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Update from the Executive Director
Mill City Commons is offering a Trial Membership opportunity to anyone interested in "trying on" membership.
I hope you'll take the time to read about the details of this offer and encourage your friends to, as well. Please click here! Contact [email protected] with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!
Downtown Minneapolis is gearing up for summer: foodie opportunities, wine and beer taste-testings, roof-top BBQs, fireworks gazing, festivals, art shows, fun runs, movies and music in the parks to name just a few fun leisure activities. With the Memorial Day weekend just around the corner, you might want to grab your calendars and pencil in some of the summer fun that awaits right outside your door!
Click here for a complete listing.
Building and road construction in and around the downtown area is going to be the "name of the game" for the next several years. Multiple street closures, narrowed streets, added bike lanes, increased density and frustrated drivers create a scary cocktail fraught with accident potential. Be mindful of the inherent risks and practice
good share the road etiquette!
Join us this evening for Tuesday Happy Hour at Haskell's Wine Bar! Details below.
MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.
~ Joan Wright
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Tuesday Happy Hour
Tuesday, May 22, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
Haskell's Wine Bar, 901 Nicollet Mall
 Join us for Tuesday Happy Hour at Haskell's Wine Bar. Hosted by Bill & Kathy Fox, this gathering is a time to catch up with friends and neighbors over drinks and small bites. Dutch treat--no reservations required! Enjoy a nice walk down the Nicollet Mall to get there, or ride one of the free buses on the Mall (they say "Free Ride"). If you drive, parking is available in the old Young Quinlan building, where the Wine Bar is located.
MCC members and guests. No registration required!
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Social Bridge
Wednesday, May 23, 3:00 - 5:00 pm 
Washburn Lofts, 700 S 2nd St
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].
MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC. |
Our Turn
Thursday, May 24, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Mill City Quarter, 322 2nd St S
MCC women, you are invited to attend Our Turn: A Conversation for Women. This week, Linda Willette hosts on the topic of "What it means to me to be an American." What do you value about this country and what it stands for? What are some differences between your and your parents' experiences living as an American? Does international travel make you appreciate things about our country more (or less)?
We'll also discuss preliminary results from the recent Our Turn survey.
Our Turn meets every other Thursday, alternating between morning and afternoon times. Hosts and topics change each time. We appreciate registration ahead of time, but walk-ins are always welcome!
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Great River Landing: Turning Lives Around
Wednesday, May 30, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
La Rive Party Room, 110 Bank St SE 
Join a conversation with Dr. Thomas Adams, the CEO of Better Futures Minnesota, which is the service provider for Great River Landing (GRL), Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative's project that just broke ground in North Loop near the Twins Stadium. GRL will provide affordable housing, workforce development, health and wellness programs, and life coaching to men formerly incarcerated who want to transform their lives and contribute to the community and their families. Dr. Adams will talk about the need for this holistic approach, how the men are identified, and the nature of the work supervision and support the men receive. MCC member Sonia Cairns, who co-chairs the Great River Landing Launch Team, will introduce Dr. Adams.
MCC members sign up here.
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Men's Coffee and Conversation
Thursday, May 31, 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 Roger Hale hosts. Following a short bio and an update on his chess career, Roger will be sharing some special memories from "Letters to My Parents," written when he was a young naval officer.
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Reading Partners: A Local Success Story
Monday, June 4, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
RiverWest Social Room, 401 1st St S 
Learn how Reading Partners empowers students to succeed in reading and in life by engaging community volunteers to provide one-on-one tutoring. The local chapter of the national nonprofit provides individualized literacy tutoring to some 600 students in low-income communities across the Twin Cities. The highly effective, evidence-based program has helped children master the fundamental reading skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. Executive Director Brooke Rivers, Board Chair Catherine Shreves and Reading Partner tutor Ginny Craig will share how Reading Partners is making a difference for students in the Twin Cities through its unique curriculum and model.
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Exploring Meditation
Tuesday, June 5, 9:30 - 10:30 am
Mill City Quarter, 322 2nd St S
 Mill City Commons members are invited to join in a drop-in meditation hour during the month of June. This is a time for self-guided meditation, with no instructor. The idea is that meditating with each other may help each of our practices. Drop-in sessions are on Tuesdays, June 5 through June 26, from 9:30-10:30 am at Mill City Quarter, across the parking lot from Abiitan. An MCC member will be there to let you in 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.
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The Health Challenge: When the Unforeseen Hits
Tuesday, June 5, 3:00 - 4:30 pm
Phoenix River Room, 222 2nd St SE
 Do you know how you'd react if you, your spouse or partner suddenly had a medical emergency? A panel of MCC members will offer you the benefit of their hard-earned wisdom through stories about how they've responded to accidents, medical emergencies in faraway places, and the changing health of a spouse. They'll share with you what they've learned about realities, resources and resilience. Panelists include Delia and Tyrone Bujold, Linnea Olesen, Sabina Sten, and Dodd and Ginger Wilson.
MCC members sign up here. |
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Nosy Neighbor Tour: St. Anthony Falls Lab
Monday, June 11, 1:00 - 2:00 pm
St. Anthony Falls Lab, 2 3rd Ave SE
 The St. Anthony Falls Laboratory is an interdisciplinary fluid mechanics research center and education facility under the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Built in 1938, the Lab takes advantage of its unique position near St. Anthony Falls to divert and direct river water through the building for use in experiments and research. A tour through the facility will not only give attendees an appreciation for the Lab's history and unique setting but also showcase its ongoing research and experiments that look to address many of society's major environmental challenges. The Lab is just off Main St. SE; find a map here.
MCC members sign up here. Limit of 15 participants! |
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MCC Program Calendar
View the full calendar of MCC's May events
here.
Plan ahead! View the full calendar of MCC's June events
here.
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News from Members
MCC member David Grong will be participating in the Great Cycle Challenge this June. The Great Cycle Challenge is a fund raiser for the Children's Cancer Research Fund (CCRF). David and Linda's daughter, Jennifer, suffered from a childhood cancer and died at the age of 8. Since then, they have been active supporters of CCRF. You can make donations, follow David's progress, and track his rides at
https://greatcyclechallenge.com/Riders/DavidGrong.
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Around Town
Mississippi River Care + Prairie Planting: Mill Ruins Park Area
May 23, 1:30-4:00 pm, Mill Ruins Park, 102 Portland Ave S
Help plant native prairie flowers and grasses, clear invasive plants and clean up our riverfront parks. For more information and to register, click
here.
Yoga in Gold Medal Park
Saturdays, May 26-September 1, 9:00 am, Gold Medal Park, 2nd St & 11th Ave S
Grab your mats and a neighbor and meet by the letters in Gold Medal Park. The sessions are free of charge and sponsored by Friends of the Mill District. Come salute the sun and enjoy the beauty of our neighborhood with your friends and neighbors.
Rising Book Launch
May 29, 7:00 pm, Able Seedhouse + Brewery, 1121 Quincy St NE
Join Milkweed Editions to celebrate the launch of Elizabeth Rush's book
Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore, a work of lyrical reportage about sea level rise, vulnerable communities and adaptability. After Rush reads from the book, Macalester professor Christie Manning - whose work explores psychology and climate change - will lead a conversation with Rush. Free and open to the public. Details can be found
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
Aster Cafe
125 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, 9:30-10:30 am
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
No reservations required.
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox
by Maggie O'Farrell
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,
May-August,
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 in June
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
May 24 & June 7
This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact
Allan Burdick.
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