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Health & Fitness

Soccer Stars are "Houseguests" of Rockville Retirement Community

A unique pro soccer 'booster' club is forming under the roof of Ingleside at King Farm. Two Canadian soccer players will make our home theirs this season!

Diana Matheson and Robyn Gayle, star players on the Washington Spirit, DC’s new professional women’s soccer team, are the newest residents at Ingleside at King Farm. Our continuing care retirement community is offering them complimentary housing as a community service. But, we feel that our members will get the better end of the hospitality!

Teammates on Canada’s bronze medal-winning 2012 Olympic soccer team, the 20-something athletes will be sharing a two-bedroom suite at our retirement community for the Spirit’s season. The unique housing situation solves a common dilemma for professional women athletes who often struggle to find affordable housing on their modest salaries.

“This is a win-win for the athletes and for our community who will enjoy several intergenerational events we’re planning during their stay,” says Marilyn Leist, Ingleside at King Farm’s executive director. “The hospitality we extend to these young women is also an important part of fulfilling our social accountability as a not-for-profit organization.”

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Steve Gurney, publisher and founder of Guide to Retirement Living SourceBook, engineered the match. The housing opportunity arose when Spirit general manager Chris Hummer told Gurney that he was finding it difficult locating affordable housing for athletes joining his team.  Gurney was familiar with an Ohio retirement community which successfully hosted a professional baseball player.

Gurney, connected Hummer with Ingleside at King Farm, who eagerly extended the invitation to the young players.

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“Rallying behind a team can bring diverse people together and give them a common cause,” says Gurney, who hopes the pairing of athletes with the retirement living industry will become a strong trend. “Now, sports stars are helping to unite generations—inspiring fans and benefiting from strong communities.”

Ingleside at King Farm is a not-for-profit, continuing care retirement community that holds the needs and wants of its members front and center. The community offers a signature cultural arts program and offers amenities that appeal to the community’s intelligent, informed and engaged members. When the needs or situations of members change, a full continuum of care is available on site. Visit our website, inglesidekingfarm.org.

Two upcoming events are open to prospective residents and their family. On Tuesday, April 16, 11:00am-1:30pm, join us for Lunch and Discover Ingleside. On Thursday, April 25, 1:00pm-3:00pm, a lecture on the Financial Viability of Ingleside at King Farm will be held. Contact Christen at 240-499-019, to RSVP to one or both events.

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