FORTVILLE — Next weekend just might be Kammy Hiner’s favorite one all year.

The 23-year-old Fortville resident will be the guest of honor at the 21st annual Kammy’s Kause event, set for Aug. 22-23 at Landmark Park in Fortville.

The annual event raises money for the nonprofit 4P- Support Group, which supports families impacted by Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) — also known as 4P- syndrome — worldwide.

In an open letter posted at kammyskause.org, Hiner shared that only a few hundred cases have been reported since the disorder was discovered in 1967.

The disorder can result in a characteristic facial appearance, growth failure, developmental delays and seizures. Hiner said early intervention such as physical, occupational and speech therapy have proven to be vital in the development of children with 4p-.

“While Kammy’s Kause directly supports the 4p- Support Group, our hope is to increase awareness about “rare diseases” in general, they NEED our help to be properly diagnosed,” Hiner shared online. “The compassion, empathy and knowledge found within the support group helped immensely in the early intervention with Kammy.”

At the time, Kammy was just 2 years old, and the support group’s annual income was around $800.

After learning this, Hiner and his family organized the first Kammy’s Kause, raising $1,000 for the organization.

“What started as an afternoon event with five local bands, 50 attendees, and my parents selling candy bars and sodas, has grown into an all-day music festival …,” Hiner said.

Kammy’s Kause has since become the largest fundraiser for the 4p- Support Group in the United States.

Since then, he and fellow supporters have raised over $850,000 for the foundation.

The event previously took place at the American Legion campground off Ind. 13, but as it grew, so did the location.

In more recent years, Kammy’s Kause has been set in downtown Fortville, which Hiner has called home since he was 14 years old.

Just like last year, the street party will span two days downtown — with guests gathering to hear live music in restaurants along Main Street Friday night and heading to Landmark Park for more live music throughout the day on Saturday.

Hiner has about a dozen food trucks lined up for Saturday, but he encourages everyone to dine and drink at local establishments Friday night.

“We’re all about supporting local,” he said.

Hitting the right notes

Hiner and the Kammy’s Kause planning committee have arranged for over 20 musicians to play acoustic music in eight different locations up and down Main Street, from 7-10 p.m. Aug. 22.

This is the first year revelers can take advantage of Fortville’s new DORA district — or Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area — which allows patrons to take alcoholic beverages from one establishment to the next within a specified area downtown.

Hiner said the street won’t be closed down, since all the activity will be taking place within restaurants and along the sidewalks.

One addition this year is the chance for guests to compete in the International Karaoke Federation’s Karaoke Cup, the largest amateur competitive karaoke tournament in the world.

Contestants can sign up for a chance to sing at AJ’s Wine & Dine Garage, and compete for the chance to advance to the state finals. From there contestants can advance to the national finals in Las Vegas.

“We’re excited that Kammy’s Kause was able to host one of the last qualifying locations,” said Hiner, who thinks the interactive event will add a fun new layer to the night centered around live, local music.

On Saturday, guests are invited to spend the day at Landmark Park, where live music, food vendors, a silent auction and kids’ zone will be available from noon to 10 p.m. Guests also browse dozens of vendor booths.

Hiner said the music won’t stop all day long, as a DJ spins tunes between live sets.

The free kids’ zone has always been enhanced with new rides and experiences.

Purdue University’s mascot, Purdue Pete, will also make an appearance.

Revved up

As always, one of the most anticipated parts of Kammy’s Kause is Kammy’s Ride, a 125-mile escorted motorcycle ride that starts at Landmark Park at 10 a.m. and finishes there at 2:30.

When the legion of bikers returns to Landmark Park at 2:30, “We shut down the entire event and everybody goes out in the road on Staat Street to welcome all the motorcycle riders as they drive past us. Once they park, everybody goes back to the main stage, which is where we introduce all the 4P- families in attendance,” he said.

Kammy’s Kause typically draws families from multiple states.

Last year it drew 25 families, including ones from as far away as Australia, England and Scotland.

That was the same weekend an international conference for 4P- families was taking place in Indianapolis, and attendees were invited to attend the Fortville event.

“We get a lot of families throughout the Midwest, some of whom make the pilgrimage here each year,” Hiner said. “This year we have some families coming from Texas, California and Washington State, all the way up the West Coast.”

Hiner works closely with Hancock County Tourism to spread the word far and wide about Kammy’s Kause, which is designed to be a fun, family-friendly event for everyone.

The more people who come, the more money is raised for research and support for 4P- families, Hiner said.

He said he’s thrilled to see how much Kammy’s Kause has grown over the years, and would like to see it get even bigger some day.

Kammy was just 2 when the first event took place in 2004, and has watched thousands of people turn out for the fundraiser each year throughout her life.

The outpouring of support means the world to her and her family, Hiner said, as well as to the families impacted by the same genetic disorder his daughter has.

Big goals

Kammy’s Kause has grown exponentially over the years, he said, as more sponsors and attendees have come out to support the cause.

The event raised $1,000 its first year, but raised an impressive $126,000 last year, which marked the event’s 20th anniversary.

“We had just an insane amount of sponsors last year. We were really fortunate and appreciative,” said Hiner, who knows he won’t raise as much this year.

His goal is to raise at least $75,000 this year.

In February, the Kammy’s Kause committee created its own nonprofit, BeKause Inc.

“Because of this, we’ll be able to do Kammy’s Kause but also look into much bigger projects. There’s a lot of work to be done,” said Hiner, who said the nonprofit has big plans that will fundamentally impact Hancock County.

“We have very big goals and aspirations,” he said.

When he’s not running Kammy’s Kause, Hiner works full-time as the assistant director of electronic health records for American Senior Communities, overseeing software at 114 facilities statewide.

He also oversees the new nonprofit, BeKause Inc., as chairman of the six-member board.

The Kammy’s Kause committee is a family affair, consisting of Hiner and his wife, mom, stepdad and three siblings.

The father of five — with children ranging in age from two months to 23 years old — couldn’t be prouder of Kammy, who loves seeing huge crowds gather for Kammy’s Kause each year.

‘Just chilling’

At 23, Kammy is doing “phenomenally” well, said her dad.

After spending several years in special needs programs at various schools, “This is her first year out of school, so she’s just chilling, taking it easy, helping my wife out with the childcare business at our house,” he said.

While she’s verbal and can dress and eat by herself, Hiner said Kammy “speaks her own language” and will require 24/7 care the rest of her life.

Hiner met his wife, Ashley, at a 4P- national conference in Pennsylvania 10 years ago. Her nephew Tallon, 17, was also born with the genetic disorder, although Hiner said he has a “million-word vocabulary. He will sit and talk all day long, and you’ll see the difference between him and Kammy.

“That’s how varied this thing can be. Some might not offer a single word, and be hooked up to monitors the rest of their lives. And then you have other kids like Kammy or Tallon,” he said.

After Hiner and his wife got married eight years ago, Tallon’s family moved to Fortville, where they live one street over from the Hiners.

While other 4P- families may be scattered around the globe, Hiner hopes to keep fostering that same sense of community by supporting the 4P- Support Group through Kammy’s Kause.

He knows his daughter Kammy will have a blast throughout the weekend, as she does every year.

“She’s very excited,” he said, “and can’t wait for next week.”

For more information on Kammy’s Kause, including this weekend’s event, visit kammyskause.org.