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Update from the Executive Director
Mill City Commons is offering Trial Memberships! Register now through March 31 to "try on" membership this spring! It's s
imple. It's affordable. It's convenient.
Read the details here
.
Please email
[email protected]
to register or ask questions.
We look forward to welcoming you!
Ploughshares Fund
supports the smartest minds and most effective organizations to reduce nuclear stockpiles, prevent new nuclear states, and increase global security. MCC member Roger Hale, President Emeritus of the Ploughshares Fund, will share his views about U.S. government policy concerning nuclear weapons over the past 50 years and outline the issues and possible actions being considered by the new administration. To register for this event, click
here.
Last Tuesday Happy Hour is tonight - our own little Mardi Gras!
Details below. I look forward to seeing you there!
MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.
~ Joan Wright
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Last Tuesday Happy Hour
Tuesday, February 28, 5:00 - 6:00 pm 
Smith and Porter, 429 2nd St S
Join us for Last Tuesday Happy Hour at Abiitan's new Smith & Porter Restaurant + Bar. Abiitan residents Carole & Doug Baker, Ellie Hands, Peter & Scotty Gillette and Dick & Martha Olson host. 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) 378-0020.
MCC members and guests. No registration required.
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Rendezvous Readers' Book Chat
Wednesday, March 1, 9:30 - 10:30 am
Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express, 818 2nd St S
 Join us to discuss Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese. Growing up in the care of the "old man" he was entrusted to at birth, Franklin Starlight has never really known his biological father, Eldon. The fleeting moments he shared with the alcoholic man have only ended in disasters that haunt the boy. But when father, coming to the end of his alcohol-ruined life, reaches out to 16-year-old son, their first and last journey together begins. Hesitantly, Franklin obliges his dying father's wish--to be buried as a warrior--and together they hazard the rugged and dangerous beauty of the backcountry to find an appropriate burial site. Through the fog of pain, Eldon relates to his son the desolate moments in his life, as well as the times of hope--the family history Franklin has never known. As Father tells the tale, the Son, and the reader, live for the stories, in the hope that they will shed light on the mysteries of a tortured past.
If you'd like to read ahead, April's book is Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. Have a book suggestion for the Book Chat? Email Barbara Goldner.
MCC members and guests. No registration required. |
Nosy Neighbor Tour: Abiitan
Wednesday, March 1, 11:00 - 12:30 pm 
Abiitan, 428 2nd St S
If you missed MCC's tour of Abiitan in January, here's your second chance to get a look at one of the newest buildings in the neighborhood! This comprehensive tour will include stops in the restaurant, café, activity room, memory care floor, sky room and terrace, and several of the apartments. The visit will conclude with a complimentary lunch in Abiitan's dining room. Limit of 20 people.
MCC members sign up here.
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Social Bridge
Wednesday, March 1, 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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Technology Workshop: Navigating the MCC Website
Tuesday, March 7, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
American Academy of Neurology, 201 Chicago Ave, Training Room B 
Are you getting the most out of your MCC website? This session is designed for members who are less familiar with all the tools and information the website offers. Executive Director Joan Wright will show you how to both sign up for a program and cancel your registration, where to find member-recommended resources (First Stop Guide), how to access other members' phone numbers and email addresses, how to post to the Forum and more. Bring your computer, tablet and/or phone and get your questions answered!
MCC members sign up here.
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Nuclear Weapons in the New Administration
Wednesday, March 8, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Winslow House, 100 2nd St SE
 Campaign rhetoric and subsequent appointees to key Administration posts suggest confusing signals at best and terrifying ones at worst about U.S. government policy concerning nuclear weapons over the past 50 years. What are the issues and possible actions the new administration has to consider? MCC member Roger Hale, Chairman Emeritus of the
Ploughshares Fund, will share his views. The Ploughshares Fund, through grantmaking, works to reduce and eventually eliminate the dangers posed by nuclear weapons.
MCC members sign up here.
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Men's Coffee and Conversation
Thursday, March 9, 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 ev
e
ry 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 Doug Baker will speak on "A Gift from the Dalai Lama." He'll relate an experience with "His Holiness," the Dalai Lama, and several of his colleagues. And he'll share a question one of the monks posed to Doug, his wife Carole and their group during an audience. It's a query that has impacted Doug's subsequent years in an important way. Bring some writing materials to capture some notes.
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Our Turn
Thursday, March 9, 3:30 - 5:00 pm
Cobalt Condos, 45 University Ave SE, #405
 MCC women, you are invited to attend Our Turn: A Conversation for Women. This week, Our Turn takes a break from the serious as host Lou Burdick invites you to share stories--humorous, dramatic, comforting, amazing, impactful--about your most memorable restaurant experiences. Often restaurants serve as the stage for life-enriching, magical or sometimes dreadful experiences that have more to do with the people involved than with the food or the setting.
This group meets every other Thursday, alternating between morning and afternoon times. Locations and topics will change each time.
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Author Celebration: Jessica Fishman
Sunday, March 12, 5:00 - 6:30 pm 
Flour Sack Flats, 521 2nd St SE, #512
After moving to Israel, overcoming the notorious Israeli bureaucracy, making embarrassing mistakes while learning Hebrew, serving in an army that is run by teenagers, and serial dating egotistical Israelis, wide-eyed Minnesotan Jessica Fishman finally thought that she had made it, until everything came crashing down. Join us as Fishman, author of the just-published
Chutzpah and High Heels: The Search for Love and Identity in the Holy Land, tells her story and leads a discussion on how travel changes us and our identity. Dick and Peg Kavaney host; light refreshments will be served.
MCC members sign up here.
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So, How's the Mississippi River?
Monday, March 13, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Winslow House, 100 2nd St SE
 How is the health of the Mississippi River? Can I safely swim in it? Can I eat the fish I catch? How are the bald eagles faring? What "new" pollutants are impacting the river's health? The National Park Service partnered with Friends of the Mississippi River to examine the research that helps answer these and other questions, and recently released the updated "State of the River Report." Come and learn about the important trends and emerging issues impacting the health of the river, as well as potential solutions. Lark Weller is the Water Quality Coordinator for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park Service. Trevor Russell is Watershed Program Director for Friends of the Mississippi River. Lark and Trevor are the co-authors of the "State of the River Report."
MCC members sign up here. |
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State Capitol Tour
Tuesday, March 14, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd
 After more than three years of restoration, renovation and repair, Minnesota's historic State Capitol is open again for visitors. Join us on this guided tour to see the restoration up close and get an overview of Capitol history, art, architecture and state government. Our group leader will check in at the Capitol Information and Tour Center to the right of the first floor main entrance. The rest of group should wait on the front steps for the tour guide. The State Capitol is located just east of the Metro Green Line Capitol/Rice Street station.
MCC members sign up here. |
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The Future of Higher Education
Thursday, March 16, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
La Rive Party Room, 110 Bank St SE
 Join us for a thought-provoking discussion led by Robert Bruininks, University of Minnesota Professor and President Emeritus. Bob will draw on his experience as president at the U of M to discuss the future opportunities and challenges facing large public research universities in the United States. Bob has the unusual distinction of spending his entire career at one institution-the U of M-as both an academic and an administrator.
MCC members sign up here. |
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MCC Program Calendar
View the MCC March calendar
here.
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News from Members
MCC member Ron Vantine shares that there is a "Healthcare Access, Cost and Coverage - What's Next?" presentation on March 23, 5:00-8:00 pm at the Food Building, 1401 Marshall St NE. Jim Eppel, President & CEO of UCare, will lead the discussion with remarks by Ralonda Mason, Legal Aid Supervising Attorney. This presentation is part of "Bar Examination: Legal Topics Served Straight Up," a series of events presented by Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and partners that examine key legal and policy issues in an informative and lively presentation format.
MCC member Susan Plimpton
wants members to know about "One Day University: 5000 Years of History," which will be held at the Guthrie Theater on April 8 from 9:30 am-4:15 pm. One Day University offers participants the opportunity to hear award-winning professors from top universities speak on a variety of topics. For more details, click
here
. Cost is $195; however, discounts are available for first time attendees and the Star Tribune is currently offering a coupon.
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Around Town
National Theatre Live: Saint Joan
March 6, 7:00 pm, St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 Main St SE
Gemma Arterton is Joan of Arc, broadcast live from the Donmar Warehouse. Bernard Shaw's classic play follows the life and trial of a young country girl who declares a bloody mission to drive the English from France. As one of the first Protestants and nationalists, she threatens the very fabric of the feudal society and the Catholic Church across Europe. For more information and tickets, click
here.
Writers in Conversation: On Craft, with Melissa Febos
March 9, 7:00-8:30 pm, The Loft at Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave S
The Loft presents Melissa Febos, as she reads new work and discusses matters of writing process and craft. Melissa will read from her just published book
Abandon Me and will elaborate on matters of skill, inspiration, imagination and immersion into the writer's life in a lively discussion. For more information, click
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
Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. No reservations
required.
Guthrie Play Reading
North Star Group
Tuesday, February 28,
6:00-9:00 pm
"King Lear"
this month.
Rendezvous
Readers' Book Chat
1st Wednesday of the month, 9:30-10:30 am
Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express
No reservations required.
Medicine Walk
by Richard Wagamese
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.
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Ongoing Member-Led Activities
MCC Caregiver Support Group
2nd and 4th Wednesdays, January through 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.
Men's Dutch Lunch
Abiitan's Porter Cafe (Note the new location)
Alternating Thursdays at 11:30 am
March 2 & 16
This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact
Allan Burdick.
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| Mill City Commons Ongoing Fitness Opportunities
SBS Class
Thursdays 2:00-3:00 pm 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.
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.
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