When one door closes, another door opens. And that is exactly what happened to Dan Frachey, former program director of the Chiara Center in Springfield. In February 2021, the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis made the difficult decision to close the doors of their retreat center permanently after being shuttered for a year due to COVID-19.
“Oh, how I loved that place and hoped to retire there,” said Frachey. Within days of the news, however, an idea for a business that he previously envisioned several years ago resurfaced – guiding individuals through a rich and vibrant telling of their story and the creation of a video as a legacy gift to their family and friends.
Frachey enrolled in Co.Starters, a 10-week business incubation course offered through Innovate Springfield that brings aspiring entrepreneurs together to hone their business concepts.
Frachey also enlisted the help of two local videographers, Ralph Shank and Kurt Williams, to create several short-subject videos for the Legacy Weavers Video website. “The range of storytelling is inspiring,” explained Frachey. “One woman talked about working with Mother Theresa’s community while they were visiting Hotel Hell in Los Angeles where the homeless stayed. Another gentleman shared his joy about the Chicago Cubs finally winning the World Series.”
Legacy Weavers Video offers packages that range from short subject videos to a variety of longer legacy videos that include photographs, selections from home movies and videos and other contributors adding to the story telling.
