So last week here in Warsaw, we were outside this building with a food truck.

It's all good to learn about what they do and learn about how it benefits.

Fellowship, mission.

But while we're here, we thought we should come inside, talk to Brooke and find out about what's happening in here at the gathering place.

So.

Hello.

Hi.

This is really cool in here.

Not just actually, like, the air conditioning, but also like, it's a really cool space.

And it was great learning about the food truck last week on the show and finding out where it benefits.

So tell me a little bit about this space in here.

Yeah.

So this is the gathering place.

We have recovery meetings, mental health meetings that happen.

We have 13 of them a week.

We also open this up to the community.

So it's for mental health recovery resources.

But then anybody that's walking downtown that wants just a place to hang out, eat, have a cup of coffee, have a meeting, Bible study, they're welcome to do so in here.

So it's really just really for anybody it is a gathering.

It is a gathering place I like it.

No.

But again it's like what I'm learning even about the food truck.

When we talk to me and talking about the mission behind there, it's like, it really feels like you guys are living at what we're actually called to live out, not just talking about it or not just making it about a church on a Sunday, but actually having places for people that were actually living out, like welcoming them, loving them by having a space.

Right.

And so so it's really important.

Yes, absolutely.

And so again, you have all tell me a little bit about what goes on.

Like you talk about the meetings for recovery.

Like how big of an issue is that in the area.

Like are those meetings like really well attended.

Yeah, they have really good attendance.

There's also some around the town that also gather.

So it's not just here.

We have churches that hold meetings, so other places do that as well.

We have past residents that are now holding meetings, which is really cool.

But yeah, it's all around town.

But there are a lot of people that come to these as well.

Yeah.

And then you talk about mental health, I mean everybody, if we all took a deep dive or shallow dive, wanted it to, you know, we could all benefit from that.

So but the big thing is trying to get people here to actually feel welcome, to not feel like there's something wrong with me, even though it's okay to say that's something wrong.

But.

So what would you say to people watching that might want to benefit from that?

Yeah, please don't hesitate.

It's always good to find people and community as well.

I think that's really important.

And finding those people that truly and genuinely want to help you, genuine individuals, and that's what we're here to do.

We're here to gather around you and build a community with open arms.

Yeah, I like it.

Is there a place where people can find out about, like, the information of when the classes are on?

Just as well.

Yeah, it's on our website, The Gathering Place.

Net WW so WW but you can find all of the classes, all of our events on that page as well.

Great.

The piano over here.

Can you play.

I cannot.

Okay.

All right.

We'll just skip past that.

Is that just a nice thing to have or does it actually get played?

It gets played.

So there are people that will come in here and play that it was donated to us for this space, so hopefully doesn't get played randomly while you're in the middle of your quiet.

It has sometimes, but that's okay because usually it's the people that know how to play.

And so it's really it's actually nice.

What about the chair over in the corner?

Is that your your shrine or so actually that the place that it's sitting is the old elevator that belonged to this building.

And so my parents, when they were designing it, they wanted to incorporate and keep it somehow.

Okay.

So right now that's the way it's being utilized.

Okay.

Yeah.

So it's not like a shrine to somebody or no.

There's kids that like to sit up there just to feel like.

Yeah, just to feel special.

Yeah.

Let's walk down to this wall because I really do like this.

And again, it's I love this idea.

So tell me a little bit about what all this is hanging on the wall.

Yeah.

So this is our prayer wall.

So when our co-founders kind of envisioned it, Tami Lane and Eric Lane, which are my parents, they were able my dad was able to build this, and my mom envisioned just people throwing prayers up there as much as they could.

And so we had some volunteers that will come in and pray over these requests.

So I don't want to change this, but I feel like that should be where the elevator is because we're sending your prayers up.

That's that's good.

We should have had here, like your advice.

This is why I sometimes get paid so and again, I know there's an area downstairs is people just meeting here.

Probably got food from the food truck, but there's an area downstairs which is like a makers area.

So we call it the makerspace.

It's free for the community.

Anybody can use it.

Arts and crafts, paint room, all of that.

There is a woodworking shop down there that is utilized during we call The Haven.

So we have a group that we started for teen parents.

And so the dads will go in there with Eric, the co-founder, and do woodworking.

And so it's really cool down there.

I want to say, yeah, let's go.

I mean, I like hearing about it.

Yeah, yeah.

What I love about this, it just feels like so welcoming.

Like already it feels very welcoming.

So anything that we do, we really want to try to make it feel like home and not judgmental.

Yes, exactly.

All right.

This is a really cool space.

Yes.

So when it first when we first came down here, as you can imagine, a basement, very dark, very creepy dungeon.

So we really just wanted to brighten it up and make it feel welcoming, like you talked about.

So we had somebody come in and she painted this big mural all over the walls.

And eventually, as you'll see in the paint room, some kids started adding their own artwork on.

Was that part of the plan or.

No.

But hey, it's all because I have a three year old and she does the same.

She's also a mural in my house.

Love that.

So we love that we've gotten her markers now that do not transfer to the paint.

Yep.

So I love that.

Their big thing now.

So where's the art room?

So by the way I feel like these should be in every house.

I don't know why this stops.

It's it's amazing.

And again it's all free for people to use.

Yeah.

But this is our paint room.

So that is the handprint wall that has been started.

But we love it.

So it's just a fun place.

It's a room where you can just let things go.

Yeah.

And so again, if I was out just walking with my daughter out in the street, which can we just stop in and use it, or is this only at certain times or you can just come anytime we're open.

This is open because that's the other thing is like, you seem young, no fence.

But you know, everyone seems to me now because I'm in my 40s now, so everyone that's younger is just young now.

But you know, when you've got kids, like, it's really expensive to do things.

So having a space that people can come into, I mean, I really hope more families utilize it.

Yes.

You know, because it's really hard to find anything fun to do that doesn't cost you a lot.

Yeah.

And that's why we love it.

We do.

We get a lot of families, a lot of young kids.

My son's been in here before.

It's just a lot of fun.

So you're not that young.

I'm not that young, but I still say I'm young.

Well, you know, that's that title as long as possible.

Okay.

Let's relax.

You got a kid?

You're fine.

I'm just kidding.

So again, all this space for people watching, like, what would you really want them to know about fellowship, mission and just everything here in general?

I just really want people to know that they're welcome here.

I think we've touched on that a lot.

Just the welcoming atmosphere.

I want people to know that they are allowed to come in and utilize this space, be who they are and enjoy it and find community.

And with your mom and dad who started it like, you know, why did they do that?

Like what?

Why?

Because taking on a big nonprofit, especially with like a homeless shelter aspect, three meals a day for people with 150 meals, food trucks.

Like.

That's all a huge responsibility and a big undertaking.

Even if you're faithful, it's still there, still real money that has to be made to actually like.

So why were they motivated to do that?

Yeah.

So it all started.

Both of my parents worked at Warsaw Community Church and they were doing a basically a winter amnesty.

So churches got together and then my dad was over that, and it was going to end April 1st of 2010.

And my parents got together and they said, just because winter is over doesn't mean these individuals don't have a home.

Yeah.

So we ended up running a house for a little while.

We had five guys at the time and it just kind of became family.

People started hearing what we were doing and it just started growing.

And so my parents just felt God really calling them to continue to do this.

They didn't know what it looked like, but it was just them being obedient and saying, take me where you need me to go.

So that's how this all started.

And then he's just got has brought people alongside of us that have helped us grow, like Michelle with the food truck.

Yeah, that's her passion.

And so he's brought those individuals on.

Well, I know your parents couldn't be here today, but they didn't need to be.

You did a great job.

So thank you so much.

And you are young despite what anyone would say.

Thank you.