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Update from the Executive Director
An important Mill City Commons Benefit is accessibility to the First Stop Guide, a list of
member-vetted services within two categories: Health & Wellness, and Other. Regularly, members refer to the Guide and appreciate the referrals fellow members have shared. It works well and is a valued perk.
In addition to the First Stop Guide, other area services are listed that anyone may access. Among these is Senior LinkAge Line. This remarkable "local aging expert," is made available through the Minnesota Board on Aging and Area Agencies on Aging. It is a
free service
that helps older adults and their families negotiate myriad community services as they can make plans for their future.
Information on just about any topic, including prescription drug assistance, care transitions, housing options, long-term care options, application and forms assistance, health care fraud and abuse concerns, state agency related questions, and volunteer and employment resources is just a phone call away. The people are professional in their interactions and helpful in making sure you are connected to the right resource.
1-800-333-2433.
MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.
~ Joan Wright
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Social Bridge
Wednesday, January 17, 3:00 - 5:00 pm 
Washburn Lofts, 700 2nd St S
Join bridge players for a round of social bridge; levels of expertise and experience vary. Bring a partner if you can, and remember to register both yourself and your partner. Questions? Contact Carol Jordan at
[email protected].
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Rep. Ilhan Omar: Representing the Underrepresented
Wednesday, January 17, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Minnesota Tech Center, 1100 Washington Ave S
 Join us as State Representative Ilhan Omar (District 60B) talks about her first year in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Omar will share what she's learned, the new (and sometimes unexpected) relationships she's made, and how she's suddenly had to speak for not just her district, but for immigrants and refugees all over the United States. Born in Somalia, Omar and her family fled the country's civil war when she was 8. They spent four years in a Kenyan refugee camp before coming to the U.S. in the 1990s.
MCC members sign up here.
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Our Turn: A Conversation for Women
Thursday, January 18, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Mill City Quarter Club Room, 322 2nd St S 
MCC women, you are invited to attend Our Turn: A Conversation for Women. This week, Peg Kavaney hosts on the topic of Aging. Is what you're experiencing as an older person what you expected? What's your favorite part of being older? What do you hope you can live to see?
Our Turn meets every other Thursday, alternating between morning and afternoon times. Hosts and topics change each time.
MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC. |
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Syria Crisis and the Arab Spring: A Current Perspective
Monday, January 22, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Winslow House Party Room, 100 2nd St SE
 Join us as Syrian-American Mazen Halabi shares his views on the Syria crisis. He'll give a historical perspective on Syria's involvement in the Mideast, talk about the impact of the Arab Spring and address geopolitical interests, including those of the United States, on Syria's future. Halabi left his home country of Syria for the United States after the 1982 Hama massacre, in which more than 40,000 people were killed by then-President Hafez Assad. He now works in the IT industry and serves as public relations director for Watan, a Syrian civil society organization.
MCC members sign up here.
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Exploring Meditation
Tuesday, January 23, 9:30 - 10:30 am 
Mill City Quarter, 322 2nd St S
Mill City Commons members are invited to join in a five-week winter meditation series that offers the opportunity to explore a regular meditation practice. The meditation will focus on inner peace and self-awareness. Facilitators Carole Baker, Linda Dolan and Lois Libby Juster will explore the importance of breath, visualization and the role of music in relieving stress and enhancing meditation. The group will meet on Tuesdays, January 9, 16, 23 and February 6 and 13 from 9:30-10:30 am at Mill City Quarter. Cost to participate is $10 per session. You do not need to attend all sessions to participate, and you'll pay for only the sessions you attend. Fees will be collected at the end of the series.
MCC members sign up here.
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Tuesday Happy Hour
Tuesday, January 23, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
Ginger Hop, 201 E Hennepin Ave
 Join us for Tuesday Happy Hour at Ginger Hop. Hosted by Bob Whitlock & Peggy Weber, this gathering is a time to catch up with friends and neighbors over drinks and small bites. Dutch treat--no reservations required! If you wish to stay for dinner, reservations may be made by calling (612) 746-0304.
MCC members and guests. No registration required. |
Men's Coffee and Conversation
Thursday, January 25, 7:30 - 8:30 am 
Elsie's Restaurant, 729 Marshall St NE
It's 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. This week, MCC member Bob Callahan hosts on the topic of "Looking Back: Transitions in Our Lives." We've all lived long enough to have experienced a number of life-changing transitions. Some have been exciting and positive, others may not have been so positive and required work, perseverance and the help of others to get through them. Bob will discuss some transitions he's experienced and invite each table group to have a conversation about the transitions that have significantly affected their lives. What were the outcomes of the transitions and what was learned?
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Ethics in the Trump Administration, Revisited
Monday, January 29, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
DeLaSalle High School, 1 DeLaSalle Dr, Room D104
 Last April, Richard Painter, University of Minnesota law professor and a top ethics scholar who worked as George W. Bush's chief ethics lawyer, talked with Mill City Commons members about conflicts of interest of the president of the United States and other government officials. As the Trump presidency begins year two, Professor Painter will take a look back with a review of ethics in the administration's first year. His talk will include discussion of the U.S. Constitution, conflict of interest laws and the practices used by government officials to comply.
MCC members sign up here.
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MCC Program Calendar
View the full calendar of MCC's January events
here.
Plan ahead! View the full calendar of MCC's February events
here.
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News from Members
MCC member Marcia Townley encourages others to visit the exhibit, "Testify: Americana from Slavery to Today," now open in Cargill Hall at the Minneapolis Public Library. The exhibit features items from the personal collection of retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page and his wife, Diane Sims Page, of African-American art and Americana. Find more information
here.
MCC member Merle Minda invites members to attend
Bold Hope in the North at Westminster Presbyterian Church (1200 Marquette Ave) on January 28 from 2:00-4:00 pm. The performance will include the Mill City Singers (which includes several MCCers). For more details, click
here.
MCC member Claudia Kittock wants members to know that the Mill City Youth Players will be presenting their work at 7:00 pm performances on January 23 and 24. Tickets will be on sale soon. Actors from YouthLink and the Cedar Riverside neighborhood have been rehearsing since November 15. MCC members and other community partners have contributed meals as a way to support these youth actors during their rehearsals. All are welcome to attend!
MCC member Carol Jordan suggests that members save the date for an event coming to the Minneapolis Central Library. On Saturday, March 17, author Iric Nathanson will discuss his new book and biography,
Don Fraser - Quiet Crusader. The book will shed light on the life and times of one of this state's most influential political figures.
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Around Town
Big Ideas: Race and Reality in the Cool Blue North
January 24, 7:00-8:30 pm, The Loft, 1011 Washington Ave S
Sometimes Minnesota is not so nice. This conversation, led by writer, professor and facilitator David Grant, will explore when the phrase "you're welcome here" really means that you are not. The evening also will open discussion around the ways in which Northern indifference can sometimes be worse than hate. Click
here for more details.
Vanishing Ice
Preview Party
January 26, 7:00-10:00 pm, Weisman Art Museum, 333 E River Rd
Explore the icy landscapes of our world and view
Chasing Ice, a documentary on global climate change. Engage with an environment that reveals your human contributions to our changing climate. Experience how explorers cross the Arctic with Dr. Aaron Doering and his team. Free admission. Small bites. To RSVP, click
here. The
Vanishing Ice exhibit offers a glimpse into the rich cultural legacy of the planet's frozen frontiers and will run through May 13. Details
here.
Love Local: Minnesota Center for Book Arts Open House
February 10, 10:00 am-2:00 pm, MN Center for Book Arts, 1011 Washington Ave S
Come in from the cold and get smitten with book arts! Join the MCBA for a free all-ages open house featuring hands-on activities, an art sale by MCBA's Artist Co-op and sweet refreshments. Artists will host Valentines-themed activities that include letterpress printed postcards, handmade heart-shaped paper, pop-up cards and more! Learn more
here.
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, volunteer opportunities and more.
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Volunteer Opportunities
Click
here
for community volunteer opportunities on the MCC website!
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MCC Ongoing Social Opportunities
Dutch Treat
Social Hour
Mondays, 4:00-5:00 pm
Jefe Urban Hacienda
219 Main St SE
Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. No reservations
required.
Guthrie Play Reading
RiverWest Group
Tuesday, 1/30,
6:30-9:30 pm
Group will be reading "Indecent" this month.
Rendezvous
Readers' Book Chat
1st Wednesday of the month, 9:30-10:30 am
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
No reservations required.
Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury
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!
Social Bridge
Every other Wednesday, 3:00-5:00 pm
Washburn Lofts,
700 2nd St S
Enjoy a round of social bridge. Be sure to register on the website!
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 Thursday and alternates between morning and afternoon times. Look for details in the body of this newsletter.
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| Mill City Commons Ongoing Fitness Opportunities
G-Werx Fitness,
An exclusive opportunity for members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance
and stretching to keep you fit and strong.
First time participants, please contact G-Werx Fitness at (612) 767-4415 and arrive 20 minutes early to complete paperwork. Cost varies depending on commitment.
River Walkers Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 am 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.
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Ongoing Member-Led Activities
MCC Caregivers' Support Group
2nd and 4th Wednesdays,
January - April,
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.
Exploring Meditation
Mill City Quarter,
322 2nd St S
Every Tuesday,
9:30-10:30 am
Clear the clutter in your mind, reduce stress and increase the feeling of calm in your life.
Men's Dutch Lunch
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
Alternating Thursdays at 11:30 am
January 18 & February 1
This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact
Allan Burdick.
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