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Update from the Executive Director
I am by no means an avid exerciser, but like many others, a new year brings renewed resolve to get in shape, exercise more and a "use it or lose it" mind set. My husband and I recently joined a local fitness center and have booked personal training sessions, resolved to increase our strength, flexibility and cardio levels.
What besides the new year was the impetus for our plan? Reading a recent article in
Cosmos Magazine. The research behind exercise and aging well is irrefutable, and if you're recovering from any kind of health issue, it's imperative.
"Mind and Muscles - How to Age Well," is long and initially technical, but I persevered and finished it. I was not disappointed. In fact, energized and encouraged.
So, get out there! Whether its walking, biking, swimming or simply being conscientious about including more movement in your day, the benefits are real. We look forward to making 2019 our healthiest year!
MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.
~ Joan Wright
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Sourdough Bread Baking with Sunrise Mills
Wednesday, January 16, 1:30 - 3:30 pm
The Legacy Community Room, 1240 2nd St S, 2nd fl 
Do you wonder why so many people have trouble digesting products with gluten? Is gluten-free the answer? Perhaps you remember your mother or grandmother having a bowl of dough going on the counter all the time and tasting the wonderful-smelling, fresh bread she made every week. In this session, taste some of those breads again and learn why they didn't make people sick. Marty and Darrold Glanville of Sunrise Flour Mill from the Mill City Farmers Market will teach us about sourdough bread baking using heritage wheat. There will be handouts and tasting as well as an informal presentation on this and other food inaccuracies we've been led to believe. Gustavo Gomez and Cheryl Grasmoen host at The Legacy.
Metered parking, enforced until 10 pm, is available on the street.
Just three spots remain! MCC members sign up here.
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Social Bridge
Wednesday, January 16, 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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Sunday Soiree
Sunday, January 20, 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Encore Party Room, 212 10th Ave S
 Join your friends and neighbors for the MCC Sunday Soiree, hosted by Bob & Marcy Rinek, Dick & Peg Kavaney and Jan & Linda Willette at Encore. Please contribute to the potluck by bringing a hearty hors d'oeuvre or main dish salad to serve at least 8 (we have enough desserts). 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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Meditation Circle
Tuesday, January 22 & 29, 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 January 22 session; members sign up here for the January 29 session. |
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An Insider's Look at the Playwrights' Center: Taking a Play from Page to Stage
Tuesday, January 22, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
A-Mill Artist Lofts, Performance Hall, First Floor, 315 Main St SE
 Have you always wanted to peek behind the scenes at how a new play is made? Luckily, the largest new play development center
in the country is located just a mile from downtown. Join Producing Artistic Director of the Playwrights' Center, Jeremy Cohen, along with one of the Center's renowned playwrights, Carlyle Brown, for an insider's look at storytelling for the stage. Learn how playwrights are nurtured and mentored at the Center, how they develop their new work, and how new plays you've seen at the Guthrie, Penumbra, Children's Theatre Company, Mixed Blood and The Jungle have gone from the page to the stage. We'll have a lively evening of conversation about the collaborative process in the Performance Hall at the historic A-Mill Artist Lofts on the banks of the Mississippi.
MCC members sign up here. |
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Provide a Meal at First Covenant Shelter
Wednesday, January 23, 5:30 - 8:00 pm 
First Covenant Church, 810 7th St S
Join MCC friends to prepare and serve a meal at First Covenant Shelter by St. Stephen's. First Covenant feeds its homeless guests every night and relies on groups of volunteers to prepare and serve the guests. While serving the meal, volunteers are encouraged to take shifts and eat and visit with the guests. Member Ellen Breyer is organizing a team of volunteers to prepare a meal earlier in the day in her home and then deliver and serve it at First Covenant. You can participate in one or both activities. Volunteers are also asked to donate $15 to cover the cost of feeding 55 to 60 people. If you're unable to participate but would like to donate money for groceries, that would be appreciated, too. When you register, please answer the question inquiring whether you'd like to help prep ahead of time, serve at the shelter or both. Additional details will be provided to those who sign up. If you have questions, you may contact Ellen Breyer:
[email protected]
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MCC members sign up here.
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M
en's Coffee & Conversation
Thursday, January 24, 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 Mike Fronk hosts with a slide show called "Other Creatures." Animals have always played an important role in Mike's life, beginning with a pet raccoon when he was about 12 years old. That was followed by pet hamsters, an alligator, avid bird watching and more. Come for some entertaining tales about some of these animals.
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MCC Women Connect
Thursday, January 24, 10:00 - 11:30 am 
Stone Arch Lofts, 600 2nd St S, #105
At this month's MCC Women Connect, Marcia Townley will host a discussion inspired by a recent New York Times editorial titled, "Beware Rich People Who Say They Want to Change the World." The subtitle, "Society's winners can seem so generous, until you consider what they're really selling," and the subsequent article stimulate thought about what creates real change. Review the article here, if you can, and bring your thoughts for discussion.
MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC. |
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Richard Painter on Ethics in Government
Monday, January 28, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
DeLaSalle High School, 1 DeLaSalle Dr, Room D104
 Richard Painter, University of Minnesota law professor and a top ethics scholar who worked as George W. Bush's chief ethics lawyer, returns to Mill City Commons to address conflicts of interest in government, as well as the ongoing Mueller investigation of Russian interference with the election, proceedings in the Southern District of New York on campaign finance violations, and the New York attorney general's investigations in the U.S. House of Representatives.
MCC members sign up here.
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Last Tuesday Happy Hour
Tuesday, January 29, 5:00 - 6:00 pm 
The Loop, 600 Washington Ave N
Join us for Last Tuesday Happy Hour at the The Loop! Hosted by Ginny & Will Craig, Patty Connelly and Barbara Broker, this gathering is a time to catch up with friends and neighbors over drinks and small bites. The event is dutch treat--no reservations required. If you'd like to stay for dinner, reservations can be made by calling (612) 340-0010.
Metered parking, enforced until 10 p.m., is available on Washington and 6th Avenues.
MCC members and guests. No registration required.
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MCC Program Calendar
View the full calendar of MCC's January events
here.
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News from Members
MCC member Will Craig's work was recently cited in an article in the
Star Tribune article titled "Recession Decimated Outstate Minnesota Retailers, but There Are Bright Spots." Click
here to read about it.
MCC member Merle Minda encourages members to buy their tickets for the next
Out of the Box Opera performance at the Weisman Art Museum (333 E River Pkwy) on February 9 at 7:00 pm. The performance will be an Opera and Gospel Fusion co-conceived by artistic director David Lefkowich and renowned musician J. D. Steele. Lefkowich said, "It seemed like a natural fit for us to create a program incorporating both opera and gospel music," as the company performs opera experiences in combination with other genres and venues. J.D. Steele will launch an original piece he has composed for the event. Material will be drawn from opera favorites by Verdi and Puccini, as well as gospel songs from Edwin Hawkins, Quincy Jones and Curtis Mayfield; and will also feature accompaniment by J.D.'s brother Fred Steele, and two groups that Steele directs, the Mill City Singers and McPhail Community Youth Choir. Tickets are $55 for reserved seating and $40 for general admission, available
here.
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Ar
ound Town
Fire & Ice: Hot Latin Music for January
January 24, 10:30 am, MacPhail Center for Music, 501 2nd St S
Enjoy this Thursday Musical concert featuring performances by: David Viscoli, piano,
Mark Bussey, guitar, Patricia Kent, soprano with Edward Turley, piano, and Sahar Hassan, mezzo soprano, and Lacey West and Rebecca Heyn, piano duo. Tickets $15, sold at the door, general seating. Complimentary coffee and donuts at 10:00 am.
The Nature of Things
January 26, 3:00-6:00 pm, Mill Yard at Stonebridge Lofts, 1120 2nd St S
This pop-up exhibit showcases a collection of works that offers space to consider the times in which we live. Our world is in constant flux. We ride the ebb and flow, sifting through layers of complexity in search of a clarity that we can anchor onto. It's the nature of things. The opening reception will include complimentary wine, sparkling water and sweet drinks. The exhibit will be open through March 30.
Minnesota Responds to Climate Change: A Report from COP24
January 30, 6:00-7:30 pm, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall
In December, diplomats from nearly 200 countries met in Poland to discuss accelerating their climate commitments. We now face a critical moment of opportunity to achieve deep, economy-wide carbon reductions.
Join a discussion with
J. Drake Hamilton, Science Policy Director at Fresh Energy,
on developments from the most recent global climate summit and to share ideas about productive next steps in Minnesota. The program will also include a panel discussion with other experts who attended the UN climate change. Register for this free event 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 (note the new time)
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
January 17 & 31
This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact
Allan Burdick.
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