When the Cincinnati Reds came to play the Washington Nationals this week, Reds pitcher JJ Hoover visited more than just Nationals Stadium. During the short time he had in the DC area, JJ had two long visits with veterans and their families.
On Tuesday, JJ visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he met one-on-one with wounded veterans working out in the rec center. Afterwards, JJ had the chance to meet many more patients while taking a tour of the center’s facilities.
The next day, JJ invited families who were recipients of scholarships provided by ThanksUSA to join him at the ballpark before the game against the Nationals. JJ took valuable time to get to know the families, signing balls and taking pictures with them in the dugout and on the field, creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.
To make this possible, we worked with Thanks USA, a great organization that offers college, technical and vocational school need-based scholarships to the children and spouses of US military personnel. Learn more on the website here. We also thank Walter Reed Medical Center for their help coordinating the visit and making the visit possible.