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Update from the Executive Director
The line between
independence and
interdependence is a fine one. Sometimes, they go hand-in-hand, like my toddler granddaughters who both are adamant about exercising each newly-discovered, independent activity or skill. Their parents dutifully standby, ready to offer assistance or help so that the execution of whichever new-found, independent function they're trying to complete is successful.
Turns out that while
independence is what we strive for, no matter our age,
interdependence is what provides a rich and fulfilling dimension to our lives. We need one another!
Whether its learning something new, sharing a recent experience, engaging or assisting others, membership in Mill City Commons brings people together, fostering independent living alongside interdependent social connections, friendships and continued learning and growth. Interested in membership? Please
contact me to find out more or to get started. You're life will be all the richer for it!
MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.
~ Joan Wright
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Technology Help Desk
Tuesday, February 5, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
MCC Office, 125 Main St SE, Ste 339
 Schedule time with a tech support guru and have your nagging technology questions answered during our complimentary Help Desk. Support for both Apple products and PCs is available. After you register, MCC will confirm the time of your 20-minute one-on-one session. Reminder: Installing or upgrading software and creating accounts cannot be included in the Help Desk session, as they exceed the allotted appointment time.
Registration is now closed. To be added to the waiting list in case of a cancellation, please email Betsy at [email protected]. |
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Rendezvous Readers' Book Chat
Wednesday, February 6, 10:00 - 11:00 am 
Abiitan's Porter Cafe, 428 S 2nd St
Join us to discuss Clock Dance by Anne Tyler. Willa Drake can count on one hand the defining moments of her life. In 1967, she is a schoolgirl coping with her mother's sudden disappearance. In 1977, she is a college coed considering a marriage proposal. In 1997, she is a young widow trying to piece her life back together. And in 2017, she yearns to be a grandmother but isn't sure she ever will be. Then, one day, Willa receives a startling phone call from a stranger. Without fully understanding why, she flies across the country to Baltimore to look after a young woman she's never met, her nine-year-old daughter, and their dog, Airplane. This impulsive decision will lead Willa into uncharted territory--surrounded by eccentric neighbors who treat each other like family, she finds solace and fulfillment in unexpected places.
If you'd like to read ahead, March's book is Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. Have a book suggestion for the Book Chat? Email Marsha Blumenthal at [email protected].
MCC members and guests. No registration required. |
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M
en's Coffee & Conversation
Thursday, February 7, 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's presenter is MCC member Will Craig. His topic is "Ethics in everyday life." Will developed the Code of Ethics for his Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Profession, based on studying dozens of other professional codes. Even with well articulated ethics, we are often left with dilemmas in everyday life.
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Star Tribune Printing Plant Tour
Thursday, February 7, 1:00 - 2:30 pm 
Star Tribune Heritage Center, 800 N 1st St
If you like BIG, this is the place to see! Join us for a tour of the
Star Tribune Heritage Center printing facility, where presses are 100 feet high, rolls of newsprint paper weigh 2,500 pounds and the building is the size of nine football fields. Register early, as we have just 10 spots on the tour. PLEASE NOTE: Closed-toe shoes are required.
MCC members sign up here.
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Dinner for 5
Sunday, February 10, 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Ginger Hop, 201 E Hennepin Ave
 If connecting with and getting to know other MCC members in a smaller, more intimate social setting interests you, this Sunday night dinner just might be for you! This month, join other MCC members for a casual evening of dining at Ginger Hop restaurant. The meal is dutch treat. Space is limited, so register early!
MCC members sign up here. |
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Meditation Circle
Tuesday, February 12 & 19, 9:30 - 10:30 am
Mill City Quarter Club Room, 322 2nd St S 
Mill City Commons members are invited to join in a weekly drop-in meditation hour. This is a time for self-guided meditation; if you're new to meditation, we'll provide a brief explanation to help you get started. Our hope is that meditating with each other may help each of our practices and create a shared energy among participants. Drop-in sessions are on Tuesdays from 9:30-10:30 am at Mill City Quarter, across the parking lot from Abiitan. An MCC member will be there to greet you at 9:30 a.m. Please register for sessions you plan to attend so we have an idea of how many to expect. All sessions are free.
MCC members sign up here for the February 12 session; members sign up here for the February 19 session. |
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Go Behind the Scenes of the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
Tuesday, February 12, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
La Rive Party Room, 110 Bank St SE
 With thousands of movies created each year, how do they find their way to the big screens at film festivals? Join us for an insider conversation with MSPIFF and MSP Film Society Programming Director Jesse Bishop on how the annual festival comes together, from film selection to visiting filmmakers to donning awards, and everything in between. The Festival's 38th edition will take place April 4 to 20, and you'll get a special sneak peek at some of the exciting new films coming to the neighborhood this spring.
MCC members sign up here.
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Social Bridge
Wednesday, February 13, 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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MCC Goes to the Movies & Dinner
Wednesday, February 13, 4:00 - 7:30 pm
St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 Main St SE
 Join MCC members for a dutch-treat mid-week movie and dinner! The movie and exact movie time will be announced the week before and communicated on the website and in Musings. We'll follow with dinner at Jefe, just a short walk down the hall from the theater. Members and guests are welcome to join us for the movie, dinner or both.
MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC. |
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Sunday Soiree
Sunday, February 17, 5:00 - 7:00 pm 
RiverWest Common Room, 401 S 1st St
Join your friends and neighbors for the Sunday Soiree, hosted by more than a dozen RiverWest MCC members. Please contribute to the potluck by bringing a hearty hors d'oeuvre, main dish salad or dessert to serve at least 8. As you register, let us know what you'll bring by answering the "Question" that will appear on the screen. You are welcome to bring your own wine or beer to share.
MCC members sign up here.
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MCC Program Calendar
View the full calendar of MCC's February events
here.
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Ar
ound Town
MacPhail Spotlight Series: Roaring Twenties
February 9 & 10, various times, MacPhail Center for Music, 501 S 2nd St
Hear iconic songs like "Honeysuckle Rose," "Sweet Sue," and "Ain't We Got Fun" alongside instrumental selections, as this program takes you back to America's most transformative and mythical era. Purchase at MacPhail Student Services or by calling (612) 767-5250. Learn more
here.
Westminster Town Hall Forum
February 12, 12:00 pm, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 Marquette Ave
Join Art Cullen as he discusses "Change, Resilience and Hope in Rural America." Art Cullen is editor and co-owner of
The Storm Lake Times, a flourishing, family-owned, twice-weekly newspaper founded in 1990 in Northwest Iowa. His recently published book,
Storm Lake, chronicles his 40-year career in journalism and describes changes in politics, agriculture, climate, and immigration in his rural community.
Global Conversations: The Middle East - Regional Disorder
February 13, 6:00-7:15 pm, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall
The Trump administration has aligned itself with strongmen in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, which along with Israel have a common goal of frustrating Iranian expansion. What will be the fallout from policy reversals such as withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear accord and moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem? Join a discussion with Paul R. Pillar, Senior Fellow at the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University, on the United States' path forward in the Middle East and the possibility of war with Iran. Register for this free event
here.
Aging with Gusto Series
March 7, 14 and 21, 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Kenwood Senior Living, 825 Summit Ave
Our attitudes about aging have an impact on our quality of life, physical and mental health and even longevity. Change the negative narrative about aging, for yourself and those around you. This is a three-part series and costs $12, payable at the door. For more information and to register, 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
219 Main St SE
Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. No reservations
required.
Rendezvous
Readers' Book Chat
1st Wednesday of the month, 10:00-11:00 am
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
No reservations required. The next
book is
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.
MCC Women Connect
Join MCC women as they connect and grow, sharing experiences and learning from each other as they adapt to life's changes and transitions. This group meets the fourth Thursday morning of the month.
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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.
Meditation Circle
Mill City Quarter,
Join us for a weekly
self-guided meditation hour.
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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 in a caregiving role.
Men's Dutch Lunch
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
Alternating Thursdays at 11:30 am
February 14 & 28
This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact
Allan Burdick.
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