PEP's Annual Super Bowl Party
Breaking with tradition, Project Enduring Pride, the Gary Sinse Foundation and New York Fire Department (NYFD) moved the annual Superbowl party off the main campus of Walter Reed Military Hospital, Bethesda. The party was hosted in part by the Montgomery Fire Department and the Chevy Chase-Bethesda Rescue Squad, and had the largest crowd for such an event to date.
Having been on the campus for more than 12 years and with the war in Afghanistan winding down (So the President said!!), NYFD , Gary Sinse Foundation; and PEP elected to seek another location and push to bring back the MEDCOM alumni served community. In 2016, the Superbowl Party gathered up some 184 residence and alumni for a truly awesome evening. Among the entertainers were “Captain John “Elvis” Woody of Charlotte, North Carolina Fire Service; the Redskinettes; and the cooking team headed by NY FF Danny Prince, Retired. FF Prince has been at every one of the Superbowl events at Walter Reed since 2004, when they began. FF Prince prepared the brisket of beef; ribs; and chicken for all. A special treat were Italian Sausage that was met with great expectations and the crowd was not let down.
Around 6 PM (EST), the coverage of the football game between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos went on air. Despite the crowd, the fire house room went silent. The match up was one of the hottest contested games of the last 50 years, several of the wounded said. Faces were on the movement of the players, flight of the ball when kicked or passed. By the time 11 PM rolled around, many a finger nail seemed to have been chewed down a bite and a wave of satisfaction passed around the room, “The ole man Paton Manning had lead the Bronco to a win”. And for the North Carolina fans, there is always next year!! However, I must warn all, this year will be hard to beat, this was the party.
