LODGE GRASS — On Saturday in Lodge Grass, the town’s eighth annual clean-up was held.
But that’s not all—two new businesses were celebrated as the first shops to open in the town in more than 40 years.
![Arise Coffee Shop and Barber Shop](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/67ccb8a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2d%2Fbe%2F17219ba247d899279295ea52319b%2Fcover-1-2-1.jpg)
"A brand new business is being opened in the location where the last business (Cozy Corner) was closed down," said Quincy Dabney, the mayor of Lodge Grass, on Saturday.
![Quincy Dabney](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2a3a7f4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F71%2F15%2F2e66803b412c8ba95adab6561edc%2Fquincy-1-11-1.jpg)
Dabney was elated Saturday as community members gathered to participate in the clean-up and welcome the new businesses to Lodge Grass.
"The clean-up has always been a big part of the vision," Dabney, who organized the clean-up eight years ago, said on Saturday. "Cleaning up the property, cleaning up the town, prepping them for what's to come."
He said it's a way to instill pride in the community.
"That's what we're seeing here today, is that vision finally unfolding,” said Dabney.
Even more reason to celebrate this Saturday: the new Arise Coffee Shop and Barber Shop opened to the public.
![Barber chair at Arise](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/445e9c2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd0%2F7d%2F4901230a4051ad14cd67c7afd028%2Fchair-1-24-1.jpg)
"That is the first business in easily 40, 50 years,” Dabney said.
Yaseer and Monique Handall created Arise Native Americans, a nonprofit, in hopes of doing community outreach projects like this.
![Monique and Yaseer Handall](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a21c452/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F11%2F1d%2Fb52242bc4d8f9c780e8933f18b72%2Fhandall-1-37-1.jpg)
"We believe in the transformation of people, but also transformation of communities," Yaseer said in Spanish as Monique translated. "And so this and everything that we're doing here is a goal towards that."
They were joined in the project by Merval Bud Phelan and his wife Hannah. Merval works for Faith Chapel and will be the shop’s barber.
![Merval Bud Phelan](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/829fd3f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F29%2F36%2F74d4bbc64e61ba6c7a0209cdda47%2Fmerval-1-27-1.jpg)
"If you have a main focus of restoration, like, it can really bring healing to a lot of people. That was my focus. That's my goal, and it's happening,” Phelan said. "Being a Christian, being a minister, you can minister to a lot of people and help. But I have discovered personally, you really change lives in a (barber) chair."
Faith Chapel offered to pay for a drink at the event for those interested. They also offered to pay for haircuts as a fundraiser for the Lodge Grass Rez Kids Camp, put on by One Heart Warriors.
!['It's on us!' sign at the grand opening](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/35ece96/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F6c%2F948a74c74c1eb0e029b972ed2b7c%2Ffaith-1-8-1.jpg)
The building came from a flea market and was renovated by Lodge Grass community members, Arise, and a few missionaries from Washington.
"When we see communities like this, where you don't see business, there's not a lot of jobs. And because of that, sometimes crimes tends to be higher," Yaseer said in Spanish as Monique translated. "This community has shown us that they truly have a lot of hope."
![Menu at Arise](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1c423f4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fde%2F04%2F95524d0c41349df697eaf08c3b03%2Fshop-1-9-1.jpg)
"We're here as a mission team to help create an environment here in Lodge Grass and start this new business,” said Steve Rozier, one of the five missionaries. "We're just excited to be a part of it."
![Steve Rozier](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fc1c769/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3a%2Ff2%2Fa3358f144b1f839e86e10868bf98%2Fsteve-1-33-1.jpg)
Mayor Dabney and the Handalls believe this is just the start:
"We're actually looking at a business incubator. We're hoping to put a restaurant on the top level. And housing,” Dabney said. "There's a lot more we need to do, but it's good."
![During the grand opening ceremony](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bb1b251/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1080+0+0/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe3%2F83%2Fdf44038a42f9a63d7580879eb1f1%2Fworshipping-1-32-1.jpg)
"This place can get transformed again," Yaseer said in Spanish as Monique translated. "This is just a tiny piece of what we think is in the forefront, or in the future, for Lodge Grass."
To learn more about Arise Native Americans, click here.