Metro Ministers Grant Provides A Fun Day For Disability Awareness

By Dr. Donita Edwards
Special to the Guide

What do you think about when you hear the phrase disability awareness? Do you think of events that highlight individuals with disabilities, such as workshops, rallies, and the Special Olympics? Or does it make you think deeply about overcoming systemic barriers surrounding disability? Truthfully, disability awareness is all of this and more.

Disability Awareness encourages self-awareness of biases, misconceptions, and stigma surrounding disabilities. It is about creating environments where everyone can participate fully. It requires us to focus on the person rather than the disability and to treat them with dignity and respect. Awareness fosters community and pride, creating positive visibility for individuals with unique abilities.

On Saturday, August 2, Winfield Farms in Surry, VA, and the Blake Edwards Arts Foundation in Chesapeake, VA, collaborated to raise awareness about disability on the farm. The inspiration was in honor of Mrs. Nettie Mensia, a Retired Special Education teacher who is 95 years old. She grew up on Winfield Farms, where she learned the values of hard work and patience from an early age. Her unwavering commitment demonstrated that every child deserves understanding and an opportunity to thrive.

Many of the children and adults with physical and intellectual disabilities had never been on a farm before. The farm itself is a sensory-rich place where they could participate in cornhole, badminton, and kickball, take breaks in the shade, or pick sunflowers. This event served families from Hampton Roads, Surry County, Isle of Wight, Williamsburg, Richmond, and Smithfield. The vendors (including Adult Autism Advocates of Surry), food trucks, farm equipment, sensory activities, bounce house, arts & crafts, music, and sunshine made for a beautiful day.

Jiminy crickets, this could not have been a success without committed leaders, phenomenal volunteers, and sponsorships! 

Under the leadership of Pastor Joseph A. Fleming (and Dr. Melvin T. Blackwell, committee president), the Metro Ministers’ Conference of VA Community Impact Grant helped transform lives through this endeavor. I will not name everyone lest I forget someone. This experience truly cultivated inclusion and harvested hope for families of individuals with disabilities, and 2026 is already in the plans. If you are interested in sponsoring future disability events or need more information, reach out to Dr. Donita Edwards @ b.edwardsarts@gmail.com.

Winfield Farms, visit https://www.visitwinfieldfarms.com/ or The Blake Edwards Arts Foundation,  https://the-blake-edwards-arts-foundation.square.site/.