Join us in raising $3,500 to provide holiday groceries for 50 families at Ascension School. Funds raised above that amount will be used to purchase small gifts for two transitional housing programs. Donations are due December 9 and can be mailed to the MCC office at 125 Main St SE, Ste 339, Minneapolis, MN 55414.

Click here for details on how you can get involved!

New Name, New Format! Make a Quarantini and catch up with friends and neighbors over drinks. Our first 30 minutes will be break-out mixer questions and the last 30 minutes will be larger group general discussion for those that want to stay. This month's questions are:

1. If you could live in any decade of your life again, which would it be?

2. What are you most grateful for this year?

3. What news story caught your attention this week?

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Join us for a follow up to our September City Charter program. Casey Carl, current City Clerk for Minneapolis, will speak about the various alternative City Government structures and the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. He will also give an update on the charter timeline and the current hearings of the charter commission.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

When Minneapolis became the epicenter of the nationwide protest movement against police brutality and racism in America following the death of George Floyd, Textile Center and Women of Color Quilters Network (WCQN) joined forces to create We Are the Story, a multi-venue initiative in the Twin Cities, September 10, 2020, through June 12, 2021. For those of us unable to see the exhibits in-person, Karl Reichert, Executive Director of the Textile Center, along with select artists/quilters, will join us on zoom to share key components of the exhibit and discuss the impact it has had in our community thus far.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Ascension Catholic School has been an anchor on the North Side of Minneapolis for more than 100 years. Throughout its history, Ascension Catholic School has served as both a reflection of its community and as an instrument for change on the North Side of Minneapolis, helping move young lives forward through education and spiritual formation. This panel presentation will guide us through the school’s history, provide us an intimate look at the current student/scholars and families they serve, share how they have grown to manage 3 schools through Ascension Catholic Academy and inspire us with their plans and dreams for the future. Panel speakers include: Patty Stromen, President and Parish Administrator; Benito Matias, Principal; and Suzie Colianni, Board Chair.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Join us to discuss any mystery written by Ian Rankin. Pick one of your choice and we'll discuss the assortment of books that the group reads.

If you'd like to read ahead, January's book will be Neither Wolf Nor Dog by Kent Nerburn. Have a book suggestion for the Book Chat? Email Marsha Blumenthal.

No registration required. MCC members click here to access the Zoom link.

Founder/publisher of the Morning Take and Principal at Fluence Media, Blois Olson has been at the forefront of online political coverage and commentary in Minnesota. He also penned the opinion article in the August 18 Star Tribune titled “America is losing it’s grip on civility.” Join us for an in-depth look at the current state of affairs for Minnesota politics and how this year’s presidential election impacted where we are today.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Leader: Terry Pearson will provide guided meditation via zoom.

Fee: An additional fee of $10.25 is required for this class to cover instructor costs.

Attendance Policy: A minimum of 3 registrants are required for this program to run. If there are less than 3 registrations 24 hours prior to the start of the program, the following will occur:

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel your registration less than 24 hours before this program is scheduled to take place, you will be charged for attendance. To avoid being charged, please cancel your registration at least 24 hours prior to the program start time.

MCC members sign up here. Registered members will receive the Zoom link in their confirmation email.

Women Connect is doing something new! We’ve added an additional meeting on the first Thursday of each month. This is a less formal, shorter, more intimate group chat. We’ll catch up on fun topics and share ideas in 45 minutes to an hour.

This month's topic: Humor Me!

It’s been scientifically proven that these two things are beneficial to your health and wellbeing: owning a dog and laughing every day. Not everybody can own a dog, but everyone can giggle! Where are you finding humor during this stressful year? Magazines, books, comics, websites, Instagram, movies, videos, TV? Let us know what makes your belly laugh. Click here for a recent thought starter.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, MCC Member and retired physician Michael Brennan is keeping a close watch on all medical and health developments put forth by the CDC, NIH and MN Department of Public Health. Join us for this every-other-week meeting where Michael will share the most recent information available, his perspective of how to keep ourselves safe and healthy, and answer questions.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Schedule time with a tech support guru and have your nagging technology questions answered during our complimentary Help Desk. This is a virtual help desk and will take place on Zoom. 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.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link will be provided in your confirmation email.

In the spirit of the holidays, the conclusion of a challenging year and anticipation for the new year, we will be welcoming and joining with Mari Harris for a most uplifting program. Mari Harris is an award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, speaker, and a lover of life with a powerful commitment to provide entertainment, fun, empowerment, healing, and love through the Arts. She performs internationally—singing, acting, and speaking on stages, in concert halls, on television, the internet, and the big screen—exciting and inspiring audiences with both her voice and her presence. Join us as Mari shares songs and stories from her decades of experience giving and receiving love, and fulfilling her commitment that everyone on the planet experience feeling appreciated and recognized for who they are, for what they have accomplished, and for their dreams and vision for the future.

MCC members sign up here. The Zoom link can be found in the program description after logging in.

Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. Click here for the Zoom link.

Drop in and join your friends and neighbors for a morning chat over Zoom. Click here for the Zoom link.

Click here for the Zoom link.

The MCC Office will be closed this Thursday & Friday due to the Thanksgiving holiday

The Men's Coffee and Conversation group released its annual book list. Click here for a list of their recommendations on what you might want to read next. If you have a book recommendation, you can still send it to Allan Burdick and he'll add it to the master list.

Encore.org has an upcoming program that may interest you: an intergenerational dialogue on racial justice called "What Can We Do to Make 2021 Better?" You'll hear from two storytellers about how their personal experiences this year have shaped their intentions to fight racial injustice next year. You’ll also have a chance to brainstorm ways to fight systemic racism through intergenerational collaboration and grassroots efforts. Click here to learn more and register.

Although most of us will be enjoying smaller scale holiday celebrations this year, we will still have food and leftovers to store in the refrigerator. Instead of reaching for the plastic wrap, try using a sustainable alternative. Why? Because like other plastic products, the wrap is not compostable, and will sit in a landfill for hundreds of years to come. Alternatives include Organic Beeswax food wraps, an eco-friendly sustainable food storage wrap. Beeswax food wraps come in several sizes, or can be cut to size, and are reusable. Two examples of beeswax food wraps are: Alcoon Organic Beeswax Food Wraps, available at Amazon, and Bee's Wrap, available at beeswrap.com, or Cooks of Crocus Hill. Another suggestion for covering a bowl or baking dish would be damp paper towels or a moist cloth. The paper towels can be disposed of with your organics recycling, the cloth laundered for reuse.

Watch your favorite actors from Ten Thousand Things as they perform the writing of some of our most isolated audiences during this pandemic — those who are incarcerated, in closed facilities, and senior centers. Generated through writing prompts from TTT, these profoundly moving pieces of writing evoke memory, protest and the imagination. Don’t miss this chance to see the actors you miss share voices which need to be heard right now. Watch Act I here. They also produced TTT Let's Sing, which can be viewed here.

Celebrate the publication of Choose Joy: Three Keys to Investing Your Time in Retirement by author Babs Plunkett with an online book launch event about choosing, cultivating, and planning for a joyful retirement.

This free online event will feature opening remarks from Dr. Joseph F. Coughlin, Director, MIT AgeLab, a presentation from Babs Plunkett, author and Certified Retirement Coach, and conversations about retirement from featured retirees in the book. Click here to register and learn more.

The American Craft Council’s seasonal online marketplace offers a connection to the type of giving that’s needed most for the end of a troubling year. Amid chaos, the simple joy that the handmade brings feels precious. Spending more time at home, we are more sensitive than ever to the goods that surround us. Giving handmade is a revolutionary act that lifts up a more mindful, creative economy and adds meaning to our lives – and you can find it at Craft Bash. For 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.

Elise Linehan, Executive Director, eliselinehan@millcitycommons.org

Mary Texidor, Business and Member Services Admin, marytexidor@millcitycommons.org

Bethany Boom, Program and Events Manager, bethanyboom@millcitycommons.org