Masthead
September 2, 2014
Executive Director Update
 

Do you "like" Mill City Commons? We recently updated Mill City Commons Facebook page and are posting on community, health and wellness and MCC events. Clicking on the "Like" button on the cover photo allows you to easily follow MCC posts AND builds visibility for Mill City Commons. We'd love to have you "like" us! We're also working on developing several MCC Discussion Forums on our own website that will allow members to connect with each other on topics such as Social Connections, Health and Aging, Riverfront and Park Advocacy and more. We are beta testing with a few members to work out any kinks. WE CONNECT. WE LEARN. WE SHARE. WE THRIVE. Thanks for being part of building an interconnected, vibrant community!  -- Linnea 
Rendezvous Readers' Book Chat
Wednesday, September 3, 9:30 - 10:30 am
Guthrie Theater, Level 5 Express, 818 S 2nd St
Join us to discuss I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.  Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local "powhitetrash."  At eight years old and back at her mother's side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age-and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime.  Years later, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.  

MCC members and guests.  No reservations required.

Social Bridge

Wednesday, September 3, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Stone Arch Lofts Community Room, 600 S 2nd St

Join advanced or intermediate bridge players for a round of social bridge.  You are expected to come with a partner at your level.  (Advanced players play all major conventions comfortably).  If you need help finding a partner, contact Carol Jordan at 612-817-0466 or caroljordan@millcitycommons.org and she will assist you.  Play beings immediately at 3:00 pm.

 

Members sign up here; Guests email MCC. 

Our Turn:  A Conversation for Women 
Thursday, September 4, 9:30 - 11:00 am
Cobalt Condos, 45 University Ave SE, #405
MCC women, you are invited to attend Our Turn:  A Conversation for Women. This group meets every other Thursday alternating between morning and afternoon times. This week's topic is "Music - what role has it played in your life? And how has it changed (or not) over the years?"  Inspired by the movie Alive Inside now showing at the Edina Theater on the impact of music therapy in our age group.  Lou Burdick hosts.

 

Women MCC members sign up here; Guests email MCC.
Sunday Brunch Soiree
Sunday, September 7, 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Stone Arch Lofts, 600 S 2nd St, Rooftop patio
Join your friends and neighbors for the MCC Sunday Brunch Soiree hosted by Marcia Townley and Peggy and Dave Lucas.  Please contribute to the potluck by bringing an egg dish, fruit, breakfast bread, muffins, or other brunch fare.  Juice, sparkling water, and coffee will be provided.  You are welcome to bring your own wine or beer.  As you register, let us know what you will bring by answering the "Question" that will appear on the screen.

MCC members sign up here.
Monuments and Memorials
Monday, September 8, 3:00 - 4:30 pm
Stone Arch Lofts Community Room, 600 S 2nd St
Americans love the monuments and memorials of our nation's capital but seldom look at them critically.  The monuments created in the last 30 years: Vietnam, WW2, FDR, and Martin Luther King contain coded messages from one generation to the next about our ideals and values as a nation.  What do these and the other major memorials say about our culture today and our hopes for the future?  Peggy Lucas hosts guest speaker and civic educator Charles Tampio for an insightful look at our nation's great landmarks.

MCC members sign up here; Guests email MCC.
Great Decisions
Monday, September 8, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Winslow House Party Room, 100 2nd St SE
This month's Great Decisions Discussion Group will respond to the chapter on Food and Climate.   Even as a sixth of the world's population suffers from chronic hunger, a changing climate threatens to wreak havoc on already insecure and vulnerable populations. As food and water become scarce and once fertile land becomes barren, the U.S. finds itself faced with new challenges in securing the globe. The U.S. is getting ready, but can it lead the way to climate reform?  Ellie Hands hosts this month's speaker, Dr. Kate Brauman, Lead Scientist at the Global Landscapes Initiative at the UMN Institute on the Environment.  Dr. Brauman is an expert in "crop per drop" - assessing agricultural productivity as climate change affects global water supply.  This event is for members who have signed up for Great Decisions 2014.

MCC 2014 Great Decisions members sign up here.
Bridging East and West:  Yi Kai
Wednesday, September 10, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Artspace, 250 3rd Ave N, Jim Conaway's Studio, #204
Born and trained in China, Yi Kai moved to the United States to continue his artistic studies, including time at Artspace in Minneapolis.  He is well known in the local art community and was represented by Dolly Fiterman when he was working here.  His internationally acclaimed work blends art from east and west and his paintings serve as bridges between cultures.  Join this reception to see Yi Kai's new work and enjoy wine and refreshments.

MCC members sign up here; Guests email MCC.
Men's Coffee and Conversation 
Thursday, September 11, 7:30 - 8:30 am
Elsie's Restaurant, 729 Marshall St NE

Coffee and camaraderie for the male members of MCC! This group meets every other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going.  This week's conversation leader is Doug Baker whose topic is "Written legacies - how to share your life's stories and values with your descendants."  

 

Men MCC Members sign up here; Guests email MCC.

Coldwater Spring Historical Nature Tour
Thursday, September 11, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Coldwater Spring, 5601 Minnehaha Park Dr S
Come and walk along the banks of the first American settlement in Minnesota, where there is evidence of habitation 10,000 years ago.  Tour Coldwater Spring, a park in progress, where oak savannah, prairie, and bluff top woodlands have been restored from a former Bureau of Mines site and where the old springhouse and reservoir remain.  A pleasant country-like walk and interesting story of settlement, later use, and restoration come together on a terrain that is accessible to all (including wheelchairs).  It's an easy bike ride from downtown, please note whether you'd like to bike when registering.  

MCC members sign up here; Guests email MCC.

In the Know:  Vikings Stadium
Monday, September 15, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
American Academy of Neurology, Training Room A&B, 201 Chicago Ave
Interested in architecture?  Interested in what is happening in the neighborhood? Interested in sports?  If any of these things interest you then don't miss this special event!  Michelle Kelm Helgen, chair of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority will give us a presentation on the vision and progress of the new Vikings stadium and what to expect in the coming months.  The event will be held at the beautiful new Academy of Neurology, where we'll enjoy a glass of wine on the gorgeous balcony following the presentation.

MCC members sign up here; Guests email MCC.
Elderquest in Today's Movies:  An Introduction
Tuesday, September 16, 3:00 - 5:00 pm
RiverWest, 401 S 1st St
Don't miss the bus, boat, car, truck, or even the riding mower, for our elder heroes use them all to embark on the most important journeys of their lives. We call them Elderquests-the search for wisdom, connection, and integrity in later life-and they're providing us all with new, and more positive, narratives for successful aging. In this first session, Professor Robert Yahnke will introduce us to Elderquests in Today's Movies, developed by the University of Massachusetts Boston with a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and disseminated through Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes around the country. A follow up session in two weeks will include an Elderquest film followed by a guided discussion.

MCC members sign up here.
News from Members

MCC member Lois Libby Juster, a University of Minnesota Buckman Fellow, is inviting members to attend a reception of the exhibit FINE: Reflections on Resilience on September 5, 6:00-7:30 pm at Augsburg College, Student Art Gallery, 22nd Ave S at 7 1/2 St.  The exhibit is a collaboration of students from Augsburg College and PEASE Academy, the oldest sober high school in the U.S.  Themes such as addiction, recovery, and common challenges that all humans face were expressed through creative writing, collage, and the design of a zine.

MCC member Carol Jordan invites members to "Global Conversations:  China's Foreign Policy" at the Minneapolis Central Library on September 10 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.  The event is free but pre-registration is required.  For more information or to register, click here.  
Around Town

 

Southern Theater pARTy

September 6, 7:00-10:00 pm, Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave S

Join Southern Theater for a free party for the arts community.  Celebrate artists as they announce the 2015 ARTshare season and enjoy complimentary food and drink, musical performances, and a raffle.  Please RSVP your attendance here.  

 

Jim Moore Graywolf Publication Launch

September 11, 7:00 pm, The Loft at Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave S

The Loft invites you to join them for the first career retrospective of beloved poet Jim Moore.  His new volume, Underground: New and Selected Poems, gathers the best of his previous work as well as new poems that are frank and accessible.  For more information, click here.

 

Sixth Annual Minneapolis Bike Tour

September 14, 7:30 am, begin and end at Boom Island, 724 Sibley St NE

This recreational bike tour for all ages and abilities spans the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway System, with proceeds benefiting bike safety and education events for local youth.  Choose the 16, 25, or 32 mile route (all are closed to motorized traffic and include stops with refreshments and bike mechanics) and then enjoy live music, beer, and food from local vendors.  To register, click here.

 

Mill City Times

It's a metro website devoted specifically to our neighborhood and a place to go to find out what's happening, whether it's a new restaurant opening, a local event, proposed construction, etc.  Check it out at MillCityTimes.com. 

MCC Upcoming Events 
View the September Calendar here

 

September 3:  Rendezvous Readers' Book Chat.  No reservations required.

September 3:  Social Bridge.  Members click here.  Guests email MCC.

September 4:  Our Turn:  A Conversation for Women.  Members click here.  Guests email MCC.

September 7:  Sunday Brunch Soiree.  Members click here.

September 8:  Monuments and Memorials.  Members click here.  Guests email MCC.

September 8:  Great Decisions.  GD 2014 Members click here.

September 9:  Program Committee Meeting.

September 10:  Rendezvous on 5.  No reservations required.

September 10:  MCC Board Meeting.  Members click here.

September 10:  Bridging East and West: Yi Kai.  Members click here.  Guests email MCC.

September 11:  Men's Coffee and Conversation.  Members click here.  Guests email MCC.

September 11:  Coldwater Spring Historical Nature Tour.  Members click here.

September 15:  In the Know:  Vikings Stadium.  Members click here.  Guests email MCC.

September 16:  Elderquest in Today's Movies:  An Introduction.  Members click here.

September 17:  Rendezvous on 5.  No reservations required.

September 17:  Social Bridge.  Members click here.  Guests email MCC.

September 18:  Our Turn: A Conversation for Women.  Members click here.  Guests email MCC.

September 22:  Technology Helpdesk.  Members click here.
Volunteer Opportunities 

Based on member feedback, we're listing community volunteer opportunities on the MCC website.  Click here to learn more!  
 

Looking for a healthy fitness program? Enjoy exercising with friends at one of

 

  Mill City Commons

Ongoing Fitness Opportunities


SBS Class

                        Thursdays

2:00-3:00pm
501FIT,
501 Washington Avenue
Created exclusively for MCC, this class at 501F1T focuses on strength, balance, and stretching. 
First time participants, please contact 501F1T at 612-767-4415 and arrive 20 minutes early to complete paperwork. Cost varies depending on commitment.

  

  River Walkers

Tuesdays and Thursdays,

7:30-8:30am

Stone Arch Lofts Riverside Parking Lot

All level of walkers welcome for this early morning walk along the banks of the Mississippi River. An MCC volunteer leads each walk.

  

Hatha Yoga

Wednesdays and Fridays,

8:00-9:15am

Yoga Center Minneapolis, 212 3rd Ave N., Suite 205

This is an alignment-based class. Purchase a 12-class pass for $132 directly from YCM to use as your schedule allows, or drop in on a class for $12.50. Contact Dena at 612-436-4700 for details.

Drop-ins welcome.

 

MCC Ongoing Social Opportunities

 

Rendezvous

Readers' Book Chat
1st Wednesday of the month
Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express
   No reservations required.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Rendezvous on 5

Wednesdays

Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express

Drop in and join your friends and neighbors for fellowship at this neighborhood haunt.  This weekly adventure requires no reservations!

 

Men's Coffee and Conversation  

Elsie's Restaurant,

729 Marshall Street NE

Caffeine and camaraderie for the male members of MCC! This group meets every other Thursday morning and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going.

Our Turn: A Conversation for Women 

Relax and chat with other MCC women. This group meets every other week and alternates between morning and afternoon times. Look for details in the body of this newsletter.

 

 
Ongoing Member-Led Activities

 

Men's B&BS Lunch
Elsie's Restaurant,
729 Marshall St NE
Alternating Thursdays at 11:30 am
 September 4 & 18
This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact  Allan Burdick

MCC Bike Riders 

Meet at Washburn/

Stone Arch  

parking lot 

Tuesday and Friday mornings at 7:00 am

 Several MCC members meet to bike a couple mornings during the summer. The ride covers about 12 miles in a little more than an hour.

For more details and to join the riders, please contact Ellen Breyer.  

 
Mill City Commons | 219 Main Street SE, Suite 401, Minneapolis, MN 55414
www.millcitycommons.org | info@millcitycommons.org  
612-455-3329