Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center adds podcast

More activities are being added for participants and their parents at the Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center for people with developmental disabilities, including a new podcast.

The program participants are the reason Farrah Raines, a staff member for the organization, came up with the idea to add a podcast for the group.

“Robert and a couple of our other friends said, 'We want to be YouTubers,’” Raines said. They also came up with the name of the podcast.

During some activities, the group is now making a podcast on YouTube called “Friendship, Food and Travel.” The podcast can be found on Miss Farrah’s Movement and Fun on YouTube. The participants enjoy being part of making the podcast and it’s useful for parents to see what happens in the program.

“The podcast, it’s really fun,” said participant Robert Vance.

The food part of the podcast comes from a new project they have undertaken for 2026.

Thanks to a recent grant, the group is now enjoying a chance to explore the world through food and receive boxes tailored to the food of a country.

“The boxes are called Universal Yums. For last Christmas, I went ahead and got a box to try to see what they thought, and it was a big hit,” Raines said. “We get them every month and, next week, probably on Wednesday, we will do an unboxing. All the kids get to help show what's next."

A large world map on one wall tracks the countries the group has explored. So far, they have featured France and South Korea.

The nonprofit Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center program for older children and adults was moved to the large upstairs area of their building on North Broadway in New Philadelphia. It has provided much room for that program to grow.

Programs are organized by Raines, with assistance from Lumi Antal Bunta on Mondays and Wednesdays. Antal Bunta also leads a monthly parent support group.

Activities for the children and their parents are now taking place once a month. The February activity was Dip and Paint. Volunteer Courtney Friend led the painting activity, and her mother, Sherry “Nan” Conway, organized the chocolate fondue station for the dipping of fruit and other goodies. The participants painted a Valentine heart wreath on canvas.

The participants also showed off their percussion skills at the event with a drumming routine they have been practicing on large therapy balls.

Previous activities were a Friendsgiving event for Thanksgiving and cookie decorating for Christmas.

“We're talking about, possibly in April, having a spring fling,” Raines said. “We’ll use ceramic pots and we'll have them plant flowers or small plants if we can find them. But we will all get together and just have a really good time."

The center also features a calming area with sensory equipment, including weighted blankets and vests, light tables and light-up toys.

“We have our weighted blankets, our weighted vest, if they need any of that to help them calm. Then we have our light tables, we have blocks that light up and our little alien (toy) here, he like lights up,” Raines said.

Participants typically have free time to choose activities after school before joining planned group activities and snack time.

The expanded space includes sensory equipment such as a vibration plate, interactive floor mats, lighted stepping stones, Lego walls, an air hockey table, basketball hoop, Wii games, music equipment and art supplies.

Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center is located at 152 N. Broadway St., New Philadelphia.