July 3, 2018
Update from the Executive Director

Mill City Commons continues to offer programs that enrich, challenge, pique and connect members to new topics, ideas and people. Programming is MCC's hallmark, remarkably conceived, discussed and planned by its members. 

The Program Committee, comprised of a dozen or so members and staff, meets monthly to consider and hone ideas they and other members have offered for consideration. Some ideas are "turn-key no brainers," while others start with an idea that require time to percolate and research. It's all quite a magical process, really, given the various moving parts of individual schedules, venue needs, availability of presenters and shared calendar commitments.

This week, 17 new Trial Members have joined MCC and will "try on" membership. We welcome them and encourage full participation with our organization, including submitting program ideas! A straight forward process, really. Simply download the . easy Program Sponsor Form and follow its instructions. Four simple questions will guide your proposal. Submit the form to Program Manager Betsy Wray, betsywray@millcitycommons.org, or mail it to the office. 125 Main Street, Suite 339, Minneapolis, MN  55414.  Your program ideas -- and willingness to be part of their development -- are welcome!

Best wishes to everyone for a safe and enjoyable July 4th holiday week!

MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.

~ Joan Wright
Driven to Discover: Bell Museum Tour
Monday, July 9, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Bell Museum, 2088 Larpenteur Ave W
Get a sneak peek inside the new Bell Museum before its official opening this summer. Embark on a guided tour of the Bell Museum with Denise Young, executive director; learn about the expanded reach of the Bell to include its Outdoor Learning Landscape and planetarium; and see next generation scientists work on an innovation challenge as part of the museum's Innovators: Engineering & Tech summer camp.

This is one in an ongoing MCC program series under the banner "Driven to Discover." The series features University of Minnesota faculty and students sharing current research and programming at the University.

Registration is now closed. To be placed on the waiting list, email betsywray@millcitycommons.org. Note: Another tour is scheduled for August 6. Registration for it will become available next week!
Exploring Meditation
meditation_pose_silhouette.jpg Tuesday, July 10, 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 July. 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, July 10 through July 31, 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.
After Hours Connect: Golf at Les Bolstad Golf Course
Tuesday, July 10, 5 :00 - 7:30 pm
University of Minnesota, 2275 Larpenteur Ave S
Join other MCC men and women for an After Hours Connect golf outing. The first tee time is at 5:00 p.m. Cost is $20 for 9 holes if you walk; add $11 if you'd like to rent a cart. A beverage/snack cart will be on the course. Those interested can grab a burger nearby after golfing. 

Registration is now closed.  
Technology Help Desk
Wednesday, July 11, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
MCC Office, 125 Main St SE, Suite 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 placed on the waiting list, email betsywray@millcitycommons.org.
Social Bridge
Wednesday, July 11, 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 caroljordan@millcitycommons.org.

MCC members members sign up here; guests email MCC.
M en's Coffee & Conversation
Thursday, July 12, 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 Bob Berkwitz hosts. Bob will talk about the Radisson Hotel joint venture in Moscow in the 1990s  and will compare Moscow from that time with the Moscow he saw on his recent trip there this May. Bob also will talk about their American partner who was killed in Moscow in the early '90s.

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.
Nosy Neighbor Tour: St. David's Center at Westminster
Thursday, July 12, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1200 Marquette Ave S
Join us on a tour of the expanded Westminster Presbyterian Church campus, featuring a presentation by Westminster's new community partner, St. David's Center for Child & Family Development. The Harman Center for Child & Family Wellbeing, St. David's new early intervention clinic for children who have faced trauma and adversity, aims to interrupt the cycle of abuse and neglect by strengthening parent-child relationships and child developmental outcomes. Julie Sjordal, CEO of St. David's Center, and Maureen Walsh, chief advancement and strategy officer, will give us a closer look at the community needs St. David's Center is addressing and why it's critical for us to understand the economic and social implications if we continue to allow the cycle to perpetuate itself. Meet at the front desk at Westminster.

MCC members sign up here.
Sunday Brunch Soiree
Sunday, July 15, 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Lourdes Square, 194 Bank St SE
Join your friends and neighbors for the MCC Sunday Brunch Soiree, hosted by Cathi and Jos Griffioen at Lourdes Square. Please contribute to the potluck by bringing brunch fare-such as an egg dish, fruit, sausage or bacon, salad, breakfast bread--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're also welcome to bring your own wine or beer to share.

MCC members sign up here.
Sri Lanka: A Country with Post-Colonial Stress Disorder
Monday, July 16, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
DeLaSalle High School, 1 DeLaSalle Dr, Room D104
Formerly Ceylon, Sri Lanka has been famed for its tea, its cinnamon--and its 1983-2009 civil war, which turned suicide bombing into a global tactic. How did this pearl of the British Empire become such a violent place? In brief, patterns of the colonial era generated ethnic tensions that grew after independence, and matters got worse from there. Sri Lanka's colonial era and its aftermath may offer insights into the modern experiences of a variety of countries including Uganda, Kenya, Myanmar (Burma) and more. Speaker Bill Davnie is a retired foreign service officer whose interest in Sri Lanka has developed during five visits to see his daughter and her family, who are posted at the U.S. Embassy there.

MCC members sign up here.
Exploring Meditation
Tuesday, July 17, 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 July. 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, July 10 through July 31, 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.
Nosy Neighbor Tour: McKnight Foundation
Tuesday, July 17, 2:30 - 4:00 pm
McKnight Foundation, 710 2nd St S, Ste 400
The McKnight Foundation, as part of the Mill City Museum development, was one of the first "new kids on the block." Most of us know its name but perhaps not much more. Here's your chance to tour its space in the Mill City Historical District and view a brief slideshow depicting the Mill District before and after development. Then learn how the Foundation's work connects to communities in the state, region and all over the world, with a special look into its Region and Communities Program.
 
MCC members sign up here.
MCC Program Calendar

View the full calendar of MCC's July events here.
Around Town

Pedestrian & Bicycle Winter Maintenance Study Open House
July 10, 4:30-7:00 pm, presentation at 5:00 pm, Minneapolis Central Library, Doty Board Room, 300 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis is committed to year-round walking and bicycling. Come learn about the city's study to identify alternative winter maintenance options to enhance the quality and consistency of clearing snow and ice from sidewalks and bikeways, which would improve safety, accessibility and mobility for people that walk, bike and take transit in Minneapolis. Learn more here.

Global Conversations: The Waning of Pax Americana
July 11, 6:00-7:30 pm, Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall
The U.S. has begun a historic shift away from Pax Americana, the liberal international order that was established in the wake of World War II. Join a conversation with former U.S. Foreign Service Officer, Tom Hanson, as he examines what this shift means for U.S. geopolitics and foreign policy. Free, but registration is required here.

Lumières Françaises
July 13-19, St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 Main St SE
Presented by the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul, Lumiéres Françaises introduces an exciting new generation of rising French-language talent on both sides of the camera, from rebellious comedies to exquisite dramas and vivid documentaries. All films presented with English subtitles. 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.  
 
Volunteer Opportunities 
 
Click here  for community volunteer opportunities on the MCC website!  
 
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.
**No Book Chat in July
August's book is  Mudbound
by Hillary Jordan

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.
**No meeting on July 5 
 

 Mill City Commons

Ongoing Fitness Opportunities


SBS Class

                        Thursdays

                 9:15-10:00 am

G-Werx Fitness,

428 2nd St S, #100
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.

 

 
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 July (except July 3)
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
 July 5 & 19
 This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact  Allan Burdick.
 
 
Mill City Commons | 125 Main St SE, Suite 339, Minneapolis, MN 55414
www.millcitycommons.org | info@millcitycommons.org  
(612) 455-3329