MADISON, Wis. – A new group is helping people with Parkinson’s disease with their motor skills, communication and coordination.

At the East Madison Community Center's gym, sounds of ping pong balls hitting paddles and tables fill the air.

PingPongParkinson has taken over the space. The nonprofit now has a new chapter in Madison, Wis., led by Karen Staebell.

She starts the ping pong class by leading facial and physical exercises. Staebell herself has Parkinson’s. She learned about the national PingPongParkinson nonprofit, and said she wanted to start a group in Madison.

“We reached out to the Madison table tennis club and they said that we could use their tables, and the community center said that we could use their gym,” Staebell said.

The group is a made up of people with Parkinson’s and their families, and volunteers who just like to play.

“It’s been only a couple weeks since we started,” said Jane Lyons, who has Parkinson’s. “But yeah, I feel the activity has definitely helped make a difference.”

Even though the program is new, it’s already made an impact.

“This is exciting to me, and it just…” Staebell trailed off and clutched her chest. “I get a little choked up when I think about how wonderful this has turned out.”

The PingPongParkinson Madison group meets at the East Madison Community Center Thursdays at 10 a.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.