Children, parents and Soldiers gathered in Davison Army Airfield's Lakota Hangar Saturday for a special occasion.
It was the first Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita Support Inc event in the mid-Atlantic region.
AMCI sponsored the event, in conjunction with 12th Aviation Battalion.
Families came from five different states, including Virginia and from as far away as New York. They all had one thing in common. Someone they knew suffered or suffers from the arthrogryposis multiplex congenita disorder.
CWO2 Shai Bardfield, Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Unit pilot; and his wife, Christal, organized the event. Their son, Stetson, suffers from AMC. The event allowed for them to be around families in similar situations.
About 100 people filled the hangar and enjoyed donated goods from vendors such as Pizza Hut and Coca-Cola.
Children and parents sat in the cockpits of Black Hawk and Lakota helicopters as pilots from the 12th Avn. Bn. shared their knowledge of the rotary-wing aircraft. Belvoir's fire department displayed its trucks and there were a number of additional activities for children.
"How can you top this?" Christal Bardfield rhetorically pondered. She and her husband thought the event was a huge success and plan to do it again next year.
Though Saturday's event wasn't a national conference, Ani Samargian, AMCSI founder, called the Lakota hangar a spectacular location.
"It was a no brainer," said Lt. Col. Reed Erickson, battalion commander for the 12th Aviation Unit, speaking of the event's location.
Erickson was approached by Shai Bardfield about using the hangar. Erickson was aware of the AMC disorder through Shai Bardfield's son and Erickson didn't hesitate to gain permission to use the hangar from OSAA Commander Col. Laurence Howl.
"It's good to see we're not short on people who want to pitch in and make the day special CWO3 Demetrio Castro, Charlie Company 12th Aviation Unit, pilot, was one of several servicemembers volunteering at the event.
He said the few hours he and the other Soldiers gave "can affect a child's life ... Just because you have a disability, it doesn't mean your life is over. You can keep going," Castro said.
Chris Hartwick, graphic designer for Bob Jones University in South Carolina, was one of the many people who have been diagnosed with AMC who attended the airfield's event. He contracted the disorder at birth.
Hartwick didn't allow his physical condition to control his life. At age 42, he lives on his own and is very skilled at painting. Unlike many talented artists, though, Hartwick uses his mouth. He put the talent on display by giving children body paintings during the event.
He owes his independence to his parents, who allowed him to learn how to live with AMC without the constant assistance of others.
Hartwick encourages parents raising children with AMC to do the same.
"Don't shelter them a lot, let them learn and see if they can do things," Hartwick said.
"There's no such thing as disabled. There's differently-abled," said Christal
Bardfield.
She hopes that Hartwick's story inspires the children at the event to live life to the fullest.
"These kids," Christal said, "can do anything."
AMC is a group of non-progressive conditions characterized by multiple joint contractures, or stiff joints, and abnormal muscle development throughout the body at birth. The exact cause of AMC is unknown. Samargian started AMCSI in 2005 as an online support group.
It has grown into a non-profit organization that has had six national conferences in as many states. Samargian estimated that 700 people attended the last one in Kansas, Missouri.
Visit http://www.amcsupport.org/ for more information on AMC.
Social Sharing