's kitchens.

"The kitchen brings such comfort," Paula says to Cokie. "At the end of the day, it gives you a chance to heal."

 
Monday, September 5, 2011
The 1st Annual Uptown Deli Matzo Ball Eating Contest was held on Labor Day. While matzo ball eating contests are not new, event organizer Howard Wasserman said that his contest was the first in the DC area and featured his own special matzo ball recipe that has been in his family for generations. Mr. Wasserman said, “There’s no question that my matzo ball is by far the best around.” Former WHFS radio personality and current weekday morning host on WTGB-FM (94.7 “The Globe”) John "Weasel" Gilbert was one of the judges at the competition. Up to 5 contestants had 8 minutes to see who could eat the most matzo balls. (Professional competitive eating champ Joey Chestnut once ate 78 matzos in 8 minutes!) All proceeds from the event were donated to The Children’s Inn!
 
Monday, June 6, 2011
More than 30 foursomes took part in The Children's Inn at NIH Golf INNvitational at Lakewood Country Club on June 6. The 4th annual tournament began with lunch on Lakewood's beautiful outdoor terrace, followed by a shotgun start, on-the-course competitions, and plenty of fun. After a full round of golf, attendees enjoyed cocktails and hor d'oeuvres while participating in a silent auction and raffle before dinner. The event concluded with WUSA9 Now medical reporter Anita Brikman as emcee for the evening auction.

Former Inn resident Eric Esarte from Canada participated in the day's events, bringing his twin brother and a friend from home to join in on the fun. "This was the third time I've played in The Children's Inn Golf INNvitational and it was a great day as usual...a great day for a great cause," he says. "The Children's Inn made a really tough time for me and my family a lot easier!"

The beautiful weather provided the perfect setting for a full day of entertainment and support of The Inn's mission. With the event raising over $170,000 for The Children's Inn, it was the most successful INNvitational to date!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

After returning to The Inn from the April 7th “The Children are the Stars” gala, sponsored by
AFCEA Bethesda, Inn residents and new friends Ashley Appell, 24, and Karly Koch, 15, stood under the "stars" inside The Inn¹s main hallway.

Karly helped Ashley, who is legally blind, read the names of the dozens of donors engraved on the colorful stars that hang from the ceiling. “We wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the fact that The Inn came as a Godsend through these generous gifts memorialized in stars,” Ashley wrote in a letter with her mother’s help. “We read almost every name hanging on the wall, extending to them a thought of gratitude for helping to keep us smiling through the tough days.”

Ashley and Karly, along with their families, sat together at the gala, sponsored by the Armed Forces, Communications and Electronics Association, which raised more than $600,000 for The Inn. 

Ashley Sings “The Impossible Dream”
Ashley and her boyfriend Mervin, who share the same rare genetic disease, performed for the 900 people gathered at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in downtown Washington, DC. Ashley, who started voice lessons as a child to help increase her lung capacity, sang “The Impossible Dream,” accompanied by Mervin on his saxophone. Ashley¹s mother, Donna, spoke about Ashley¹s disorder, Hermansky Pudlak Syndrome, and their nearly 20-year history at the National Institutes of Health.

Karly's Art is a Winner
Karly, who also struggles with a rare disorder, was one of the winners ofthe AFCEA art contest and stood next to her winning canvas at the silent auction. She explained to a rapt crowd the benefits of staying at The Inn. “At least that night we got to extend a song of thanks to our donors,” wrote Ashley. “On behalf of all the 10,000 families who have stayed at The Inn, thank you for making thousands of Impossible Dreams a reality.”

Thanks to our generous sponsors: Diamond level: Sapient Government Services; Gold level: Booz Allen Hamilton, General Dynamics, Guerra Kiviat, Inc. and Microsoft; Silver level: iMC, Intel, L3, Stratis, SAIC; VIP Reception: Deloitte, GOVPLACE, Jacobs.