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Update from the Executive Director
Forewarned is forearmed. Wise words to heed. Now that the Final Four is passed, a major downtown road project gets underway. The Hennepin Avenue Downtown Project spans the thoroughfare between South 12th Street and Washington Avenue, and will close some sections for up to two years. This project, along with the upcoming Third Avenue Bridge reconstruction and the 10th Avenue Bridge rehab project, will throw our neighborhood into a bit of transportation chaos, presenting opportunities for creative solutions to navigate from one side of the river to another.
On Thursday, May 30, Ward 3 Council Member Steve Fletcher will update MCC members on several of these projects. An update on the currently planned timing of the projects and contact information for project staff at each agency will be shared with a Q&A to follow. MCC Members register here!
MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.
~ Joan Wright
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Technology Workshop
Tuesday, April 16, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
American Academy of Neurology, Training Room A, 201 Chicago Ave 
Learn how to create better photos using your iPhone camera! First we'll explore focus, exposure and different modes in the camera app. We'll also look at how to use apps to adjust the brightness, color and composition of photos. Then we'll talk about sharing and showcasing your photos in creative ways, including how to turn your photo into a watercolor painting or a postcard or canvas print.
Registration is now closed. If you'd like to be placed on the waiting list, please email [email protected]. |
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Waterfowl Walk
Wednesday, April 17, 8:00 - 9:30 am
Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W Lake Harriet Parkway
 Each year, hundreds of thousands of birds stream through Minnesota on their annual migrations. The Minneapolis Chain of Lakes is a great place to observe them. In this walk led by Gregg Severson, naturalist with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, we'll be watching for geese, ducks, swans, pelicans and more. Bring binoculars and field guides, if you have them. Parking is available in the pay lot near the bandshell or along Lake Harriet Parkway (free). In case of rain, Gregg will email all registrants by 7 am if he's cancelling the walk. The rain date for the walk is Friday, April 19, same time and place.
NOTE: You don't have to be a serious birder to participate-this is a chance to learn! And these are not strenuous hikes but rather easy walks with lots of stopping.
MCC members sign up here.
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M
en's Coffee & Conversation
Thursday, April 18, 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 Peter Hutchinson will speak on "Seven Decades, Seven Stories." Every part of our lives provides us with chances to learn who we are and what to make of ourselves. Peter will share stories and their lessons for him from the first seven decades of his life.
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An Argument for Single-Payer National Health Insurance
Monday, April 22, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
DeLaSalle High School, 1 DeLaSalle Dr
 What is Single Payer? What are the myths? Where are single-payer systems in place and working? How would we pay for a single-payer system and is it affordable? Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) is a non-profit research and education organization of 18,000 health professionals who support single payer health insurance. Two speakers affiliated with PHNP will address these questions and more: Augie Lindmark, U of M Medical School Class of 2019 and member of the national PHNP board, and Dr. Laurel Gamm, recent co-chair of PNHP Minnesota board and a family practice physician at Minnesota Community Care, doing primary care for homeless adults.
MCC members sign up here.
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Meditation Circle
Tuesday, April 23 & 30, 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 April 23 session; members sign up here for the April 30 session. |
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Social Bridge
Wednesday, April 24, 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 Women Connect
Thursday, April 25, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Mill City Quarter, 322 2nd St S 
At this month's MCC Women Connect, member Carol Hovey will lead a discussion on the topic of "What is work?" Although many of us are no longer working, we see the changes for our children and friends who are working. What will be their working future? Often politicians talk about giving money back to hard-working taxpayers. What is the definition for "hard-working"? A David Brooks column last fall addressed the new working classes (read it here). And another New York Times article asks, "Why are young people pretending to love work?". These will provide some context for our discussion.
MCC Women Connect's purpose is to gather to connect and grow, sharing our experiences and learning from each other as we adapt to life's changes and transitions. Discussion ideas come from members, volunteer facilitators and a list of suggestions being developed. We meet once a month, from 10:00-11:30 a.m., on the fourth Thursday. *Starting in May, we will meet on the third Thursday of the month.
MCC members sign up here. |
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Nosy Neighbor Tour: First Avenue Nightclub
Friday, April 26, 10:00 - 11:00 am
First Avenue, 701 1st Ave N
 Experience the venue made famous by Prince, and get a behind-the-scenes look at how First Avenue and the 7th St Entry began. You'll get a chance to step onto the club's world-renowned stage, check out the "set list wall" backstage and maybe even hear a few ghost stories. Our private tour is limited to 25 people and costs $10 per person. Meet in front of the club on the corner of First Avenue and 7th Street.
NOTE: Please pay your $10 admission fee upon registration here.
MCC members sign up here.
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MCC-Best Buy Focus Group
Monday, April 29, 10:30 - 11:30 am
Open Book Meeting Room, 1011 Washington Ave S, 2nd Fl 
Best Buy, in conjunction with Mill City Commons, is holding monthly discussions to gather input on product and service ideas to assist older adults in living independently in their homes. A different topic will be presented each month to a limited group of 10 to 15 focus group members. Be part of shaping future smart technology and health and wellness products designed to assist older adults to remain living independently. Refreshments will be offered!
THIS EVENT HAS FILLED. Contact Betsy Wray if you'd like to be placed on the cancellation list: [email protected]
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Last Tuesday Happy Hour
Tuesday, April 30, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
Umbra at the Canopy Hotel, 708 3rd St S
 Join us for Last Tuesday Happy Hour at Umbra, the restaurant/bar in the new Canopy by Hilton hotel in the former Thresher building on 3rd Ave. S. Hosted by Carol & Ron Vantine and Bill & Karen Snedeker, 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) 332-0696.
NOTE: If you're planning to shop at nearby Trader's Joes after Happy Hour, you can use Trader Joe's two-hour validated parking ramp.
MCC members and guests. No registration required.
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MCC Program Calendar
View the full calendar of MCC's April
Plan ahead! View the full calendar of MCC's May events
here.
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News From Members
MCC member Peggy Lucas invites members to attend an event on Climate Smart Municipalities on Tuesday, April 16, 6:45-8:30 pm at the University of Minnesota Northrop Auditorium. The program will be a living-room style conversation with State Senator Kari Dziedzic and exciting clips from the 2018 Emmy-winning documentary: "Climate Smart: Cities Working Together." You'll also have the chance to meet students who recently experienced Germany's Energy Transition firsthand. This event is free, but registration is requested
here.
MCC member Carol Jordan wants members to know about an event happening at Minneapolis Central Library on Thursday, April 18, 7:00-9:00 pm.
More Than a Single Story: Men of Color in Today's America - A Dialogue Between Generations is a series of conversations curated by writer Carolyn Holbrook, inspired by Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's powerful TED talk, The Danger of a Single Story, showing how stereotypes are fostered when we treat one story of a people as their only story. To learn more, click
here. This event is free and open to the public. No registration required.
MCC members Laurie & Joel Kramer invite members to attend MinnRoast, MinnPost's annual song-and-sketch variety show, featuring appearances by Gov. Tim Walz, Mayor Jacob Frey, Mayor Melvin Carter, the entire U.S. Congressional delegation, Jim & Terry Walsh, and others! It's on Friday, April 26, at 8:00 pm at the State Theatre. To learn more about the show and tickets, click
here.
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Ar
ound Town
National Poetry Month
April 24, 6:00-8:00 pm, Open Book, 1011 Washington S
Celebrate National Poetry Month with Milkweed Editions! It is an evening to honor outstanding poets from the upper Midwest and the vitality of the poetry community at large. A reception will take place on the second floor of the Open Book building with poets and their fans (plus poetry-themed drinks and hors d'oeuvres), and then the fun continues with a reading featuring the finalists for this year's Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry. To learn more and register, click
here.
Author Talk: Leslie Schwartz
April 24, 7:00-8:30 pm, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall
Schwartz will discuss her book "The Lost Chapters: Finding Recovery and Renewal One Book at a Time," which chronicles her experience with addiction, incarceration and the role that books can play in changing lives. Told in vivid, unforgettable prose, Schwartz's memoir uncovers the nature of shame, rage, love and how instruments of change and redemption come from the unlikeliest of places. Register for this free event
here.
Eight Colors
April 28, 4:00 pm, MacPhail Center for Music, 501 S 2nd St
Don't miss Bakken Trio's last concert of the season featuring guest artist, actor and singer Momoko Tanno. This program will include Eight Colors for String Quartet by Tan Dun as well as Maurice Ravel's Piano Trio in A minor. 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.
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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
by Susan Abulhawa
Click
here to see what books we're reading at future Book Chats.
Guthrie Play Reading
North Star Group
Wednesday, May 1,
6:30-9:30 pm
Reading
Metamorphoses
this month.
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. **Starting in May, meetings will be the third Thursday 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
April 25 & May 9
This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact
Allan Burdick.
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