Kelsie Vick, second from left, poses with her friends Josh Braden, Mimi Nsanzimana, and Kyle Thornhill before the start of the Nationals-Mets baseball game at Nationals Stadium in Washington, D.C., July 4, 2010. Kelsie has relocated 10 times with her Army family. (USO photo)
Last Saturday we gave you an exclusive preview of the new program for military kids called “Me and a Friend.” A collaboration between the Washington Nationals and USO of Metropolitan DC resulted in this unique program, which provided nearly 4,000 free tickets for Sunday’s home game at Nationals Park. The program was created in consultation with the Department of Defense as a way to say thanks for the sacrifices made by military kids, and will continue throughout the remainder of the baseball season.
Teens, especially, find that heading out to a baseball game with friends can make a big difference in normalizing their experience as a member of a military family. ”A lot of times, teens just can’t find anything to do,” as Josh Braden explained to Lisa Daniel of American Forces Press Service. ”The focus is just on clubs and stuff. So this is a good thing to do to keep kids out of trouble.” Braden attended the game with his friend Kelsie Vick, a recent graduate of Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Va., who has relocated 10 times with her Army family.
Didn’t make it out to Sunday’s game? No problem! There’s still plenty of time to participate in “Me and a Friend” this summer. To check ticket availability for the July 11 game against the Giants please use USO-Metro’s TicketLine program. All tickets must be picked up at the USO office at 228 McNair Road, Bldg 405 Fort Myer, Va., 22211. And check out more pics below!
Military Kids run the bases as the Rushmore Four cheer them on at the July 4, 2010 Washington Nationals home game against the New York Mets. (USO photo)
Two recipients of the "Me and a Friend" tickets took time out of watching the game to write a Major League thank you note to Washington Nationals players on July 4, 2010. (USO photo)
The Nationals Park billboard gave a special shout out to USO of Metropolitan Washington and all of the military kids, their friends, and their families in attendance at the game. (USO photo)
What a great thing ya’all did for those younsters;I’m a military brat;Dad retired as a full bird Col.;wish there had been things like this when my twin and I were growing up.. Kudos to you all.
I am currently deployed and my job involves travelling to many bases in the AOR. I very much appreciate the internet access the USO provides at the various locations – it’s a great way to stay connected with family and friends!
This is awesome! And…..we love the Washington Nationals! However, when the USO is not offering the tickets—like for the Aug 29th Game, for example, it’s hard to find out information about WHERE to get the tickets……….
Good initiative and article to keep kids out of trouble. Its a passion of mine and I have built my own blog around it. Keep up the great work.
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