Children’s Inn Celebrates Christmas in July
Photo: Children's Inn at NIH
Photo: Children's Inn at NIH
Photo: Children's Inn at NIH
Photo: Children's Inn at NIH
The Children’s Inn at NIH brought a dose of holiday cheer in the heat of summer by welcoming Santa Claus and his motorcycle elves for its annual Christmas in July celebration.
On July 16, the NIH Police Department joined the Montgomery County Police Department to escort Santa’s motorcade through the county to the Inn. Once there, they picked up families and departed for a fun afternoon at the Rio Lakefront shopping center.
While at Rio, the families rode the carousel and then met officers for a “Shop with a Cop” event at Target. Each child received a gift card to shop for toys and other gifts. Each family was paired with an officer from Montgomery County. Many residents shopped not only for themselves but also for friends and family. Afterward, they ate dinner at Silver Diner and then enjoyed gelato pops for dessert.
The Inn is a residential “Place Like Home” for families with children, teens, and young adults participating in leading-edge research studies at the NIH Clinical Center. While the NIH takes care of the child’s medical needs, the Inn tends to the child’s heart, soul and spirit.