sng fall 2013 profile web

7/30/2019 SNG Fall 2013 Profile Web

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Fall Quarterly 2013

Crafts Arts Dance Music Food Theatre Services Community

Autumn Reverie:Enjoy a full life

Fall in to all things Seward!

Discover the festivals, the shops,

great places eat and learn

the who-what-when-hows that

makes our hood one that

embraces our many differences

SNG Annual Meeting

The Hows of Voting 2013

The Storytelling Project

Its Kings Fair time

Get Biking with SPOKES

Read all about why

Seward is the neighborhoodfolks talk about, visit

and want to live in!


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The Seward Profile, a quarterly publication

of the Seward Neighborhood Group (SNG),strives to keep neighborhood residents,

businesses, property owners and organizations

informed of what's happening in Seward

and assist SNG in building and sustaining a

strong, diverse, and vibrant community.

As a typical Seward endeavor, the Profile

relies on volunteers to plan each issue,

create copy, sell ads, and prepare the

printed edition for mailing. We welcome

your suggestions and would welcome your

time and energy even more.

To get involved, contact us at

[email protected] or Seward Profile, 2323 E.

Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, 55406.

Upcoming Issues and Deadlines:

Winter Issue 2014 - The Frolic & More

Copy and Ad Deadline: November 9

In Homes and Businesses:

November 29-30

If you or someone you know would like a

written translation of the Profile Quarterly,

please contact [email protected] or

call 612-338-6205, ext 119.

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2013

Editors: Diann, Bruce, and Trevor

Contributors: Doug, REbekah and Jessica

Design: Marne

e-mail:[email protected]

Printer: PrintCraft

SNG Annual MeetingFalls got-to-be-there event!

Seward Neighborhood Group will hold its Annual Meeting on Wednesday evening

November 6 at Matthews Community Center. In addition to the traditional

community potluck supper, silent auction, and time to socialize, SNG will present

its Strategic Plan for the next three years for discussion and adoption. Elections f

the SNGs Board of Directors will also be held. Mark your calendars now to save t

date. Everyone who lives,works, or

owns property in Seward can become

a member of SNG simply by signing

up at the Annual Meeting. Although

the organization always welcomes

financial support, membership in

SNG is free. For more information

about SNG, the Annual Meeting,

or serving on the Board of Directors,

contact Kerry Cashman, SNGs

Community Coordinator, at

612-338-6205 or [email protected]

Discover allthat is Seward at

www.sng.org

Are you delighted by the quirky nature of the Seward

neighborhood? Or looking for a way to contribute to the

community without signing up for a slew of boring meetings or hour

of door-knocking? Consider becoming a Seward Profile volunteer.

The Profile needs folks willing to research and write short stories

of all sorts, to lend a hand with publication design or to assist with

cultivating our advertisers or helping with preparing the publicatio

for mailing. Since the Profile is a quarterly venture, your time commitment could b

as little as two or three hours every three months. The compensation package

superb! Nothing to report to the IRS, but loads of fun, a chance to bein the know about whats

happening, the pride of

seeing your name in print,

and that wonderful feeling

of helping to strengthen

our community.

If youre intrigued by

this opportunity, please

contact the Profile at

[email protected] (612-

338-6205). Or stop by

the planning meeting for

the Winter Quarter issue

on October 2, 7 pm at the

SNG Office, 2323 East

Franklin Avenue.


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This fall, there will be a series of informal storytelling sessions

happening in Seward based around themes such as cooking,

gardening, and identity.

The sessions, organized by the Seward Neighborhood Group

and the Twin Cities Media Alliance in partnership with Common

Bond and Spokes Bike Walk Connect, will be an opportunity for

residents and business owners from all backgrounds to meet and

learn more about each other. People who wouldn't stop and have

a conversation on the street can come together over food and have

these fun conversations that let you get to know the other person,

explained Lolla Mohammed Nur, engagement editor at TCMA.

However, weekly conversations between neighbors arent the only

goal. Organizers hope that these sessions will lead to better

representation of the diversity of the Seward neighborhood at

local events, in community organizations and boards, and in leadership roles. Bruce Johansen, board member of the Seward Neighb

hood Group and Redesign, as well as TCMAs engagement coordinator, commented, The boards don't really reflect the neighborh

at all, so its a pretty narrow slice of Seward that's at the table and having conversations and making decisions that affect everyon

To achieve the long-term goal of a more diverse leadership, Johansen explained

that short-term goals, such as increased communication between residents,

have to happen first. He said, The first step is having these conversations

and building these relationships. Because if you don't even know who your

neighbor is, how are you going to get them involved in your organization and

vice versa. So we were just thinking about it logically, what has to come first,

before we start to think about leadership.

Opening up and having conversations with others can be especially difficult for

East African residents. SNG board member Tariku Belay explained, Its hard for Somali and Oromo people to open up to others.

They went through a lot of hardship and dont want to be reminded of everything they have lost. He added, You have to build thfriendship before you can ask the harder questions.

The storytelling sessions are the result of a series of conversations between a divers

group of people from the neighborhood.

The community storytelling sessions are funded by a grant from the Center for Urb

and Regional Affairs. They will be held on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. in Septembe

and October at various locations in the neighborhood. For more information on how

to participate, email Lolla Mohammed Nur at [email protected].

This article was originally published in My Broadsheet, a near-daily news site for the

neighborhoods of Seward and Longfellow. www.my-broadsheet.com

The Storytelling Projectby Rebekah Peterson


4/8

Discover allthat is Seward at

www.sng.org

Neighborhood NoteWhats (Hip and)

Happening in Seward

Seen in Seward, Phillips, Ventura Village and more North Country Food Alliance.

A new, registered non-profit in the Twin Cities, this organization is helping

to build community through sustainable food justice. Acting to increase

access to and share with those in need, this food alliance offers free,

high-quality food weekly to those struggling to make ends meet.

For further information, e-mail info@northcountryfood alliance.org

Every Vote Counts

On November 5th, some Seward residents will be voting

at a different location than at the last election. Coupled

with redistricting and the first use of ranked choice voting

in a wide open mayoral race, the change in polling places

may frustrate many who wait until the last minute to try to determine when

and how to vote. Here are a few tips to make your voting experience less of

a hassle and more of a community-spirited event:

Know your ward and precinct:

Seward now is divided into two wards (2nd and 6th) and four precincts

(2-2, 2-9, 6-1, and 6-2). The general Seward boundaries for each precinct are:

2-2: South from the south side of 24th Street from

Hiawatha Avenue to the river

2-9: North from the north side of 24th Street to the

north side of 9th Street between the west side

of 30th Avenue to the river

6-1: North from the north side of 24th Street to the

south side of Franklin Avenue between the

east side Hiawatha/Cedar Avenues and the

west side of 25th Avenue

6-2: North from the north side of 24th Street to I-94

between the east side of 25th Avenue and thewest side of 30th Avenue and including the

north side of Franklin Avenue to I-94 between

25th Avenue and the east side of Cedar Avenue

Find Your Polling Place:

Polling places have changed in an effort to correct the problems encountered

during the last election. Precinct 2-9 will vote at Augsburg College rather than

At Seward Tower East. Precinct 6-2 will vote at Seward Tower East rather than

at Seward Square Apartments.

2-2: Sullivan Community School, 3100 28th Ave. S

2-9: Augsburg College, Oren Gateway Center,

610 22nd Ave. S

6-1: Heltzer Manor, 2121 Minnehaha Ave. S

6-2: Seward Tower East, 2910 E. Franklin Ave.

Ranked Choice Voting:

You will be able to choose a first, second, and third choice candidate for

each office. You may list the same candidate as your first, second, and third

choice; however, this wont improve that candidates chances of winning.

Your second and third choices will only be counted if your first choice

candidate fails to meet the threshold for election when all the first choices

are counted. You do not have to pick a second and third choice candidate.

For more information check out the citys Elections and Voter Services

website at www.minneapolismn.gov/elections/

Stre

tchyourself Big River Yoga is a locally owned yoga studio. We ar

excited to be moving to Minneapolis at 3336 East

25th Street. Our mission is to

awaken the consciousness of

people to realize our interconnec-

tion and

bring unity to our community. Our

teachers have

years of training and are regis-

tered with yoga alliance (RYT cer-

tified). We teach a variety of classes including align

flow, vinyasa yoga, gentle yoga, restorative yoga, yo

nidra, meditation and more.

Chris Gordon is the owner/director of Big River

Yoga and is a massage therapist specializing in

Thai Massage. This style of bodywork is performed

on a mat on the floor while the recipient wears loos

comfortable clothing. It involves rhythmic compres

sion, joint mobilization and deep stretching. These

techniques help free energy blocks, open joints

and release muscle tension throughout the entirebody. Chris also offers deep tissue massage and

relaxing Swedish massage. B

River Yoga welcomes you. To

learn more about yoga class

and massage visit our websi

www.bigriveryoga.com and c

612-729-9549 or stop in to see us at 3336 East 2

Street (across the street from the Birchwood).

We open on September 3rd 2013!

by

Bruce

Jo

hansen


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SPOKES Bike Walk Connect is yourcommunity bike and walking center with a

goal of getting more people biking and walking

for transportation & exercise.

Where is SPOKES?

1915 East 22nd Street. (1/2 block west of Minnehaha

Avenue, 1 block south of the Franklin/Cedar/Minnehaha intersection

Regular EventsEvery week or every-other week:

Free Open Shop (Use our tools to fix your bike with the help of our mechanics.

Used and new parts available)

o Every Wednesday, 5pm-9pm

o Every Saturday 1pm to 5pm

Woman,, Transgender and Fem Open Shop (with GreaseRag.org)

o Every 2nd & 4th Monday, 7pm-9pm

Free Youth Open Shop

o Fridays, 3pm to 6pm

Volunteer Night (help us with work around the shop, repairing bikes, supporting

our programs, whatever.

o Thursdays, 5pm-9pm

Hub Bicycle Coop Mini-Store Open

o Saturdays, 10am-5pm

Free Classes

(please [email protected] call612-787-7433 to register for

classes):

Adult Learn-to-Ride

(for adults who have never ridden before)

o Four Tuesdays starting on

September 3, 5:30 to 7pm, at

Matthews Park (29th Avenue

South and 24th Street East)

Learn-to-Ride MORE

(for people who have completed the

Learn-to-Ride class or just want some more

experience with basic bike skills

and riding on streets and trails)o Every Friday, 5:30pm to 6:30pm

at SPOKES

Earn-a-Bike

(for people who dont have a bike and want to gain basic bike maintenance skills.

People pick one of our donated bikes to work on and own a working bike after

four weeks of work.) Four Saturdays, 9am to Noon, starting September 7

Youth Earn-a-Bike

(for youth from 14 to 18 years old who dont have a bike and want to gain from

basic bike maintenance skills. They will pick one of our donated bikes to work

on and own a working bike after four weeks of work.)

o Four Tuesdays, 6pm to 9pm starting October 8.

Basic Bike Tune-up Part 1 and Part 2 (come to one or both)

o Monday, September 16, 6pm-8pm

o Monday, September 30, 6pm-8pm

Bike Commuting to Work or School

o Monday, October 7, 6pm-7:30pm

How to get from A to B by BikeRoute Planning

o Monday, October 21, 6pm-7:30pm

Preparing Yourself and Your Bike for Winter Riding

o Monday, November 4, 6pm-7:30pm

A second home for your old bike: SPOKES can always use any old

bikes you want to donate. Just email or call us for when to drop

them off!

bike-walk-connect

SPOKES

Seward Neighborhood GroupHome Improvement Assistance

Are you thinking about making improvements to your

home, but not sure how to proceed? The Seward

Neighborhood Group's Housing Coordinator can help

with project planning, hiring contractors, obtaining

financing and advice during construction.

The SNG Revolving Loan Program can now be used for

improvements to 1-4 unit owner occupied and non-owner

occupied rental properties. The loans are also available

to townhouses and condominiums. The Revolving Loan

Program provides loans up to $12,000 for exterior, energy,

mechanical, electrical and code improvements at 2.5%.

For more information on the loan programs or general ho

improvement advice, contact Doug Wise, SNG's Hous

Coordinator, at (612) 338-6205, ext. 102 or [email protected]

SNG Home Improvement Loan Programs:

Low Interest Home Improvement Loansfor Owner Occupied and Rental Housing


6/8

Verdant TeaLeaves, Water, and a Good Brew

For David and Lily Duckler, owners of Verdant Tea, a cup of tea isn't steeped in

oriental mystery or buttoned up with rigid etiquette guidelines, instead tea is all

about hospitality, and brewing a pot of tea is an invitation to sit and enjoy the

leaves. David and Lily spent several years in China learning about tea direct

from the source - tea farmers. But it was a desire to share the welcoming Chinese

tea culture they experienced in their travels that led them to open their new tea

house in Seward. "We're not trying to create this super exotic far east experience,"

explained David. It's supposed to be something you can make a part of your every

day life.

The tea on its own can speak for itself. To build on the culture of hospitality,

they've invited local business owners into the space to collaborate with them

using tea as the commonality. Birchwood Cafe is working on developing a menu

that will pair well with the teas, Sweet Science is developing tea-infused ice

creams, and Real Deal Chocolate is working with

the leaves to create tea-flavored truffles.

"The Seward Co-op was here and this end of Franklin

Avenue had all of the energy that the Seward Co-op

brought into the building, and then the building had

sort of struggled to find meaning. What we really

want is to revive that sort of excitement over on

this side of Franklin."

Keeping open minds, David and Lily have allowed the space to grow into something

much bigger. "It turns out that the same thing that usually makes the most people

happy and excited and satisfied is usually the right way to go," said Lily.

Verdant Tea is located at 2111 E. Franklin Avenue,

Minneapolis, MN

This article was originally published in

My Broadsheet, a near-daily news site forthe neighborhoods of Seward and Longfellow.

www.my-broadsheet.com

by Rebekah Peterson

TOUCHSTONE MENTAL HEALTH

Rising Cedar Apartments

and Community Health & Wellness Cen

in the Seward Community

The Rising Cedar Apartments is a new kind of long-t

supportive housing that includes 40 apartments with

24/7 care on-site. This unique 40 one-bedroom unit

apartment buildingoffers state of the art constructio

specifically designed as a healing environment to

enhance health and wellness for adults living with

mental illness. By September 2013 Rising Cedar will

house approximately 30 clients, with the long-term p

to reach full capacity of 40 clients by October 2013.

Touchstones Community Health and Wellness Cente

opens in fall 2013. Touchstones Community Health

and Wellness Center will focus on programs, services

and supports that are specifically designed to addres

the holistic health needs of adults with mental illnes

A broad array of healthy lifestyle classes, workshops

and trainings will be key components of the Commu

Health and Wellness Center services. Nutrition, phys

activity, heart health, diabetes, smoking cessation, a

mindfulness-based stress reduction are some of theofferings that the Center will provide to the communit

Touchstone Mental Health inspires Hope, Healing

and Well-Being.

Visit www.touchstonemh.org for more information.

by Jessica Ryan


7/8

Its all Happening at the Fair! by Diann Ande

Whoo hoo! Its Kings Fair time!The Kings Fair has been a Seward tradition since 1877. In its early years the Kings Fair rivaled the Minnesota State Fair. The

fairgrounds of the nineteenth century included an amphitheater, racetrack and exhibition halls for agriculture and industry. The

also included a visit from President Rutherford B. Hayes and a hot-air balloon launch which was set to land on the East Coast bu

ended up in Ramsey County instead. The modern-day Kings Fair takes place in Matthews Park every two years and includes ma

family-friendly events and activities.

The 2013 Kings Fair on September 21 includes numerous new activities

and should be the best fair yet! New events include: a 45-animal petting zoo,

hula hoop building and performance, and demonstrations of Tai Chi, Yoga

and Karate. The Kings Fair is also having more traditional events such as flower judging, a strong man

contest, and plenty of food! Whats a fair without a little music? This year the Kings Fair will be host to

two stages with multiple bands, including high school groups and college bands, playing throughout

the afternoon.

Runners, fast and slow, are invited to start the festivities early on September 21

with a Kings Fair Fun Run. The Seward Saturday Morning Runners, are hosting a

morning jog at 8:30 a.m. The event will begin at the rock at the west end of the

Franklin Avenue bridge and offer a shorter and a longer loop. No registration required. Just show up.

As a local event the Kings Fair has something to offer to anyone and everyone.

Come one; come all to the 2013 Kings Fair on September 21 in Matthews Park from 12:00-5:00PM

Neighborhood NoteWhats (Hip and) Happening in Seward

The Hub Bicycle Coops mini-store at SPOKES sells affordable, reliable, used bikes

that have been reconditioned at SPOKES. Check out the always-changing inventory

on Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM. They also sell new bike parts and accessories

(including helmets, lights and locks). 1915 East 22nd Street

1/2 block west of Minnehaha on 22nd Street.

14th Annual

Seward Winter Frolic

Art in the hood

Save time on December 6th and 7th to join the 14th annual

Seward Winter Frolic: Art in the hood. This early winter festival

of Seward Arts and Culture features galley openings, live performa

holiday sales and specials at neighborhood businesses and more.

The event is sponsored by Seward Neighborhood Group and the

Seward Civic and Commerce Association. Check out the plans and

schedule or register as an artist at sewardarts.org or contact

Kerry Cashman at 612-338-6205 or [email protected]


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Discover all

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Seward Residents receiving a Home Energy Squad Enhanced Audit

will have the cost of the energy audit reduced from $70 to $30.

(Audits are also available at the $70 cost for rental property.)

To find out more go to http://mncee.org/hes-mpls/How-It-Works.

To sign up, go to http://www.mncee.org/hes-mpls/.

The SNG Environment Committee is offering $150 ConservationGrants to homeowners making improvements recommended bythe audit. Participants also have access to 0% financing fromCEE and utility company rebates. For more information, contact:

Doug Wise, at 338-6205, ext. 102 or [email protected]; or Carol

Greenwood at 724-8430 or [email protected].

SNG Energy Conservation Grantsby Doug Wise

sng fall 2013 profile web

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