More than 500 people attended the 6th Annual KEENFest dinner and silent auction held Wednesday, Nov. 1 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, raising in excess of $135,000 to support the sports and recreation programs for kids and young adults with disabilities provided by KEEN (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now), a nonprofit based in Bethesda.
“The support from the community has been tremendous,” said KEENFest co-chair Estee Portnoy, a Potomac resident. “Since KEEN provides all of its services entirely free of charge to families and caregivers, we couldn’t operate without their generosity.”
KEEN pairs a trained volunteer with each of its “athletes,” one-to-one, for activities such as basketball, swimming, tennis, bowling and music. KEEN serves more than 200 athletes in the Greater D.C. area, with programs in Montgomery County, Southeast D.C. and Northern Virginia.