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MarneZafar
Zafar

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Winter Quarterly 2014

Crafts Arts Dance Music Food Theatre Services Community

SNG Year-in-Review

Spread Joy Fund

Sewards New Dare to Dream

Whats Up

New Projects, Great & Small

Books to Give & to Get
In the Kitchen with Nasra

Read why Seward

is the place
folks talk about,
visit & want
to live in!

SEWARD
WINTER FROLIC:
Art in the 'hood
New Events!
New Benefit!
New Bingo!

Volume 3, Issue 12 2014

Published by
The Seward Neighborhood Group
Minneapolis, MN 55406

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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

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

Upcoming Issue and Deadline

Spring Issue 2015
Copy and ad deadline:
February 9, 2015
In homes and businesses:
February 28-March 1

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:

Diann Anders., Bruce Johansen., David Ott, Kurt Neu

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

For information on everything Seward,

find us at www.sng.org

New Events for Sewards

Winter Frolic: Art in the hood!

The Dec 6th and 7th Seward Winter Frolic will be chock full of new artists
and new activities. There will be something for everyone. If you are
looking for Holiday gifts and want to hit every artist in the crawl but
dont want to drive or walk you can hop on one of the free Pedicabs
and catch a ride to the next artists venue while enjoying heated
seats and warm blankets. Looking to do a little singing? Join the
Community Sing at 2:00 pm in Faith Mennonite Church on Sunday.
Or do you just need a little caffeine pick me up? Head on over to the
Ivy Building and join Peace Coffee for a special Coffee tasting. There are two seatings
for coffee tasting Noon and 2 PM on Sunday. For more activities check out our website at
www.sewardarts.org.

Kickoff Benefit Party!

Seward Frolic Kick-off Party, Playwrights Center, Friday,

December 5, 6:00 - 9:00 pm at The Playwrights Center, 2301 E Franklin Ave., Minneapolis,
MN 55406. Its $15 per person or $25 per couple as a requested donation for Seward
Neighborhood Group. Enjoy Sewards writers and performance artists, and experience
great food and wine from Seward businesses. The talented
lineup includes Sewards esteemed poet Michael Dennis
Browne, as well as Seward writers Pat Rhodes, Marie
Olofsdottir, and Juliet Patterson. Dance performances
by Dans Askina, puppet arts by Z Puppets Rosenschnoz,
and beautiful music provided by Linda Breitag and The
Rich Lewis Band. Our master
of ceremonies is the
delightful and engaging
Michael Culliton.
Come one, come all!

BINGO!
Illustration by author and illustrator,
Marie Olofsdottir.

New deals with your

completed Bingo Card.
Bring your completed bingo
card to participating businesses
and receive specials. You only
need one completed line to win!
Pick up your Seward Bingo card
at participating businesses and
artist venues.

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

SNG Annual Meeting

On November 5, over 150 members of the Seward neighborhood gathered for food,
fellowship, information sharing, shopping for great bargains at the Silent Auction and
the board of directors election at the Annual Meeting of the Seward Neighborhood
Group. New board members Genet Burka, Ashley Freitag, Galitu Negri and Tom Schmidt
will join re-elected incumbents, Diann Anders, Tariku Belay, Bob Friddle, Angela Haeg,
Bruce Johansen, and Michael Pursell and those directors in the second year of their
terms (Sterling Brown, Hannah Epstein, Peter Fleck, Peter Truax, Ben Walen, and
Marne Zafar) on the 2015 SNG Board. Retiring board member Maia Homstad was
recognized for her service to the community.
Recognized by the City of Minneapolis as Sewards citizen participation organization,
SNG is a volunteer driven organization with an active Board of Directors. Members of
the community are welcome at its meetings the fourth Wednesday of the month (with
the exception of December when the meeting is schedule for 12/10). For information,
contact kerry@sng.org or call 612-338-6205.

Seward

SPREAD

Fund!

SNG Directors elected at the November 5 Annual Meeting include:

(Back, left to right): Tariku Belay, Tom Schmidt, Bob Friddle, Michael
Pursell, Bruce Johansen (Front) Diann Anders, Galitu Negri, Angie
Haeg, Ashley Freitag. (not present: Genet Burka)

Discover all that

is Seward at
www.sng.org

Seward residents who yearn to do something that is just beyond their budget have a
chance at getting a little assistance thanks to an anonymous neighbor. The Seward
Spread Joy Fund (SSJF) has been created by an anonymous donor for distribution by
the Seward Neighborhood Group. The SSJF is intended to help create unique and
lasting experiences for members of the community. Each year the SSJF will award
a grant of up to $1,000 to a Seward resident with a plan to spend it on a special
experience.

The donor knows from personal experience how transforming doing something outside ones routine can be and wanted to give Seward neighbors a chance to have
their own little adventures, noted SNG board member Diann Anders. The Spread
Joy Fund is a wonderful, generous and whimsical concept that seems perfectly at
home in this neighborhood.

The restrictions on the SSJF are minimal. Applicants must have lived in Seward for
at least three years and be willing to write a brief report to the neighborhood about
how they spend the grant. The grant must benefit the recipient in an experiential
way and must fund something that would have been difficult for the applicant without
the assistance of the SSJF.

Complete guidelines and application form for the SSJF are available on-line at
sng.org or from the SNG Office, 2323 East Franklin Avenue, 612-338-6205.
Applications for the 2014 award must be received at the SNG Office by noon on
December 31, 2014. The lucky winner will be drawn at the SNG Board of Directors
meeting, January 28, 2015, 7 p.m. at Matthews Center.

The Cooperage

for seniors only!

by Diann Anders

The redevelopment of Seward Commons on the western edge

of the community continued last month with the opening of the
Cooperage Senior Housing at 2304 Snelling Avenue. This Common
Bond Communities property with its 60
one-bedroom units for income qualified
seniors is a smoke-free building with
direct access to the Bike Transit Way
and great views of downtown. A fourseason porch overlooks the courtyard
separating the Cooperage from the
Touchstone development. The Cooperage,
named for the barrel-making establishment that once occupied the site, is slated
to be fully occupied by the end of the year.
Caring Grandmother sculpted by
Nicholas Mukomberanwa, a native of
Zimbabwe and internationally recognized modern African artist, graces the courtyard at the
Cooperage. This installation was funded through a commitment by the partners in Seward
Commons Phase II redevelopment to spend 1% of the construction budget for public art.

Welna II and SNG

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

Keeping Seward Streets Winter Walkable!

Look for Welna IIs 5-gallon buckets
around the neighborhood this winter.
They are filled with a sand/salt
mixture and are available for neighbors
to use to keep our sidewalks walkable. If you find an icy patch just
scoop up a bit of sand and sprinkle
it on the sidewalk. We are looking for
more neighbors to "host" a bucket.
If you are willing to keep a sand/salt
bucket available for neighbors call
the SNG office at 612-338-6205,
ext. 119.

Boneshaker Books will soon be

celebrating our fourth anniversary
this winter! In the meantime, we are
celebrating the doubling of our inventory
over the last month. Here are some of the (many) titles
we are excited about getting in stock (some new, some
old favorites):
Ada's Algorithm: How Lord Byron's Daughter Ada
Lovelace Launched the Digital Age by James Essinger
The Bone People by Keri Hulme
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate
by Naomi Klein
The City in History by Lewis Mumford
Every Day is for the Thief by Teju Cole
The Hospital Suite by John Porcellino
(author event 11/11 at 6pm)
Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn't Work
and How We Can Do Better by Maya Schenwar
(author event 11/22 at 3pm)
Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit
Red Skin, White Masks: Rejecting the Colonial Politics
of Recognition by Glen Sean Coulthard
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
The People's Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture
in the Digital Age by Astra Taylor
Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince
Boneshaker Books is located at 2002 23rd Ave. South
behind Precision Grind Coffeeshop.

If the Spirit Moves You

by Marne Z

The Seward neighborhood and extended community is home to

many places of worship. Winter and the holidays seem to allow
one to seek sustenance in a more spiritual, more blessed way.
It is a season ripe for reflection and celebrating the infinite
varieties to personal understanding.

In keeping with this inborn need, there are places for worship,
contemplation, and meditation to reconnect and nourish your
soul when the spirit moves you. Some suggestions ...
Bethany Lutheran Church
2511 E. Franklin St., 612-332-2397 www.bethanyinseward.org

Emmanuel Tabernacle Church of God in Christ

2501 22nd Street E., 612-724-6701 www.etcmn.org

Faith Mennonite Church

2720 22nd St. E., 612-375-9483 www.faithmennonite.org

Chris
Bohnhoff

The Community of St. Martin

(services held at Faith Mennonite) www.communityofstmartin.org

Lamb & Lion Fellowship

2801 22nd Street E., 763-439-7799 www.twhl.org

Masjid Rawdah
2426 E. 26th Street, 61, 612-205-2544 info@masjidrawdah.com

Photographer

Seward Chuch
2011 21st Avenue South, 612-721-4994 www.sewardchurch.org

Common Ground Meditation Center

2700 E. 26th St., 612-722-8260 www.commongroundmeditation.org
Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses
2201 E 24th St., 612-721-2885 www.watchtower.org

So close and not far ...

Temple Israel
2324 Emerson Ave. S., 612-337-8680 www.templeisrael.com
Holy Rosary - Santo Rosario Church
2424 18th Avenue S., 612-724-3651 www.holyrosaryop.org

Barebones lights up Seward

This year at the December

6th Lighting Ceremony we
will be joined by Barebones
Productions with lanterns
and their lighted bearmobile.
Stop by and warm up with
Chai from Verdant Tea and
a toasty fire.

Chris Bohnhoff is a photographer and videographer who has

lived in Seward since 2001. Around the neighborhood, Chris is
perhaps best known as a frequent producer of still and motion
images for the Seward Co-op. But over the years he has worked
with a wide range of clients, from Joia Natural Soda to Growing
Lots Urban Farm, from Fraser - a leading Minnesota nonprofit
providing services to individuals with special needs - to Good
Housekeeping Magazine. Whether photographing people or food,
Chris strives to create simple, authentic images that emotionally
connect the viewer with the subject.
Website: www.chrisbohnhoff.com
Contact: chris@chrisbohnhoff.com

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

Seward Neighborhood Group

Home 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.
To schedule an appointment, contact
Doug Wise, SNG's Housing Coordinator, at
(612) 338-6205, ext. 102 or doug@sng.org.

Hooyos Kitchen Somali Style

The Cultural Corridor Murals:
Seward Community Co-op is offering a
free class exploring Somali cuisine on
Wednesday, January 14, 6:30 to 8
p.m. led by SNGs own Nasra Noor.
5
Hooyo means mother
in Somali -- and
everyone loves "mother's cooking!"
Participants will make sambusas and
talk about traditional Somali cuisine and culture. Yum!

Native American Art Made Public

The Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI)

has new murals decorating the E. Franklin Ave. Light Rail Station
pillars. Paint the Ave is part of their Community Mural Project,
which brings together American Indian artists and local American
Indian youth to complete community murals in the American
Indian Cultural Corridor. As the most visible work of the non-profit,
which was created in 2007, NACDIs mission focuses on four
broad economic sectors: Land and Housing, Arts and Culture,
Media and Entertainment, and Health and Wellness. These four
commissioned, public art works are part of a larger NACDI project,
The Anpetu Waste Cultural Arts Market, soon to be on the plaza.
Photos
by Kurt Neu

At SNG, weve been busy ...

Seward Neighbohood Group 2014 Review

Community Conversations potluck dinners with multi-cultural

participants from all over Seward.
Intercultural cooking class at the Seward Co-op.
Over 35 Block Parties on National Night Out.
Sand Bucket program to promote walkable sidewalks during
the winter.
Riverwalk on Earth Day with a speaker from the National Park
Service and over 60 walkers.
Garage Sale Days in May with over 80 sales.
Seward Garden Tour, exhibiting 10 beautiful gardens and
raising $800 for SNG.
The Profile Quarterly distributed to homes and businesses.
Seward Winter Frolic: Art in the Hood
New Arts website with a page for every interested Seward Artist.
SPOKES Learn To Ride and Earn-a-Bike programs.
Community Bike Rides and Community Summer Walks.
SPOKES Open Shop.
Helped start the Seward Montessori Bike Club.
Franklin Avenue Open Streets event.
Community Solar Gardens and environmental education.
On-going work:
A safer intersection for all at Franklin and Cedar
and Minnehaha.
Neighborhood enhancing redevelopment of
Seward Commons.
Review of requests for rezoning, Conditional Use
Permits, Variances and expansion of nonconforminguses.
Pilot project combining traffic calming and
stormwater management on a residential block
Providing a variety of home improvement loan
programs.
Support of Hub of Heaven Community Garden.
Support of the Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice
Partnership, celebrating its 10th anniversary
in October.
Growing SNGs on-line presence: The E-Democracy
Seward Neighbors Forum, SewardTweets, and an
active community calendar.

Contribute to SNG in 2014 and help make Seward a better place

to live, work, and play! Contact us at 612-338-6205 ext 119.
E-mail us at admin@sng.org www.sng.org or www.sewardarts.org
To give to SNG online go to http://www.razoo.com/story/SewardNeighborhood-Group

The complete SNG 2014 Year-in-Review is online at sng.org.

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

In the know

When it comes to knowing whats up in

Seward, the people to call are the staff at SNG.
KERRY CASHMAN, Community Coordinator
kerry@sng.org 612-338-6205, x119

NASRA NOOR, Seward Towers Community Organizer

nasra@sng.org
DOUG WISE, Housing Coordinator
doug@sng.org 612-338-6205, x102

MICHELE BRALEY
Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Program Manager
michele@sng.org 612-338-6205, x108
KATE SHELDON, Administrative Assistant
kate@sng.org

SHELDON MAINS, Director, SPOKES Bike-Walk-Connect

sheldon@spokesconnect.org

ANDREW MAGILL, Lead Educator & Mechanic, SPOKES

info@spokesconnect.org
ANA BEGEJ, Educator & Mechanic, SPOKES
info@spokesconnect.org

For SPOKES general class,

events and hours information:
info@spokesconnect.org

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

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

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

at the Seward Neighborhood Online Forum!

Join your Neighbors Online

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

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.

BE THERE TO LISTEN. BE THERE TO HELP.

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

Among the common misconceptions about suicide, according to

Help Guide.org, is the idea that talking about suicide may give
someone the idea. Rather than creating morbid thoughts,
talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings is one of the
most helpful things you can do for someone struggling with
feelings of hopelessness and despair. Be yourself, listen with
sympathy and be non-judgmental. But dont argue, lecture,
promise confidentiality, or think that you can fix things.
Seward Neighborhood Group
2323 E. Franklin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55406

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The holiday season, a time of joy and light for many, may
be an especially dark and sad type for those struggling with
depression. The tragic and unexpected loss of Welna II
operations manager Sam Floyd to suicide last August
reminded the Seward community of the importance of
paying attention to each other. Particularly during days
of celebration or long dark winter nights, being willing to
talk openly with others about their feelings may save a life.

A useful list of warning signs of suicide and practical

suggestions about how to approach someone
you are concerned about may be found at
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/suicide-prevention.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK)
offers a 24 hour crisis line for people
in danger of hurting themselves