Denice Freih, executive director at Great River Area Faith in Action, has long been visualizing a boutique in Becker that very much resembles the other two stores in Elk River and St. Cloud that the non-profit organization runs.

 

Freih hired Julie Zierbes and Mike Turner to run the new facility along Bank Street that is currently called their Transformation Station. The building, being rented from Shooter Fredrickson of Country Lumber, is housing donated furniture items being restored, refurbished and repainted by a group of volunteers who want to help the cause of GRAFIA.

 

“We call it our Transformation Station because we are not only transforming furniture but we are transforming lives,” said Freih. “It’s all part of Faith in Action’s mission.”

 

The “mission” of GRAFIA is to strengthen communities by using their hearts and hands, one caring relationship at a time. GRAFIA educates, empowers, and mobilizes the people and communities they serve, helping those in need to remain living independently and self-sufficiently, with dignity and quality of life. 

 

GRAFIA had just recently been renting storage space in Elk River to house all the furniture donations they’ve received over the years and now Freih and her crew have found a better home to not only house all the donations, but they also have work areas the volunteers can utilize to tear down, mend, sand, paint and repair to get items ready to be sold at all three boutique locations.

 

The proceeds from the sales goes towards funding the many programs and ministries  GRAFIA champions including the Bridging Project, the We Care team, the Live Well At Home team and family support services.

 

The Becker boutique is scheduled to open to the public Aug. 21.

 

At the Elk River (717 Main Street) and St. Cloud (Discovery Church, 1230 East Hwy 23) stores, GRAFIA sells new and used home decor, furniture, books, Bibles, jewelry and accessories and is all volunteer-run.

 

“It’s a wonderful demonstration of how people give back in serving their communities,” said Freih. “We call it paying it forward.”

 

GRAFIA cheerfully accepts donations of clean, lightly-used furniture and home decor items and they are always looking for volunteers to help run their stores or re-purpose some of the furniture and home items that need restoration.

 

Turner also holds an essential Bible study for all volunteers once a week and his crew of volunteers sometimes “go out” into the community to help those unfortunate souls who can’t fix things on their own but still wish to remain living in their life-long homes. The “chores” the volunteers conduct are usually helping with plumbing, construction of small items and yard work. It’s what GRAFIA calls “tool time”.

 

Turner has been with GRAFIA for nearly four months and is also the Big Lake High School girls varsity soccer coach. He also is in charge of the Bridging Project where youths are equipped with relational skills and connected with their elderly neighbors.

 

“As far as volunteers, we welcome anybody and everybody,” said Turner. “Not just handymen and women but people just willing to learn and be part of something special.”

 

The Transformation Station is open Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Everyday Blessings Boutique that will open next month will have hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.

 

GRAFIA, established in 2003, employs 23 people and has a $1 million budget. They are a regional service provider serving people throughout a 500 mile region. GRAFIA hopes to eventually buy the Transformation Station building and possibly move their offices from Edgewood Street.

 

“Shooter and the lumber yard have been great and it’s exciting to see all this hard work and vision suddenly coming to fruition,” said Freih.