After months of reconstructing the former Willowbrook Church location in the Lake Shoppes strip mall, Invisible Wounds Project is set to open its doors to veterans and emergency workers later this month, a long-held dream for founder and executive director Russ Hanes. There is, however, a finishing touch that is yet to be accomplished: hanging a sign to indicate Mike’s Discount Foods hasn’t taken over IWP’s side of the property.
“We’re working on it,” joked Invisible Wounds Project founder and executive director Russ Hanes.
The nonprofit organization focuses its attention into building a community to support front line emergency workers and veterans through the hardships they face on the job. In the wake of recent traumatic incidents for first responders, including recent police officer deaths while on duty, Hanes said it’s even more imperative for the organization to open its doors. But he hopes to reach more people who aren’t overtly in one traumatic experience, as well.
“Those services for someone who’s not in crisis or just needs something, needs a place to be and to connect with other people – that’s what this space is all about,” Hanes said.
As a Stacy resident, when he got word that the location in the strip mall on Highway 61 was going to be available, he knew it could be a perfect fit for opening up a permanent space for the organization. Weighing its location along I-35, proximity to Wisconsin, the metro and northern Minnesota communities, it made sense to start nurturing the organization’s roots in Forest Lake.
“If people can get to us, they can come in, and we can help them,” Hanes said.
He hopes that the organization reaches thousands of veterans and first responders who are looking for approachable resources and community.
The organization also aims to be a location that is very different from their place of work. If Twin Cities first responders experience a traumatic moment at work, driving a new route to a place of respite may further alleviate some of the stress on the psyche, Hanes said.
“Your brain doesn’t shut off very well, or differentiate between, ‘I’m driving to do something therapeutic’ versus ‘I’m driving into where I go to work,’” Hanes explained. “So this is a separate space that hopefully will not, you know, represent that for most people.”
While his sights are set on opening day, he has his eye on the future and potentially expanding even further north or in south central Minnesota to meet demand.
“Now we have a solution, [or] at least a stepping stone, a way to start where people can come,” Hanes said.
Former church, new ministry
Invisible Wounds Project isn’t new to using creative means to help first responders and veterans connect and work through the challenges they face on the job. It has utilized space from other businesses to offer some of the same creative opportunities for those in need to bond over something away from their jobs. But the organization needed something more permanent with more space.
Russ envisions this new location in the former Willowbrook Church location to be a local hangout for people to gather and decompress in a space that promotes healing and connection through those same creative outlets, with the hope of expanding programming.
“Arts are very healing, so this is going to be focused on the arts, music, writing, walking. Group connection is a big part of the space,” Hanes said.
The final design of the space includes a space for visitors to try their hand at studio art, resin craft work or woodworking. There’s a workout space, a large conference room space, and a lounge area for people to gather. The front area of the space invites visitors to drop in and watch a sports game, play pool or foosball, or grab a coffee to chat with a friend.
“That lounge gives people an opportunity to connect with other people who understand that’s really impactful,” Hanes said.
He explained that even though someone can sympathize with the experiences of first responders and veterans, there’s an unspoken community and bond between service people.
“A lot of times [they] don’t understand the traumas that happened and that they experience,” Hanes said.
His plans for a yoga studio did dissipate, though.
“Our people are probably not going to do that much yoga,” Hanes said.
Realizing that people could simply set up yoga mats in the large conference room if there is interest for yoga classes, Hanes opted to focus on the other opportunities in what had been planned to be a yoga studio.
Hanes plans to have guided art class sessions as the location initially opens. Further down the line, he hopes to bring in recreational therapists to work alongside participants in an approachable way.
“It’s not necessarily a place where you’re going to be like, ‘OK, on Tuesday at 9 a.m., I go in, and I have my meeting with my therapist.’ … It’s more working alongside them in different ways, through a class or through playing foosball,” Hanes said.
Several soft opening dates have been scheduled for July before Invisible Wounds Project’s location will be open to the public. The initial open hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. might be expanded, but that will take time as it requires more employees to oversee the space.
And to kick off the new space, Invisible Wounds Project will host Hennepin County Medical Center personnel for a conference.
“There’s only so much that you can do in house. They need to get out, away, and do something. And that’s what we’re going to be bringing here,” Hanes said.
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