CornerStone to add Bistro, Art and Performance Center

By Robert Williams

Editor

The long-awaited upstairs to the CornerStone Youth Center, the Corner Collective, is nearly complete with a full renovation of the upstairs of the former Frazee United Methodist Church. The Collective is a three-part endeavor as a history featuring healthy and sustainably sourced items, a gift shop featuring locally crafted items that have been created by youth and adults in the community, and a performance center on the upgraded stage.

One of the key survival aspects of CornerStone is to have a source of revenue and the upstairs half of the building was designed after research showed what the community desired in a fact-finding project five years ago.

“This will be vital to bring in some revenue to keep the building open,” Executive Director Mackenzie Hamm said. “We’ve been able to do this for a year now, open to the kids, for free. We have greatly seen the impact of that.”

The Youth Center downstairs is basically a finished project and has been operating successfully for the past year, allowing for the focus to move upstairs to complete the bistro. 

“It’s exciting to see everything happening,” Hamm said. “We were very fortunate that we received a couple grants to help with funding downstairs so I could focus on getting upstairs ready.”

The grand opening date is dependent on the completion of a handicapped accessible ramp on the northwest corner of the building so the bistro is compliant with the American Disabilities Act prior to opening the doors.

The Youth Center success downstairs is largely due to Hamm being able to delegate responsibilities to others.

“It’s going really well,” she said. “We’ve been operating really well and Sandy (Oelfke) has been fantastic.”

Oelfke, a Frazee native and 1983 graduate of Frazee-Vergas High School, is the third Youth Coordinator in the history of CornerStone. Sandy took over for Katie Grindall in August of last year. Prior to that, Mike Riva was the first in the position and all three have contributed in their own ways to make the Youth Center a success—especially in the beginning stages prior to opening to the public.

“Everybody played a role at that time,” said Hamm. “Without being open there are different roles.”

Hamm has been working on the roles of kids who will be working upstairs. The bistro has run a couple invite-only soft-opens. There was a private Mother’s Day tea party and the first event was held when former Miss Frazee and Alexandria’s Vikingland Community Support Program Executive Director Becky Schmitz brought her Mental Health Toolbox presentation.

“Becky came and spoke to the over 55 kids,” Hamm said. “We were packed. It was perfect and she did great.”

Musician and Sound Technician Damian D. Anderson will be spending time with the kids getting the performance stage and accompanying equipment ready to go.

The retail portion upstairs will be a place for all members of the community to showcase their art around the bistro.

“I’m excited to see who wants to come and sell their art here,” said Hamm.

It has taken a village to get both halves of CornerStone completed.

“A lot of work and a lot of hands,” said Hamm. “I could list 100 volunteers and our volunteers are great and they’re not doing it for the recognition. They’re doing it because they love the place, care about the mission and the kids.”

Some of the many include Heather Ware Nelson and Sharon Trieglaff Jons, Ken Miosek and Mike Hamm.

CornerStone also utilized many local businesses to complete the reconstruction, including Kelly Fillbrandt of Kelly’s Dry Wall, Jeff Giefer of Jeff Giefer Drywall Finishing LLC, Eric Crabtree Hardwood Floors, Darin Heston of Heston Contracting, Kyler Wegner of Lakes Country Heating and Air Conditioning, Frazee Electric, OK Lumber, Hanson’s Plumbing and Heating, Dow Acoustics, among others.

Hamm has been the executive director for 14 months after taking over for Karen Pifher. Operationally, she has seen the Youth Center go from completing construction to being a regular place for kids to spend quality time and is looking forward to the next year where the bistro becomes a complimentary addition and hopefully the main funding device for sustainability into the future.

“My dream is to be able to see people coming in the doors eating here to help sustain this so it always stays open for the youth,” Hamm said. “The impact I’ve seen in multi-age groups hanging out together has been fantastic. To watch a 10th grader make a cake for a fourth grader when neither have ever baked before, in the small scheme of things it seems small. When I see that little fourth grader comfortable enough to go up to that 10th grader and ask for help and they say yes, without rolling their eyes, I say, yeah, we’re getting somewhere!”

The Youth Center has signed in nearly 300 different kids in its first year of operation, sometimes upwards of 50 per day. Hopes are that the bistro mirrors that success upstairs.

“I’m excited to be done with the construction side of things and actually be operating,” said Hamm. 

Expected hours of operation will be Tuesday through Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The bistro will be closed Mondays.

Hamm noted there are hopes to open the bistro on Tuesday, June 11, pending the ramp’s construction and to watch CornerStone social media for an official announcement.

CornerStone is also seeking volunteers to work this year’s WE Fest. The annual concert provides the Youth Center with one of its largest fundraising opportunities of the year. There are also tickets available to WE Fest for volunteers. Contact Mackenzie Hamm for more information.