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Summer Quarterly 2015

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Crafts Arts Dance Music Food Theatre Services Community

THE LIVING IS EASY


Open Streets

All about community

Garden Party

For all who love green

Environmentally Friendly
Garden Workshops and Walks

Go Solar

Let the sun shine

Seward Events

Photo: Courtesy of M Marne Zafar

Neighborhood happenings

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Volume 4, Issue 11 2015

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Published by
The Seward Neighborhood Group
Minneapolis, MN 55406

Gr o u p

Sewards Garden Party

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
profile@sng.org or Seward Profile, 2323
E. Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, 55406.

Upcoming Issue and Deadline


FALL Issue 2015
Copy and ad deadline:
August 11, 2015
In homes and businesses:
August 29-September 2

If you or someone you know would like a


written translation of the Profile Quarterly,
please contact profile@sng.org or call
612-338-6205.
Editors & Staff Writers, and Volunteers:

Kate Sheldon, Bruce Johansen


Design: Marne Z.
e-mail:profile@SNG.org
Printer: Print Craft

For information on everything Seward,


find us at www.sng.org

The Seward Garden Tour and Tea Party is a chance to stroll through some of Sewards most
interesting urban gardens on an early summer evening, pick
up gardening tips, enjoy light refreshment, and support SNG.
This years event is on Thursday evening June 25th from 6 to
8 pm and is followed by a lovely garden party, you must buy a
ticket to learn the address of our 8PM party. If you have 6
gardens stamped on your ticket you have the opportunity to win
beautiful donated plants. Advance tickets are on sale at Welna II
Hardware, 2201 East Franklin and Mother Earth Gardens, 3738
42nd Ave. S. Ticket sales and maps on June 25th will be at 2901
East 22nd Street from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in
advance and $15 on the day of the tour. Proceeds benefit the
community building work of the Seward Neighborhood Group.

National Night Out & Block Clubs


National Night Out (NNO) is Tuesday, August 4th.

National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get
out in the community. Holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors is
a way to encourage crime prevention and create
community. Its a great way to enjoy a Minnesota
summer evening surrounded by friends and family.
Every block club event is individually planned. NNO
out parties range from an informal potluck in someones yard to a closed off street with more formal
games and activities.

Block leaders can be as informal as the person who


emails everyone, or creates a flyer to organize NNO,
or they can register with the city of Minneapolis to access city resources and be an
official block club leader for the city. Whether you decide to register with the city or
be a low key Seward Block leader please connect with Kerry@SNG.org

SNG provides resources for block club leaders to help organize their events including
a gift bag with donations from local businesses. Welna II provides each block club
with a bag of goodies to raffle off and Seward Co-op has a limited amount of gift
certificates to give to block leaders. If you dont know who your block club leader is
please contact Kerry Cashman at Seward Neighborhood Group.

To learn more about National Night Out and the resources the City of Minneapolis
provides go to http://www.minneapolismn.gov/nno/nno_register If you want to close
down your street for NNO you must register with the city. Note: Not every street can
be blocked off depending on the traffic flow. Generally, bus routes and high traffic
streets cannot be used for block events. You will need permission of 75% of your
neighbors to be approved for street closure keep their names and addresses
handy in the event your permit application needs to be reviewed.

If you register by July 21 you can block your street for free. If you register from July 22
through July 29, there is a $100 fee (to the city of Minneapolis). You will not be able to
block off your street if registering after July 29. It is free to participate in National

Night Out. When you register your event with the city, you will get free Mystery
Point Passes for Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America.

OPEN STREETS

by Deb Ervin

Connect with your neighbors

Open Streets Minneapolis is an initiative of the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition


supported by the City of Minneapolis, and presented by the Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of Minnesota Center for Prevention. The Franklin Avenue Open
Streets is scheduled for Sunday August 16th and includes all of Franklin
between 28th Avenue and Portland Avenue.

In my role as an organizer, hired by the Seward Civic and Commerce Association, its a
pleasure to meet with business owners in the months leading up to the event. The
process of community planning is as important as the magic of the big day itself.

The idea behind Open Streets is to allow us to enjoy


each other and our community spaces in new ways;
its so special to bike/skate/walk freely down the
middle of Franklin Ave., surrounded by music, food,
and activities. Pizza Luce was a favorite spot for
bringing in Open Eye Figure Theatre and hosting
puppet shows. Soberfish had a dunk tank. ArtiCulture
offered facepainting. Addis Market presented an
Ethiopian coffee ceremony and handed out free samples. Bedlam Theatre Rolled Franklin and pushed a
living room to Hope Community. Firestation 7 opened
their doors and had a firetruck on the street to climb
on.

Im so excited to see what creative and fun ideas return this year, and
what Sewards new businesses bring to the table. Its going to be a
blast!

Photos: Deb Ervin

SAVE THE DATE for our very own fest!

SEPTEMBER 19

Every other September, Seward celebrates

Kings Fair, our much anticipated biennial

neighborhood festival. This eclectic family-

friendly event features local bands and

entertainment, tasty food by local restaurants

and food trucks, pony rides, large petting zoo,

Photos: Kerry Cashman

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

strong man contest, moon walk, pet judging, interesting neighborhood

history, and plenty of fun activities organized by our local businesses


and neighbors. Interested in exhibiting or sponsoring?

Contact Kerry at 612-338-6205, ext. 119 or kerry@sng.org.

Seward Longfellow
Restorative Justice Partnership

Looking Ahead

by Michele Braley

Last October, SLRJP celebrated its 10th anniversary with a reception


attended by more than 80 people at the Vine Arts gallery. The evening
included words of encouragement from Councilmember Andrew
Johnson; a challenge to involve more youth as volunteers by Ollin,
SLRJP volunteer and sophomore at Macalester; music by Seward
residents Sophie, Ray and Linda, and refreshments from Gandhi
Mahal, the Seward Co-op and
Zipps Liquors.
While everyone involved with
SLRJP can be proud of its
past accomplishments, the
program continues to look
to the future and how to be
responsive to the community
that envisioned and created
it.

by Rick Musser
Sponsored by the Seward Neighborhood Groups
Crime & Safety Committee, History Committee & Environmental Committee

oin us for a series of summer evening walks this July. All


walks depart from the Matthews Centers front door at
7 p.m. on Wednesdays. Some walks will have a second
meeting place, but, if not, check with the front desk at
Matthews, and theyll tell you which way we were
headed. For more details see www.sng.org

Wednesday, July 1 Sewards Hidden Northside. Well


start the summer off with a walk down 9th Street, an
often unrecognized part of Seward and part of Sewards
northern boundary. Late-comers can meet at around
7:10 @ 2801 S. 9th Street. From there, its a short walk
to Riverside Park, where author Bob Haddow and City
Councilman Cam Gordon will provide unique perspectives
of Riverside Park.
Wednesday, July 8 Great Green Yards.
See article on Page 7.

SLRJP has a mission to grow the use of restorative practices. Towards


that end, Michele Braley, SLRJP Program Manager and Donna Minter,
the Executive Director of the
Minnesota Peacebuilding
Leadership Institute created
a one-day workshop titled,
Restorative Justice 101:
Training for practice in
everyday life.

The goal is to assist people


to bring restorative practices
into all areas of their lives parenting, school discipline, community
building, etc. Almost 50 people have attended the workshops from
varied backgrounds including law, nursing, social work, counseling,
and community work. The next training will be Saturday, November 21
at Hamline University. Registration information can be found at:
www.rj101nov2015.eventbrite.com.

Wednesday, July 15 The Seward Mystery Walk. Ever


wonder who lived in that house with round window? Was
that apartment building really once a church? Any truth
to tales of river-born bootleggers running rum to Seward ?
Wednesday, July 22 Seward Commons. Well visit both
the Touchstone and Cooperage buildings and learn of
the on-going transition of this part of Seward. (Those who
wish to do so may meet at 2200 Snelling Avenue near
the Transitway at about 7:10 p.m.)

Wednesday, July 29 Old Man River. Explore Sewards


Mississippi River parkland, walking near the Winchell Trail
with Minneapolis Park Commissioner Scott Vreeland.

Seward Neighborhood Group has partnered with Cycles for Change


to make bikes available to neighbors who traditionally have not had
access to biking. This is our 4th year providing this opportunity in
the Seward Neighborhood. On May 12th, after a 2-hour orientation,
9 bikers left the parking lot at SNG with their new bike. Participants
are asked to join in one or more group rides, ride regularly and return
the bike at the end of the biking season. The Community Partners
Bike Library currently provides fully accessorized bicycles for up to
six months' loan, and child trailers for parents with young children.
The Bike Library supports participants with Learn to Ride, Riding in
Traffic and Basic Mechanics classes, and engages with underserved
communities to build the transportation equity movement in the Twin
Cities. Seward Neighborhood Group will be leading group rides on
June 9th and June 23rd from the SNG offices at 2323 Franklin Ave.
S. both rides will be meeting at 4:30 and heading out for a 1 1 1/2
hour ride on a bike path. Come join us!!

Cycles for Change & SNG:


BIKE ON!

SLRJP has the intention to serve all youth in Seward or Longfellow


with a diverse pool of facilitators and community participants. Since
January, SLRJP has been
partnering with Abdi Ali of
the Center for Multicultural
Mediation and Restorative
Justice to provide culturally
specific restorative conferences
in Somali. SLRJP can now
provide services in Somali,
Spanish, and American Sign
Language.

Summer Walks Across Seward

For more information about restorative justice in your neighborhood


and how you can get involved contact Michele at 612-338-6205,
ext. 108 or Michele@sng.org.

Let the Play begin ...

by Jenna J. Zark

Unit Collective Playwrights Explore Older Adults Lives and Shatter Stereotypes
Who are the older adults in our communities? What stereotypes do we carry that prevent
us from seeing them? These questions and others were explored by the Unit Collective at
the Playwrights Center in the Seward neighborhood recently, in a piece called Lines from
Augustana Care Life. Staged readings of the piece also occurred in April at Augustana
Apartments of Minneapolis.

The piece was created by six playwrights who became acquainted with residents at
Augustana Care, a nonprofit that helps older adults and others in need live the lives that
most inspire them while providing health care, housing and community-based services.
We want to help push down the walls around peoples perceptions of older adults,
says founding-member playwright Anton Jones. He and other playwrights including Eliza
Rasheed, Indira Addington and Jessica Huang initially met residents in various locations
at Augustana Cares Minneapolis campus to gain insights into their lives.
Hopefully, playwrights will be able to revisit the folks they got to know originally. As
the playwrights talk to residents more, their experiences might become part of a new rewrite, says Jones.
He is even considering the possibility of future plays being written, directed or performed by Augustana Care
residents.

That would be in keeping with the Unit Collectives mission, which is to create theatre that brings unheard
voices to the stage. The Collectives plays are performed as staged readings monthly at the Playwrights
Center in a series called Minneapolis Madness, which came out of a group at the University of Iowa that
performed plays in the schools parking lot. The goal of the series was to create fresh, vibrant new work that
seeks to change misconceptions about minorities and other overlooked communities.
Jones connection to Augustana Care came through his mother Tisch Jones, a director and one of the original members of Penumbra Theatre
who lives at Augustana Apartments of Minneapolis. She has directed several plays at Unit Collective, including one that occurred just a few
months after she experienced a stroke. When Tisch suggested a partnership with
Augustana Care, Anton agreed it would be an excellent way to discover the often
hidden lives of older adults.
We tend to forget people who are older can be cutting edge and just as experimental
and excited about what is happening now as young people are, says Anton. With the help of the Unit Collective, audiences now have a
chance to discover just how cutting edge, experimental and exciting older adults can be.
For more information about the project, contact unitplaywrights@gmail.com or
call 952-240-0420.

About The Unit Collective


The Unit Collective is a diverse community of Under-Represented Theatre professionals
who nurture, develop, advocate and produce new work(s). We create Theatre/er that
reflects who we are and the world in which we live. Through the quality of the shared
experience we make the invisible audience visible.
To learn more, visit www.unitcollective.org.
About Augustana Care
Augustana Care is a non-profit organization that provides housing, health care and community-based services
to older generations and others in needand helps residents live the lives that most inspire them.
The principles that guide our work are as follows:
To value older generations talents and experience
To provide the care residents need, when and where they need it
To connect residents to the people and things that mean the most to them
Discover all
To support residents and families with spiritual care that speaks to who they are
To learn more, visit www.augustanacare.org

that is Seward at
www.sng.org

NEW WEB SITE


for sng.org

Turn your browser toward sng.org, Seward Neighborhood


Groups new website. Let us know what you think! We hope
that we have made it easier to find information about our
neighborhood. Kate Sheldon, SNG administrative assistant,
did most of the work under the guidance of Kerry Cashman,
Community Coordinator,
and Peter Fleck,
web consultant and
president of PF
Hyper LLC.

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

Members of the Community of St. Martin created a Gas Tax Group


four years ago. Participants track vehicle gas consumption and pay
a "tax" for gas usage on a sliding fee. Gas taxes are often contributed
to groups promoting alternative transportation and energy or groups
working on energy policy.

In June 2014 the Gas Tax Group committed to purchase 4 solar panels
on the solar garden being constructed on Bethel Evangelical Lutheran
Church (4120 17th Ave S, Minneapolis). The solar garden is a project
of MN Community Solar (mncommunitysolar.com)

The first solar garden in the area


was constructed on the Northern
Sun building on Lake Street.
Placing solar gardens, or large
numbers of panels, on suitable
buildings is a way to grow solar
usage in our community that takes advantage of quantities of scale
and allows those without homes suitable for solar to still invest in
solar.

Energy generated by the 4 panels purchased by the Gas Tax Group will
be contributed towards the cost of Faith Mennonite's electric bill. The
total cost of the four panels will be about $3,700
and the panels are projected to generate $5,331 in
offsets for the Xcel bill for Faith Mennonite, over
the next 25 years. During that time, the four panels
will save 22 tons of CO2 emissions.

ITS OUR WORLD

by Alexis Troschinetz

Love it. Protect it.

Join your Seward neighbors and SNG as we work


together in keeping our community beautifully green.
A Free Rain Garden Workshop! June 22!

Rain gardens are an effective way residents can minimize rainfall


runoff from their property and help reduce surface water pollution.
A well-designed rain garden is a shallow depression on your property
that allows rainwater to soak into the surrounding ground.

The SNG Environment Committee and Metro Blooms will be hosting


a Rain Garden Workshop for residents on Monday, June 22 from
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Matthews Recreation Center (2318 28th
Ave S) in the multi-purpose room. The workshop is FREE and available
to any Seward or city resident. No registration is required
just show up!
Metro Blooms workshops are a quick, easy way to learn how you
can design a rain garden for your yard. More than 7,000 people have
attended these workshops and 80% of participants have either installed
or are planning on having a rain garden. For further information contact
either Alexis Troschinetz (alexis.manda@gmail.com) or Mike Trdan
(mnmichaelrecycle@gmail.com) or the SNG office.

Sewards Great Green Yards Environmental Walk, July 8th

How can Seward residents have yards that are green and attractive,
free of pesticides, and safe for bees? Find out by joining your neighbors
for a pleasant, informal walk through Seward on the evening of July 8th.
We will stop at a number of locations where residents have earned their
recognition as Great Green Yards by maintaining attractive yards without
resorting to pesticides, herbicides or other pollution creating measures.
Discover all
These residents have shown creativity and ingenuity in the care and
that is Seward at
design of their yards that minimizes adverse environmental effects,
www.sng.org
reduces rainwater runoff, and provides safe habitats for valued creatures
like our bees.
The gathering for the Environmental Walk will start at 6:00 p.m. on July 8th in front of the
Matthews Recreation Center (2318 28th Ave S). The group will proceed for a guided 1.5
hour tour of yards in the neighborhood. Information will be available for each yard on the
approach used to become a Great Green Yard. At some locations the property owner may
be available to provide additional information.

The Environmental Walk is provided free &


no registration is required - just show up.
For further information contact either Alexis
Troschinetz (alexis.manda@gmail.com) or Mike
Trdan (mnmichaelrecycle@gmail.com) or the
SNG office.

Check out Seward's other "virtual" properties at: http://goo.gl/Xa6AR

Join today at: http://bit.ly/sewardforum

Keep up with neighborhood events, meetings, and issues at The Forum.

Seward Welcome Kits Now Available

SNG has updated welcome kits to pass out to new neighbors. If you have
new neighbors on your block stop by SNG at 2323 East Franklin Avenue and
pick up a kit. This is an easy way to stop by and meet your new neighbors.

Stencil Seward in!

Freshly stencil Sewards storm drains

You can help! With the help of the City of Minneapolis, the parks department, and
Friends of the Mississippi River we hope to raise awareness around the pollution of our lakes
and rivers from storm drains. SNGs goal is to freshly stencil all the storm drains in Seward.
We want to make sure our drains stay clean of any trash that is buried in chemicals. These chemicals
will drain directly into the Mississippi River and continue pollution. Take it from the professionals at
Friends of the Mississippi River as they talk about the harm and potential damage of this on our river:
Storm drains are part of the storm sewer system which carries
untreated rain and snow-melt directly from the citys lawns and
streets to rivers and lakes. This runoff from our urban landscape
carries anything in the street pesticides, antifreeze, fertilizer,
motor oil, pet waste, and grass clippings directly to the
nearest lake or river. The stenciled message alerts citizens
to this fact. If you are interested in helping stencil the
storm drains around Seward, SNG will provide supplies for
neighborhood use. Email Kerry@sng.org to reserve
your stenciling kit. Stenciling is a great opportunity to
get outside with your neighbors and make a difference
in your community and the environment.

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Seward Neighborhood Group


2323 E. Franklin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55406

Gr

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at the Seward Neighborhood Online Forum!

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

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Join your Neighbors Online

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

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