It's not uncommon for a father to refer to his child as "one of a kind," but it's no exaggeration when Greg Mitstifer uses that phrase to describe his son, Gavin.

Born with two rare genetic disorders, Gavin continues to make progress thanks to the Schreiber Center for Pediatric Development.

The 9-year-old from Hummelstown will be doing double duty during the 37th annual Rubber Duckie Race & Festival, which will be held on Sunday, Sept. 7, from 2 to 5 p.m. at 625 Community Way, Lancaster.

In addition to serving as a Schreiber ambassador, Gavin and his dad, Greg, will attempt to successfully defend their title in the 1-mile Duckie Dash race.

"I think Gavin has a particular interest in the festival," Greg said. "It's because it has a race. Gavin is very competitive. Any chance he has to go fast and to be fast against other people, he will always take it."

Gavin and Greg share that competitiveness trait, and last year the duo won Greg's age group in a trike, which allows Gavin to contribute by pedaling while Greg pushes from the back.

Gavin is deaf but has a cochlear implant and hearing aid and communicates through sign language. When asked his favorite part of the festival, he said being able to race with his dad. Gavin pointed out they are both fast and then pointed to his bicep to indicate he is also strong.

Presented by sponsor Lancaster Toyota, the Rubber Duckie Race & Festival will open at 2 p.m. with welcome remarks by Matt Barcaro. The Duckling Dash 100-meter fun run for kids will be held at 3:30 p.m. The Duckie Dash 1-mile race for all abilities will start at 4 p.m. The race winners will be announced at 4:30 p.m. New this year, the Duckie Dash will include a corporate team division, where local organizations race together in friendly competition for the inaugural Duckie Cup.

There will also be pony rides, arts and crafts, games, and a DJ. The event, which will be held rain or shine, is free, but visitors must purchase tickets to play the games. Food vendors will include Scoops Ice Cream & Grille, Cupcakes by Casey, Walk-O Taco, and Mad Chef Craft Brewing.

Duckies are available for adoption through the day of the event. Race registration will remain open until one hour prior to each race. Go to https://www.schreiberpediatric.org/event/duckies/ for more information.

"Accessibility and inclusion remain central to the event design," Schreiber marketing and communications manager Lexi Cahill said. "The grounds will offer sensory-friendly spaces and inclusive activities all in a mobility-aid accessible area, ensuring every guest can participate fully, regardless of age or ability. Through this vibrant celebration, the community comes together to support Schreiber's mission: helping children, teens, and young adults with disabilities, developmental delays, and acquired injuries achieve their fullest potential."

Greg and his wife, Christie, are just two of the parents who are appreciative of Schreiber's work. "We're not able to quantify or really adequately explain what they've done," Greg said. "They genuinely changed Gavin's life, and it's not just from a what else is he able to do perspective. He does progress in therapy incredibly, but it's also how it helps keep him healthy overall. They help him get stronger. They help him communicate better, but they also help him just remain healthier. ... For us being part of the ambassador group is a chance to share Gavin's story and be an example for folks so that they can see what's possible. I'd say probably more importantly, it's to help raise funds. It's to help advocate and encourage people to donate to these types of programs because without financial support from the public, they simply cannot do what they do."

Christie added, "I think it's important that we were honored to be an ambassador family because we can also share this resource with other families."

Gavin was born with a neuromuscular condition and with the shapes of his bones "a little bit off," Christie said. "We've seen a lot of specialists in Gavin's lifetime, and no one has a playbook for us ... which can be a good thing and a bad thing. One, there's no playbook, but two, there's no playbook, which means we get to make our own playbook. And we get to partner with people like the folks at Schreiber that help us create that playbook."

Greg noted, "I think one (condition) is very rare, and the second is extremely rare, so it's not hyperbole to say that Gavin is likely one of a kind."

It takes 35 minutes for the family to travel to Schreiber. "We've chosen Schreiber over those other resources," Christie said. "It's important that we let other people know that there are other options out there than just the more obvious, bigger things that people hear about all the time."

The Mitstifers first made the trip five times a week, but now go twice for physical therapy since Gavin has been progressing. Gavin will undergo surgery in August to lengthen his hamstrings, shorten his quads, and stretch out his hips, with the hope he will become more flexible and his knees will be straighter.

Schreiber has been working with Gavin to prepare for the surgery and helped the family get a wheelchair that will aid his recovery. "It's difficult to know what the long-term outcome will be," Greg said. "We focus on constant improvement. You need something to work for it, but goals can also be limiting. They become ceilings. So when people ask me what the goal is for Gavin, I always say 800-meter finals in districts unless he wants to do a different event. I don't want different for Gavin than what any other parent wants for their kid."