By Megan Loock

Neriah Jones moved to Annapolis four years ago from Georgia, where she was close to the water.

In Annapolis, the teenager said, she does not typically spend time near the water, opting to go to the mall. This summer she, along with around 25 other young people, went to Patriot Point on the Eastern Shore as part of a program that brings city children to the outdoor retreat for the day.

“The experience I have [at Patriot Point] ... [I get to] just see more things [and] just adventure more often,” she said.

Annapolis children started venturing up to Patriot Point about five years ago. Located on the outskirts of Dorchester County, the 294-acre property opened in 2017 and is owned by the Military Bowl Foundation, a nonprofit for veterans known for the annual football game held at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in December.

The organization suggested the annual day trip, according to Kevin Simmons, director of the Office of Emergency Management. Everything the children may need during the day, excluding transportation to and from the property, is provided by Patriot Point, according to Nicole Torres, spokesperson for OEM, which collaborates with the Annapolis Police Department to bring children to Patriot Point every summer.

With 2.3 miles of shoreline, the facility typically hosts about 500 people per year and holds both recreational and clinical retreats for military members and their families, according to Steve Beck, president and executive director of the Military Bowl Foundation. Golf simulators, kayaking and clay target shooting are some of the activities available.

The waterfront is on a Chesapeake Bay tributary. The terrain encompasses a small beach and a wooded and grassy area. On average, about 25 children are brought to Patriot Point every year.

Brittany Diaz, 10, has been twice and her favorite activity is paddleboarding because she likes to play in the water.

“Annapolis is 7 square miles, and in that seven square miles is 40,000 people. It’s not lot of ballfields or football fields or tennis courts and all of those things. So, when you live in some of these public housing communities, you may have a basketball court somewhere, and baseball diamonds are harder to find. So, your experiences tend to be limited.

“A lot of these kids may have opportunities for a summer camp and all, but nothing on the scale that Patriot Point for the Military Bowl exposes them to. So, these are new opportunities,” Simmons said.

When Stephanie Moon was offered a chance to manage Patriot Point, she knew that should be the next step for her and her family.

In April, Moon completed a yoga session as a meditation instructor for Operation Red Wings, a nonprofit dedicated to reintegrating members of the military into civilian life, at Patriot Point. Nearly two months later, she received a call from the now-former managers, Joy and Hugh Middleton, asking if she and her husband would like to take over operations.

William Moon, Stephanie’s husband and co-manager of the facility, is a former Navy Seal and Army helicopter pilot.

“It’s a calling, it’s fate, there’s a reason why we are here,” he said. “I’m not a farmer. I’m not a duck hunter ... but to be able to give back to my brothers and sisters who need it the most, I can think of no higher honor.”

For the Moons, their mission will always be helping wounded and ill service members. But having children “in a place that is already magical” brings “a different kind of energy into the space. They bring new life into the place,” Stephanie said.