April 9, 2019
Update from the Executive Director

Membership in Mill City Commons offers a high value experience. Whether you believe in the Village concept and support us with your donations, or become a member and actively participate in all that membership has to offer, you're investing in your community as well as yourself. A win-win! 

The programming opportunities offered over the course of the next two weeks, along with info shared in News from Members and Around Town, all highlight the value of membership. Add to these member-to-member support, signature list of vetted services in the First Stop Guide, committed and helpful staff and the on-going opportunity to meet and make new friends, a membership in Mill City Commons is the best deal in town!

Won't you join us? A simple  email to me is all it takes to connect and learn more. I look forward to hearing from you. Have a good week...the snow won't last long!

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

~ Joan Wright
Lessons from a Chaplain & Social Worker: 7 Reasons People Don't Want to Talk about Death
Thursday, April 11, 3:00 - 4:30 pm
Winslow House, 100 2nd St SE
Given that our death rate is exactly 100%, why is it so hard to get a real conversation going on how we want to live at the end of our lives, and what we want done when we're no longer here? Our three-part series "Lessons from a Chaplain & Social Worker on Death & Dying" begins with "The 7 Reasons People Don't Want to Talk About Death & Dying." Expect education as well as interaction, and just the right blend of reverence and irreverence. We'll unpack the big (and small but powerful) reasons this is so hard and offer concrete ways to invite people past them so you and your loved ones can get real, get planning, and get some peace of mind. Our guides will be Zac Willette MDiv BCC and Anne Archbold MSW LSW of Allay Care Services, a national nonprofit headquartered in the Twin Cities.

MCC members sign up here.
Dinner for 5
Sunday, April 14, 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Sonder Shaker, 130 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 Sonder Shaker. The meal is dutch treat. Space is limited, so register early!

If this event is filled when you try to register, contact Betsy Wray (betsywray@millcitycommons.org) if you'd like to be placed on the wait list.

MCC members sign up here
Great Decisions: Decoding U.S.-China Trade
Monday, April 15, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
DeLaSalle High School, 1 DeLaSalle Dr, Room D104
Though arguably the most advanced economy in the world, the United States still uses centuries-old numbers to measure trade. These antique numbers mangle understanding of the U.S.-China trade relationship, shrinking America's true economic size and competitiveness, while swelling China's. Bad numbers give rise to bad policies that ultimately kill U.S. jobs and cede market share to China. What other tools can the United States employ to counter China's unfair trade practices? There are several available, yet they remain mostly unused. Speaker Mark Canning retired from the State Department last year. Since then he has taught Chinese at Concordia College, given lectures on North Korea, and mentored an exercise for the Army War College based on the North Korean nuclear talks.

Registration on the MCC website is required for Great Decisions members. Sorry, not open to guests; to join the MCC Great Decisions Discussion Group, email Betsy Wray at betsywray@millcitycommons.org.

MCC GD members sign up here.
Meditation Circle
Tuesday, April 9 & 16, 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 9 session; members sign up here for the April 16 session.
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 betsywray@millcitycommons.org.
Waterfowl Walk
Wednesday, April 17, 8:00 - 9:30 am
Location to be announced
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 (we'll also have some to borrow).

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.
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.

MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.
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
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.

MCC members sign up here
MCC Program Calendar

View the full calendar of MCC's April events here.
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.
Ar ound Town

Art in Bloom
April 11-14, various times, Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 3rd Ave S
Enjoy this annual rite of spring in the Twin Cities! Visit the museum galleries filled with flowers inspired by the art. For more information, click here.

GRACE Exhibit
April 12, 5:30-7:30 pm, Hennepin Theatre Trust, 900 Hennepin Ave
Join an opening reception of the GRACE exhibit by Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery. The GRACE exhibit is a visual history of the tradition of African American women wearing hats also called church hats. Free and open to the public.

Lives Well Lived Screening
May 2, 4:45-7:00 pm, Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave S
Lives Well Lived is a feature documentary film by Sky Bergman that celebrates the wit and wisdom of adults 75 to 100 years old who are living their lives to the fullest.  Encompassing over 3000 years of experience, forty people share their secrets and insights to living a meaningful life. Their intimate memories and inspiring personal histories will make you laugh, perhaps cry, but mostly inspire you.
The free event includes screening of the film, conversation with Sky Bergman, and a soda and popcorn. Pre-registration is required 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
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
Mornings in Jenin
by Susan Abulhawa
Click here to see what books we're reading at future Book Chats.

Guthrie Play Reading
RiverWest Group
Tuesday, April 9,
6:30-9:30 pm
Reading Cyrano de Bergerac  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.
 
  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.

Meditation Circle
                         Tuesdays             9:30-10:30  am
          Mill City Quarter,
322 2nd St S
 Join us for a weekly
self-guided meditation hour.
 
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.
For more information, contact  Betsy Wray

Men's Dutch Lunch
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
Alternating Thursdays at 11:30 am
April 11 & 25
 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