Grand Opening of the Gathering Place Held Saturday

On Saturday, May 30, a ribbon cutting was held for The Gathering Place, an Air BnB that is also designed as a retreat and meeting space in downtown Milford. Owned by Tim and May Stanley, the business is located at 7 Causey Avenue in Milford.

“This is a place where individuals will be able to reset and have what I like to call at tune-up for the soul,” Darron Johnson-Wilson, board member for Downtown Milford Inc. said. “We look forward to supporting this business and we are so glad you chose the city of Milford to spread your wings.”

Downtown Milford Inc. Executive Director Sade Truiett welcomed Jasmine Castaneda-Nava, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Milford before introducing Mayor Todd Culotta.

“This is really a special town and there’s a lot of special people here that make it that way,” Culotta said. “Tim and May, welcome to the downtown. We have high hopes for you in this gathering place here and know that will be a special place for you. God has called you to be here and whatever your plan is for it, I’m sure He’ll guide you straight. Thank you for choosing our town. If you ever need anything, just give us a call. We are here to help. You have a lot of good support here.”

Councilwoman Katrina Wilson also welcomed everyone.

“We are always honored to have a new space, a new place, especially a place where we can get inspiration and there are many Milfordians who are going to love this place, a place where they can collect their thoughts, correct themselves and be able to share it and have a professional to review it,” Wilson said.” We’re just grateful and are so happy to have you here.”

May Stanley was emotional as she thanked everyone for coming.

“This has just been so beautiful to see how God has brought this together, how He’s pointed us ere, how He’s called us to Milford, how He called us to this house, and we are just really excited to bless people with whatever the Lord calls us to do, with whoever He calls to this place,” May said. “We are family-oriented, we have five kiddos, and we just love the Lord so much and we want the people who He puts in contact with to know Him in such a deep way. We are really, really excited.”

May continued.

“I think that God’s going to do big things in Milford,” May said. “We see it, we feel it and we’re excited to see what He does. Thank you. We’re glad to have you and happy to have you here.”

Wilson said a blessing over the house and the Stanley’s. The Stanley’s daughter, Savannah, sang “The Goodness of God” before everyone gathered for the ribbon cutting. After the ribbon was cut, everyone was invited inside to see the home which was decorated by The Collective.

The home has three bedrooms, one with bunk beds that would sleep four or five. There is a sitting room with a work area as you enter, a large kitchen and another sitting room with a fireplace in the back of the home. A backdoor opens onto a porch with comfortable seating which has steps into a nice backyard. It is pet friendly as well.

The home can be rented through AirBnB. Anyone interested in renting the location for a retreat, reunion or gathering can contact the owners on Facebook.