SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The 52nd Fighter Wing hosted its 31st Special Children's Day May 13, welcoming nearly 100 students with disabilities to Spangdahlem Air Base for an afternoon of activities alongside more than 170 Air Force volunteers.
Students arrived from the Hubertus Rader Education Center in Gerolstein and the Maria Gruenewald School in Wittlich and were met at the Eifel Powerhaus Fitness Center by their cheering hosts.
The two schools serve students ages 6 to 18 with learning disabilities, motor-skill challenges, and vision or hearing impairments. Each student was paired with an adult volunteer for the day’s events. The day unfolded a series of one-to-one and small-group interactions, with stations designed to flex around the abilities and comfort levels of each child.
“It’s amazing to see the excitement they have, being able to come on the base for maybe the first time,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Ashli Harris, 52nd Medical Group functional manager, who volunteered for the event. “We really enjoyed watching them having a blast and seeing that they enjoyed being here.”
The activity stations blended movement and engagement, each designed to be inclusive. At one station, volunteers hoisted a parachute overhead, forming a colorful dome as students on rolling boards zipped beneath it, circling their buddies before popping out the other side with wide grins.
At other stations the pace slowed, with quieter games, creative activities, and simple moments of side-by-side interaction that required nothing more than presence.
The variety reflected how the event has developed over three decades. Special Children's Day is not a performance put on for the students but an environment built around them, with volunteers encouraged to follow each child's lead.
An Airman kneeling to be at eye level with a student, a buddy adjusting pace without being asked, a group holding back the noise so one child could focus: those small adjustments were as much a part of the program as anything on the schedule, organizers said.
“As we gather to celebrate these children, I am reminded of the power of unity and the gift of giving,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Daniel Lindsey, 52nd Fighter Wing deputy commander. “Our volunteers (…) are the key to making this event happen.”
Some volunteers have made the event a personal commitment that goes well beyond a single year. U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jabari Loving, 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, was back for his sixth consecutive year, a streak that started early in his assignment at Spangdahlem and has continued through every rotation since.
“We are part of this community, and we take time to give back so they know we appreciate their support just as much as they appreciate ours in our day-to-day work,” Loving said. “Giving back to the kids means a lot to me.”
As the afternoon wound down, the stations quieted and students gathered with their buddies one last time. Each child received a keepsake medal before returning to the buses for the ride back home.
“Giving our time today is a meaningful way to say thank you to the local community that supports us,” Loving said.