Andrew Hutinger was beaming as he climbed out of the No. 14 race car Sunday at Apple Creek Farm at Centertown.
Hutinger and about 200 other adults with disabilities had the chance to check out race cars, take a helicopter tour and meet local first responders at the annual Sheltered Workshop Picnic.
Reid Millard, who sits on the board of Capitol Projects, has been hosting the picnic at Apple Creek Farm for the past 28 years. Adults and children with disabilities are invited to hang out, play bingo and yard games, visit the petting zoo, sing karaoke, compete in a fishing tournament and explore the farm's offerings.
It's an opportunity for a community to gather, said Krystal Stephens, a mentor with Missouri Mentor who brought some of her clients.
"I love everything about it," she said. "I like how they interact with everybody else in the community. I like how they mix everybody together and make everybody feel special."
Millard has been hosting the picnic since his first year on the board of Capitol Projects, a sheltered workshop with a goal of employing adults with disabilities.
The free picnic was open to anyone this year and it was the first time the event returned after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Millard said he likes providing the opportunity for people to get out and about.
"This is a good year," he said. "Sometimes we'll have up in the neighborhood of 300, but this is the first year after COVID and really adults with disabilities were hit pretty hard with COVID. We've had a lot of them pass away because of health issues."
Cole County EMT and Sheriff's Department were on hand, as was the Jefferson City Police Department, Missouri Highway Patrol and Regional West Fire Department.
Deputy Kyle Renick, a resource officer with the Cole County Sheriff's Department, said it's one of his favorite events to participate in each year because he gets to bond with the community.
"Community policing is a big thing here in Cole County," he said. "If you stay in your car all the time and you're not getting out and speaking with people, they're not going to have trust in local law enforcement."
That can be particularly important for people with disabilities, said Debra Boley, a caregiver at Vantage Supported Living in California.
Boley brought her client to the picnic for the first time this year.
"She has enjoyed especially the emergency vehicles, going through asking questions," Boley said of her client. "She has asked so many very good questions."
Outreach is important because people with disabilities need to have a good understanding of who can help when a need arises, Boley said. They shouldn't be scared or worried, she said.
"We just want them to know that we're here for them and we're here to help them grow in whatever they want to do," Renick said.
Like Glen Strickland, who has been going to the picnic for the past 28 years and said it's exciting each time, Boley said the picnic was an "awesome experience."
In addition to the usual monthly buzz at the Special Olympics Training for Life campus and some activities hosted by the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department for people with special needs, Boley said more events could support the special needs community.
"It brings them together as a community because they are a community," she said of Sunday's picnic. "It brings everybody together from the different facilities into one and they can talk. My girl has done nothing besides talk and visit and make new friends today. It's amazing to see her be able to integrate herself with other people."
Millard grew up in a small town in Ohio with seven siblings and said he remembers people helping his family through tough times.
That's what he said he wanted to extend to those involved with the sheltered workshops and special needs community.
"True charity is when you do something for somebody that you know you're not getting anything back out of it, you're just doing it," he said. "This is really, you know, you do it for these kids. And I shouldn't say we don't get anything out of it. We get a lot of reward from being able to see them smile and things like that."
Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune photo: Dozens gathered to watch helicopter tours take off from Apple Creek Farm at Sunday's Sheltered Workshop Picnic. The annual picnic has been hosted at the farm for 28 years.
Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune photo: Harley Miller talked to Andrew Hutinger as he sat in a race car at Sunday's Sheltered Workshop Picnic at Apple Creek Farm. Shortly after, Reid Millard took the race car out to the field for a demonstration.