November 15, 2016
Update From the Executive Director

It's that time of year!  Mill City Commons holiday fund drive is underway. Turkey & Extra Helpings supports several neighborhood organizations: Exodus Residence, Mary's Place and Ascension School. Won't you join us? Your cash donations and small, unwrapped gifts -- new or gently used -- are greatly appreciated. More details here.

MCC Members are encouraged to register for Thursday evening's House of Talents presentation. Founder Kate Herzog has an incredible personal story to tell. This is a presentation meant to be shared, so you're encouraged to bring a guest! Register  here.

As daylight hours lessen, a cautious reminder to neighborhood walkers: Stay alert! Street and sidewalk closures coupled with higher traffic levels often contribute to less than safe walking conditions. A few key things to keep in mind while on your way: make positive eye contact with drivers at crosswalks, wear reflective outerwear and stay focused and distraction-free.

Make your New Year's Eve plans, today! Join your MCC friends to celebrate a year well-lived with an early New Year's Eve meal at Spoonriver. December's calendar has all the details. 

MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.

~ Joan Wright
Men's Coffee and Conversation 
Thursday, November 17, 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 Ron Vantine hosts the annual Men's Book Review. Each person will be asked to recommend two books he's read in 2016--fiction or nonfiction--and also to share his favorite reading genre.

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.
The Story of the House of Talents
Thursday, November 17, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Humboldt Lofts, 750 2nd St S, #901
Join us to hear the story of the House of Talents, a Minneapolis-based company whose mission is to alleviate poverty by connecting artisans from developing countries with consumers worldwide. Founder Kate Herzog, a native of Ghana, will share her journey from growing up in Ghana to-many years later-earning an MBA at the University of St. Thomas and starting a company in Minnesota. Baskets by House of Talents artisans will be available for sale, with half of the proceeds going to the Angel Foundation, supporting adults with cancer. MCC members Mary Racciatti and Peggy Lucas co-host. Ghanaian appetizers will be served!

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.
5 Surprises from the Village to Village Conference
Friday, November 18, 10:00 - 11:00 am
Washburn Lofts Common Room, 700 2nd St S
Join several Mill City Commons board members and Executive Director Joan Wright for a panel discussion about what they experienced, learned and took away from this year's Village to Village Annual Gathering in Columbus, Ohio.

MCC members sign up here.
Social Bridge
Wednesday, November 23, 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Washburn Lofts, 700 2nd St S  
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  caroljordan@millcitycommons.org  or at (612) 817-0466 a nd she will assist you.

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.
Last Tuesday Happy Hour
Tuesday, November 29, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
The Butcher Block, 308 Hennepin Ave E
Join us for Last Tuesday Happy Hour at The Butcher Block, hosted by Cobalt members Allan and Lou Burdick, Jack and Mary Lou Meyer, Merle and Roland Minda, George and Tamra Nelson, and Carol and Ron Vantine. Catch up with friends and neighbors over drinks and small bites. Dutch treat--no reservations required! If you'd like to stay for dinner, reservations can be made by calling (612) 455-1080.

MCC members and guests. No reservations required.
MCC Program Calendar

View the MCC November calendar here.

Plan ahead! View the MCC December calendar here.
News from Members

Are you a friend of Mill City Commons but not yet a member? Or a recipient of this weekly neighborhood newsletter who wants to support our mission? You're in luck! MN Give to the Max Day is underway. Now through November 16th, Executive Director Joan Wright invites you to support "Your Neighborhood for a Lifetime - Mill City Commons!" Donate here .

MCC member Bob Callahan wants to share an interesting event for baseball fans: " Play by Play: Recalling Minnesotans and the Negro Baseball League."   Frank White, author of They Played for the Love of the Game, and panelists with ties to the great players in the American Negro Baseball Leagues will bring to life the stars and the scenes as the sport was played in our community and around the country by Minnesota athletes. Hear inside stories from players' families and friends. Vintage photographs and baseball memorabilia will be on display. The event is  scheduled for November 17, 7:00-9:00 pm,  at Minneapolis Central Library's Pohlad Hall. Register here.
Around Town

Westminster Town Hall Forum: We Have a New President: Now What?
November 17, 12:00 pm, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 Marquette Ave
Timothy Naftali looks ahead to the term of the 45th president. Naftali is associate clinical professor of history and public service at NYU. An award-winning author, his writings focus on national security, intelligence policy, international history and presidential history. 

National Theatre Live: Hamlet
November 21, 7:00 pm, and Saturday, November 26, 1:00 pm,  St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 Main St SE
Watch a stage performance in London come to life on the big screen. In Hamlet, a family tears itself apart as their country arms itself for war. Forced to avenge his father's death, but paralyzed by the task ahead, Hamlet rages against the impossibility of his predicament, threatening both his sanity and the security of the state. For information and tickets, click here.

Bakken Trio with David Kra kauer
December 4, 4:00 pm, Temple Israel, 2324 Emerson Ave S
This event in the newly renovated Temple Israel features an arrangement of David Schiff's chamber opera Gimpel the Fool, based on the Isaac Bashevis Singer story of a schlemiel and his journey of faith. A quirky jazzy string duo by Czech Erwin Schulhoff and Khachaturian's clarinet trio (featuring Eastern European folk tunes) complete the program. Tickets can be purchased 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.  
 
Volunteer Opportunities 
 
Click here for community volunteer opportunities on the MCC website!  
 
MCC Ongoing Social Opportunities
 
Dutch Treat
Social Hour
Mondays, 4:00-5:00 pm
**New Location: El Jefe
Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. No reservations
 required.

Guthrie Play Reading
North Star Group
Tuesday, November 29,
6:00-9:00 pm

Stone Arch Group
Tuesday, December 6, 7:00-10:00 pm
Groups will read  "The Lion in Winter" this month.

Rendezvous
Readers' Book Chat
1st Wednesday of the month, 9:30-10:30 am
Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express
    No reservations required.
Delicious!
by Ruth Reichl

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 Thursday 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, September through December,
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
 December 8 & 22
 This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact  Allan Burdick.
 

 Mill City Commons

Ongoing Fitness Opportunities


SBS Class

                      Thursdays

2:00-3:00 pm

501F1T,
501 Washington Ave
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,

7:30-8:30 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.

  

Hatha Yoga

Wednesdays and Fridays,

8:00-9:15 am

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.


 
 

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