January 19, 2016
Update From the Executive Director

Eight years after its founding, Mill City Commons' 175+ curious, engaged, warm and welcoming members routinely enjoy the connections they've made in and around their neighborhood "village." 

MCC anticipates continued growth as more people - including empty nesters - move into the neighborhood. Indeed, Mill City Commons has become a "safe landing" for people in transition - a move from the suburbs to downtown, the change that comes with retirement, the loss of a spouse or just a desire to test another way of living in a community that has so much to offer. This includes experiencing the joy that comes with building community. Everybody benefits!

A great way to learn more about us, is to attend one of the events or social outings listed, below or to the right. You will be heartily welcomed by members who happily will share with you why Mill City Commons is their "neighborhood for a lifetime." Please contact me and be my guest. We'd love to show you around! 612-455-3329.

Earlier this month, MCC's Public Policy Discussion on Closing the Achievement Gap, generated a high level of enthusiasm among members to learn more about how they can make a meaningful difference in the life of a young learner. MCC members are invited to attend an informational meeting to be held at neighborhood K-2 Webster Elementary on Tuesday, January 26th - 2pm/Media Center, to learn more about volunteer opportunities at the school. For more information, please email Claudia Kittock here.

Mill City Commons: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.

~Joan Wright
Social Bridge
Wednesday, January 20, 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Washburn Lofts Community Room, 700 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 the 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. 

MCC members sign up here; Guests email MCC.
Our Turn: A Conversation for Women
Thursday, January 21, 3:30 - 5:00 pm
The Landings, 512 River St
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. Locations and topics will change each time. This week, host Toni Rosen will lead a discussion on the changes we've seen in the last several decades. What annoys you most about life in the twenty-first century compared to how "it used to be"? Has the Internet been a gift or a plague?

MCC members sign up here; Guests email MCC.
Last Tuesday Happy Hour
Tuesday, January 26, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
Red Cow, 208 1st Ave N
Join us for the Last Tuesday Happy Hour at Red Cow, hosted by Ginny and Will Craig. Catch up with friends and neighbors over drinks and small bites. Dutch treat - no reservations required! If you wish to stay for dinner, it's on a first-come, first-served basis, unless you have a party of seven or more. In that case, reservations may be made at (612) 238-0050. 

MCC members and guests. No reservations required!
Caregiver Support Group
Wednesday, January 27, 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Cobalt Condos 2nd fl Conference Room, 45 University Ave SE
Mill City Commons members have created a Caregiver Support Group and invite other caregivers to join them. This guided discussion group with professional facilitation was created to support MCC members and non-members who are or have been in a caregiving role. Caregiver Support Group members will share experiences, issues and concerns about caregiving as well as give and receive support around this critical role. This is a three month series, meeting the second and fourth Wednesday each month from 10:30 am-12:00 pm. Participants will be asked to pay $60 for the three month (six sessions) series regardless of how many sessions they are able to attend. Confidential scholarships are available - contact Membership Coordinator Mary Texidor.  To enter Cobalt, buzz Tamra Nelson at the Cobalt Security Phone, take the elevator to the 2nd fl, turn right and walk to the end of the hallway.

MCC members sign up here; Non-MCC members are welcome and can email MCC to register.
Technology Workshop: Buying and Selling on eBay
Wednesday, January 27, 3:00 - 4:30 pm
American Academy of Neurology, Training Room A, 201 Chicago Ave
Have you thought about buying or selling items on eBay but aren't sure how to start? This informative workshop will cover the basics on buying, including how to find, bid on, pay for, receive and give feedback on items. We'll also go over how to list, describe, determine auction type and deliver items you want to sell. Please bring your computer and come with an idea of an item to sell and an item to buy. Instructor Brad Jolson, an economist who's worked in consumer lending analytics for several years, has been using eBay for more than 15 years and has bought and sold a few hundred items.

MCC members sign up here.
Men's Coffee and Conversation
Thursday, January 28, 7:30 - 8:30 am
Elsie's Restaurant, 729 Marshall St NE      
Caffeine and camaraderie for the male members of MCC and guests! This group meets every other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going. Please register by the Monday prior to Men's Coffee and Conversation. MCC member Bob Callahan hosts this week. Bob used the Myers Briggs in career coaching and team training during his human resources career. He'll cover the basics of Myers Briggs, help you discover your personality type, and ask the question, 'How has your personality type influenced your career decisions and your relationships?'

Men MCC members sign up here; Guests email MCC.
A Government of, by and for the People (Who Have Money)
Tuesday, February 2, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Stonebridge, 1120 S 2nd St, #709
In the six years since the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United, campaign spending by special interest groups has risen exponentially. If the ideals of our nation's founders are to remain true and "the people" are to have a voice, this needs to change. Speaker Jeremy Schroeder is executive director of Common Cause Minnesota. He joined the organization in 2012 after more than a decade of leading campaigns on behalf of worker rights and human rights and against capital punishment. Cecily Hines and Tom Pettus host at Stonebridge.

MCC members sign up here.
News from Members

MCC member Linnea Tweed invites members to join one of the upcoming wellness classes at East Side Neighborhood Services. Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance was designed to help reduce the risk of falls by improving balance, muscle strength, flexibility and mobility. Living Well With Chronic Conditions will help you find practical ways to deal with pain and fatigue, understand new treatment choices, and learn better ways to talk with your doctor and family about your health. Click on the links above for details on class days, times, and costs. Classes are held at East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 2nd St NE.

MCC member Carol Jordan would like you to know that the Minneapolis Central Library is hosting Home Street Home Minneapolis, presented by the zAmya Theater Project. The production blends comedy, music and the truth surrounding home and homelessness in downtown Minneapolis. The play will be January 25 at 6:30 pm in Pohlad Hall. For more information, click here.

MCC member Ellie Hands wants members to know that "Late Life: A Conversation with Atul Gawande" will air on TPTMN on January 31 (7:00 pm) and February 7 (1:00 am, 7:00 am, and 1:00 pm). In the episode, Dr. Gawande, author of Being Mortal, shares his vision of healthcare that helps people live well to the end. It is also available online here.
Around Town

Singing Our History: People and Places of the Red Lake Nation
January 23, 6:00-9:00 pm, Regis Center for Art, 405 21st Ave S
Join the public reception and drum featuring Ojibwe drum, foods, and culture at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery. The exhibition explores the many ways the Red Lake Nation has been and continues to be portrayed by artists and members of its communities through art and photography. On exhibit through February 13. For more information, click here.

Community Listening Session re: Vikings Tailgating
January 26, 6:00 pm, Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave S, Target Performance Hall
The Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association is holding a community listening session where community members will meet to discuss and provide feedback to help shape tailgating policy downtown. 

Hands Up Don't Shoot - HER
January 28-April 16, Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave S
Hands Up Don't Shoot - HER showcases works that evoke long-standing and uncomfortable questions about the value of the lives of black women (as well as what makes a woman) in a time and place where whole communities seem to be at war with their local police systems. $3-10 admission suggested. For more information, click here.

CM Frey's State of the Ward Address and the Third aWards
February 3, 6:30-8:30 pm, Minneapolis Event Centers, 212 Main St SE
Join Council Member Jacob Frey for his 2nd Annual State of the Ward Address and Third aWards. Awards of the year will be given for Leader, Local Business, Neighborhood Project/Initiative, and Youth Leader. RSVP by calling 612-673-3126
or emailing zack.farley@minneapolismn.gov. Nominations for the Third aWards will be accepted through January 27.

Mill City Times is a local 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.  
MCC Upcoming Events  
View the January calendar here
View the February calendar here

 

January 20: Rendezvous on 5. No reservations required.
January 20: Social Bridge. MCC members click here; Guests email MCC.
January 21: Our Turn: A Conversation for Women. MCC members click here; Guests email MCC.
January 25: Dutch Treat Coffee Chat. No reservations required.
January 26: Last Tuesday Happy Hour. No reservations required!
January 27: Rendezvous on 5. No reservations required.
January 27: Caregiver Support Group. MCC members click here; Guests email MCC.
January 27: Technology Workshop. MCC members click here.
January 28: Men's Coffee and Conversation. MCC members click here; Guests email MCC.
February 1: Dutch Treat Coffee Chat. No reservations required.
February 2: Program Committee Meeting.
February 2: A Government of, by and for the People (Who Have Money). MCC members click here.
February 3: Rendezvous Readers' Book Chat. No reservations required.
February 3: Social Bridge. MCC members click here; Guests email MCC.
February 4: Our Turn: A Conversation for Women. MCC members click here; Guests email MCC.
February 7: Sunday Soiree. MCC members click here.
February 8: Dutch Treat Coffee Chat. No reservations required.
February 8: Great Decisions. MCC GD members click here.
February 9: CSI Minnesota: The True Story of Medicolegal Death Investigation and Why It Matters. MCC members click here.
 
Volunteer Opportunities 
 
Click here for community volunteer opportunities on the MCC website!  
 

 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 levels of walkers are 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 of Minneapolis,

212 3rd Ave N, Ste 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

 

Dutch Treat

Coffee Chat

Mondays, 4:00-5:00 pm

Aster Cafe

Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. No reservations
 required.

 

Rendezvous

Readers' Book Chat
1st Wednesday of the month, 9:30-10:30 am
Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express
   No reservations required.
The Road to Character
by David Brooks

Rendezvous on 5

Wednesdays, 9-10 am

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 at 7:30 am 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

MCC Caregiver Support Group
2nd and 4th Wednesdays, January through March
10:30 am-12:00 pm
A way to support members and non-members who are or have been in a  caregiving role. For
more information,   contact Betsy Wray

Men's Dutch Lunch
Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express
Alternating Thursdays at 11:30 am
 Jan 21 & Feb 4
 This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact  Allan Burdick
 
Mill City Commons | 219 Main Street SE, Suite 401, Minneapolis, MN 55414
www.millcitycommons.org | info@millcitycommons.org  
612-455-3329