Let it be known the Mayflower doesn’t just pack in visitors these days for tours of the 8th floor.

About 750 Federal IT types (about a fifth from government itself) crowded in Saturday night for Bethesda AFCEA’s 10th annual NIH Children’s Inn Gala, chaired this year by Guerra Kiviat’s Rob Guerra. It’s as compelling a cause as they come:  funding a residence on NIH property for families of out-of-town kids with serious illnesses to stay during treatment.

Since it costs $93 a night to host a family there, the $400k raised goes a long way. The crowd rose as one to sing happy birthday to a 10-year old current patient who has 53 back tumors and came to thank them. 

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