For Gavin Lee, getting ready for a day at Panhandle Special Needs, Inc. (PSNI) has a familiar routine. His backpack goes out. His wallet goes beside it. Everything is ready.
For a while, though, those preparations happened without a trip to Sandpoint. Gavin had stopped attending PSNI, and his parents, Randy and Laura, weren’t sure how to explain the change to him. But Gavin had his own way of communicating what he wanted: week after week, he kept putting his backpack out on his normally scheduled PSNI days, as if waiting for someone to remember something on the calendar.
His parents understood.
The Lee family moved to Idaho full-time in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, opportunities for young adults with disabilities in the area were limited. Even Special Olympics had been put on hold. Looking for programs and services for Gavin, Randy and Laura found PSNI through an online search.
They first contacted PSNI in 2021, joining a waiting list with no clear idea of when a spot might become available. On May 23, 2022, Gavin finally began attending.
A social young man, Gavin had been missing opportunities to connect with peers and participate in activities beyond the limited options available locally. His parents hoped PSNI would provide more opportunities for friendships, social interaction, and continued learning.
The transition wasn’t immediate. Gavin has difficulty with changes in routine, and it took time for him to become comfortable in a new environment. Once he learned people’s names and settled into a regular schedule, however, something changed. He began looking forward to his PSNI days.
His parents noticed it in the mornings. Gavin would set out his backpack, wallet, and the other things he needed for his classes before it was time to leave. It became a familiar sign that he knew where he was going and was ready to get there.
For nearly four years, PSNI was part of his weekly routine. Then, in February 2026, the family faced a difficult decision.
Living north of Bonners Ferry, Randy and Laura make a substantial drive to bring Gavin to Sandpoint. The distance, combined with winter road conditions and Gavin’s involvement in Special Olympics skiing at Schweitzer, made the family’s schedule increasingly demanding. The recent loss of a young friend in a head-on collision on Highway 95 also brought the realities of winter travel into sharper focus.
They decided it was too much to continue attending.
It wasn’t a decision made because Gavin had outgrown the program or lost interest. Quite the opposite.
“He likes the program, the staff, and the other clients at PSNI,” Laura explained.
After Gavin stopped attending on February 6, his parents began hearing familiar names. He asked about Rusty and Michael, two PSNI staff members. His expressive vocabulary is limited, so he couldn’t necessarily explain everything he was feeling or what he missed. But he continued mentioning the people at PSNI.
And he kept putting out his backpack.
Laura believes Gavin was confused about whether the change was temporary or permanent. She also noticed that he seemed a little sad and concerned that his parents might be missing something on the calendar.
“It’s hard to say the impact programming is having when you’re working with a young adult with very limited expressive language,” Laura said. “His actions spoke louder than words, when he started putting his PSNI backpack out every day.”
Eventually, Randy and Laura began asking Gavin whether he wanted to return. His response was enthusiastic. When they told him he would be going back, he made sure his backpack and wallet were ready.
Gavin returned to PSNI on April 20, 2026. According to Laura, the reunion was a happy one. Gavin felt welcomed, and the staff and other participants seemed genuinely happy to have him back.
There was one important adjustment: instead of attending twice a week, Gavin would attend once a week.
For the Lee family, finding the right balance has been just as important as finding the right programs. Between medical and therapy appointments, Special Olympics, and the demands of everyday life, a full weekly schedule can become overwhelming. Attending PSNI once a week allows Gavin to maintain the friendships and connections he values without making the family’s schedule feel like a constant race from one commitment to another.
And the benefits of returning have been noticeable.
Laura says Gavin continues trying to use new words and keep conversations going a little longer. Improving communication is one of the skills he works on through his PSNI classes, and his parents are happy to see him continuing to develop those abilities.
When asked what he likes most about PSNI, Gavin didn’t hesitate.
“Michael.”
Asked who his friends are, he named Michael, Rusty, Bill, and Katie. When asked whether he was excited about coming back, his answer was equally straightforward.
“Yes!”
And what does he like doing at PSNI? His answer included “money” and “Rusty,” among a few other words. It may take a little more conversation to get the full story, but Gavin was happy to share what came to mind.
Laura has a pretty good idea of what he would say if he could explain everything he missed.
The other participants. The staff. The activities. Setting goals and achieving them. Learning new life skills. And feeling like part of a community.
For Randy and Laura, that sense of belonging matters just as much as the skills Gavin continues to develop.
“Everyone, EVERYONE needs a place where they feel welcome and have friends,” Laura said. “PSNI is that place for Gavin.”
The Lee family considers PSNI staff members part of their family, and they appreciate the effort the organization makes to work with families and their schedules. Laura encourages other Boundary County families to explore what PSNI offers, noting that transportation options are available and some services may already be covered for their adult child.
PSNI has served adults with disabilities in the region since opening its doors in 1975. Today, the organization serves more than 200 people annually, including approximately 20 individuals from Bonners Ferry and the surrounding Boundary County area. Its services include individualized life skills training, specialized employment training, and adult day health programming.
For families living outside Sandpoint, accessing those services can require considerable planning, time, and travel. The Lee family’s experience illustrates that distance isn’t always measured in miles alone. It’s also measured in the time and effort families invest to make meaningful opportunities possible for their adult children.
Randy and Laura know that not every program can fit into every family’s schedule. They have learned to prioritize the activities that mean the most to Gavin, and PSNI and Special Olympics remain at the top of that list.
Today, Gavin has something to look forward to each week. His backpack and wallet are once again part of the morning routine.
And perhaps that’s the simplest way to understand what PSNI means to him. Sometimes, the importance of a place isn’t measured by how much someone can tell you about it. Sometimes, it’s measured by what they do when they think they’re supposed to be going there.
For Gavin, that backpack said plenty.
If you have a special needs adult in your life that needs support, stop by their location Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1424 N. Boyer in Sandpoint or give them a call at (208) 263-7022.
View the original article by 9BNews: https://9b.news/2026/11/07/a-place-to-belong-gavins-road-back-to-psni/
