Ready for Some Football
Families from The Inn enjoy VIP treatment with both the Ravens and the Commanders
As America settles in for the kickoff to the 2025 season, the families at The Children’s Inn at NIH are already ready for some football. This summer the Baltimore Ravens and the Washington Commanders both hosted Inn families for special events that whetted the appetite of young fans and created some new ones among families who had never seen football before.
In early August, a bus full of families from The Inn pulled into the Under Armour Performance Center in Owings Mills, the training facility of the Baltimore Ravens. Joining the throng of Ravens fans on hand for that day’s practice, families were provided with VIP access to watch training camp. Players and coaches warmed up just feet away, giving many young fans their first experience up close and personal with NFL players.
After practice ended, several Ravens came over to sign autographs and pose for pictures with the group from The Inn. Players like Derrick Henry and Roquan Smith, All-Pro performers among the most fearsome in the NFL when lined up on the other side of the ball, were all smiles as they greeted families and made connections with the kids they towered over. Head coach John Harbaugh came over to talk and thank The Inn for coming before speaking to the media.
A few weeks later, the Commanders welcomed The Inn for their preseason game against the Ravens at Northwest Stadium in Landover. The contingent of families at the game was treated to a suite, where they could watch in climate-controlled comfort while enjoying access to food and drinks and comfortable seating.
Just before halftime, a representative of the Commanders came to escort Emily, a nine-year-old who has been at The Inn receiving treatment for aplastic anemia for nearly three years, down to the field. She served as the team’s Kickoff Kid of the Game, meeting the cheerleading squad and running out onto the field after the kickoff to open the second half.
“We are lucky to have two great organizations nearby who have welcomed our families this summer,” said Kristin Arabian, The Inn’s Family Program Operations Manager. “Both the Ravens and the Commanders created once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that I know our families will never forget, and now we are excited to watch them on the field this fall!”
