Published: September 26, 2008 08:13 pm            

Local woman opens outreach ministry center

By KANDACE MCCOY

kandace.mccoy@register-news.com

MT. VERNON — Helping others has been the driving force behind Nora Galiher’s busy life. Now she wants to take that drive further with plans to open an outreach ministry center on South 12th Street.

Galiher, with a few volunteers, has been renovating a warehouse building located at 417 S. 12th St. for The Doing What Jesus Did (DWJD) Outreach Ministry. She has replaced new tiles in the ceiling, added insulation and carpet, as well as provided her own furniture for the building.

“I have had this desire in my heart for years to have an outreach for people and after working 50 years and retiring, I’ve never been satisfied.”

Galiher is no stranger to helping others, having not only owned several resale businesses, she also volunteers at nursing homes and other various organizations such as the American Cancer Society.

“I have just loved people and want to help people — there’s just a joy in volunteering.”

The DWJD Outreach Ministry will house a kitchenette for volunteers, which will also serve as a reading room with books on Christian lifestyle and books for children.

“We want to work with children and implement a children’s club,” Galiher said of a portion of the plans for the outreach center.

In addition to an office at the center, there will also be a meeting room and boutique, she said. Galiher has donated a table and chairs for the meeting room so visitors to the DWJD can hold Bible meeting or study.

The boutique, she said, will offer differently priced clothing and household items. Some residents within the community have donated rummage sale items, and Galiher has also donated from her own storage buildings, but she says there’s still more work that needs to be done.

But Galiher says if not for Caryle Michel, who owns the building and rented it to Galiher, providing the outreach center would not be possible.

“He is such a wonderful man,” she said of Michel. “He’s been an inspiration to me.”

And no good deed goes without work, she noted, adding that she has been working hard these past few months, along with a few volunteers, to shovel away dirt that was formerly on the warehouse floors — almost seven gallons — as well as adding insulation, carpet, ceiling tiles and painting.

“The Lord’s just blessed us so much — it’s coming together day by day,” she said. “We have had a few curious visitors and all seem happy we’re doing this. We have had a number of volunteers help, but we still need help.”

The warehouse portion of the building, she noted, has only one working light fixture. Additionally, the outside of the building still needs to have the old paint scraped off and a new coat of paint applied. And though Galiher hopes to see the center open by Oct. 1, she said she doesn’t think she can see that happen without more volunteers.

“One hour a day or one hour a week — just whatever someone feels the need to fill,” she said. “This is not about me. This is about helping others.”

She added she believes there are those out there who would like to volunteer, but may not know how to start.

Galiher has been donating her time at the center Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and those interested in helping may stop in to talk to her or contact her at 244-3864 or 237-5868.

Hours of operation for the DWJD Outreach Ministry will be determined at a later date.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.