Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – A Jonesboro nonprofit aiming to open the region’s first sensory-friendly gym will be hosting a fundraising concert later this year.
Zachary’s Sensory Gym, a nonprofit organization, will be hosting Music for a Mission in September, a concert featuring local musicians and bands aiming to raise money to purchase equipment for the gym. The gym aims to provide various sensory-friendly resources for special needs kids and adults.
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Arkansas native and “American Idol” finalist Marybeth Byrd will be the concert’s opener, with performances from Bottomland Band, Southern Rain Band, and Zamar Band to follow. Food trucks and face painting will also be available, along with the NEA Chevy Trucks Organization and information about Zachary’s Sensory Gym.
“Music for a Mission is going to be absolutely beautiful, and it’s for such a wonderful cause,” said Vickie Lewis, executive director of Zachary’s Sensory Gym.
The nonprofit is named after Lewis’s 22-year-old special needs grandson, Zachary. Lewis is in the process of acquiring a building either in Jonesboro or Paragould. The organization had previously secured a facility in Paragould, but Lewis said that deal had fallen through.
Now, she is working to secure various sensory equipment while she continues searching for a building, including trampolines, ball pits, sensory swings, and more. She said she aims to have the gym open in spring 2027, a resource she said area families desperately need.
“These sensory gyms have been around for probably 12 or 13 years. They work. They do what they’re supposed to do. The closest one is in Memphis, and there’s three or four in St. Louis. Jonesboro doesn’t have one, and I’m doing something about it,” Lewis said.
“This is going to be their fun place where they can make friends. They can come anytime that they want,” she added. “It’s very important that they have their quality of life in a safe, fun place.”
| READ MORE: Grandmother working to bring first sensory gym to Jonesboro
Music for a Mission is not the only fundraiser Lewis has organized to raise money for opening the gym. The organization has hosted bake sales, galas, and more, and has secured grants from companies such as Nucor, Walmart, and Imprint.
“God is in this story. He never lets me give up, and it has been tough,” Lewis said. “I won’t give up until these special needs kids and adults get this. I’m hoping that the community will come out for this. This is our biggest fundraiser that we are having, Music for a Mission, and we’re so excited about it.”
Music for a Mission is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Gamble Furniture Outdoor Concert Stage, located at 5036 U.S. Highway 49 North. Admission is $10 per person, or $20 for a family. Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets.
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