Sabers celebrate St. Martin's Special Children's Day Published July 28, 2015 By Senior Airman Sarah Denewellis 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The 52nd Fighter Wing hosted nearly 100 children from local area schools to participate in St. Martin's Special Children's Day at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, July 22. The annual event offers special-needs children an opportunity to play games in a safe and open environment with the base community. "This has been a major event for both the schools and the 52nd FW," said U.S. Air Force Col. Joe McFall, 52nd FW commander. "The purpose of today's Special Children's Day is to further enhance community relations by providing a day similar to the Special Olympics where children of the St. Martin's School in Bitburg and the DoDDS schools participate in a day of games, food, and fun with the Spangdahlem Air Base community." Approximately 170 volunteers led by the 52nd Civil Engineer Squadron assisted the children in the event, which marked the 23rd annual endeavor of its kind since 1992. "It is the ongoing engagements with our German counterparts and community such as this that forge the lasting friendships we have today," said U.S. Air Force Col. Drysdale Hernandez, 52nd Mission Support Group commander.