This year's Medina County Fair to have more sensory opportunities and increased accessibility

MEDINA — This year's Medina County Fair is aiming to be more accessible to fairgoers with its sensory barn and mobile changing unit. Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities Community Relations Manager Patti Hetkey said the board has been sitting in on Junior Fair Board committee meetings to talk about how the fair can be more welcoming to people who have a disability. "They've really taken this on wholeheartedly and are trying to really make an impact in opening up opportunities for the people that we serve and their families," she said. The Junior Fair Board put together a sensory barn that features interactive sensory tables, bean bags and a quiet space to rest. Junior Fair Board adviser Becky Gall said it is a great place for families to come and have a few minutes to recoup. "(The Junior Fair Board) thought it'd be a good use of space to give kids a chance to play with the sensory items and explore through their senses," she said. The sensory barn will be open in the Pepsi building during the following hours this week: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. Hetkey said the fair will also have its first sensory day on Friday, which is tailored to people with developmental disabilities or sensory issues. "The fair is going to turn down the lights and turn off the music to the rides so that people can experience the fair in their own unique way," she said. "It's such a welcoming environment for the people and the families we serve. Again, the Junior Fair Board has really taken this under their wing, and we are so appreciative of it." The board of developmental disabilities also pays for a fully staffed and accessible mobile changing unit to go to community events like the Medina County Fair. Hetkey said access to the restroom is about dignity, and people who are elderly or have mobility issues frequently use the unit as well. "It's not just for the people we service, but for the whole community to use," she said. "It's a game changer for people because they can go to these community events, and they don't have to worry about a simple, basic function that everybody has. They can now go and have some dignity and have a space where it is tailored to them and their personal needs." For more information about the mobile changing unit, visit tinyurl.com/4fnbp4ab. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.