Rotary Club of Brunswick adapts toys for RePlay for Kids

BRUNSWICK — Members of the Rotary Club of Brunswick took apart toys that make sound and reassembled them to make it easier for kids who have a disability to play with during a workshop on Thursday. The Rotary Club was adapting the toys on behalf of RePlay for Kids. The organization was founded by Bill Memberg, who began the nonprofit in 1999. The idea for RePlay for Kids came to be when he was fixing broken devices for the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Amy Davarpanah is in charge of purchasing toys and leading workshops for RePlay for Kids. She said the organization puts on at least 100 to 150 workshops a year, which is about two to three workshops each week throughout the year. "We add a jack in parallel to the original switch of the toy, so that a child can plug in an ability switch and activate the toy," she said. "If a child does not have fine motor skills or the strength to push a button, or they do not have the vision to find the button, they can do it with a much larger switch." Toys are purchased through grants or are donated to the cause, Davarpanah said. RePlay for Kids is gearing up to give away about 2,000 toys and around 1,000 switches that activate toys to kids this year. "It will operate like it was originally intended," she said. "It will operate with the original buttons, but it also operates with the auxiliary switch." Parents, therapists and teachers can request toys by visiting replayforkids.org, and toys are then packaged up and mailed out. The Rotary Club of Brunswick presented a $500 check to RePlay for Kids on Thursday to further support the organization's mission. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.