Scenes from the North Regional Library Opening!

Here are some pictures from the recent opening of the North Regional Library in Minneapolis that serves the Hawthorne Area Neighborhood. We hope you enjoy them!

HAWTHORNE HUDDLE: Thursday, March 1st

Please join us at the Hawthorne Huddle on Thursday, March 1st, when we will hear from members of the Northeast Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce about their planning work and initiative to extend their outreach to neighboring communities. This initiative is working to share resources, thoughts and outcomes. Given that public safety and crime issues are their top priority, we thought this discussion could produce possible synergies across neighborhoods.

The Hawthorne Huddle will be held from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. in the Multipurpose Room at Farview Park, located at 621 29th Avenue North. A continental breakfast will be available at 7:15 a.m.

We hope you can attend and participate in the discussion!

Here are some scenes from the February Hawthorne Huddle:

Library Consolidation Meetings March 1-8

Interested or concerned with the proposed consolidation of the Minneapolis Public Library System and the Hennepin County Library System and the impact it will have on the operation of the Minneapolis system?

Your opportunity to voice your opinion and concerns to officials from the Minneapolis City Council, Minneapolis Public Library Board of Trustees, Hennepin County Board of Commissioners and the Hennepin County Library Board about this proposed consolidation can happen at one of the following sessions:

Thursday, March 1
7-8:30 p.m.
Walker Library
2880 Hennepin Ave.

Saturday, March 3
10-11:30 a.m.
North Regional Library
1315 Lowry Ave. No.

Monday, March 5
6:30-8 p.m.
Minneapolis Central Library
Doty Board Room
300 Nicollet Mall

Thursday, March 8
7-8:30 p.m.
Nokomis Library
5100 34th Ave. So.

Contact Third Ward Council Member Diane Hofstede
Room 307, 350 South Fifth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1383
Phone Number: 612-673-2203 Fax: 612-673-3940 TTY: 612-673-2157
E-mail diane.hofstede@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

North Community High School is looking for volunteer tutors

North High School is looking for individuals who are interested in helping students reach their potential through volunteering. Volunteers can work with students 1-on-1, in small groups, or in a classroom as a tutor. Subjects students need help with are: Math, English, Science, Career and College Exploration, and Computer programming.

No experience is needed and training is provided. Volunteers are expected to have strong knowledge of the subject area they tutor. Volunteers can tutor 8:30 to 5:30 M-F.

Interested? Contact Brian Kao at (612) 668-1734 or email Brian.Kao@mpls.k12.mn.us. North High School is located at 1500 James Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN, 55411

Stories at Camden Coffee House

If you like good stories, check out The Cultural Storytelling Series at Camden Coffee Company: now celebrating its second year. The fourth Saturday of every month (November through June)

Saturday, March 24, 2007
7-9 p.m.
Camden Coffee Company
Hearing with the Eyes: Perspectives on Deaf Culture.Storyteller: Vicki Joan & Friends
Hosted by Local Storyteller David Zander

Camden Coffee Company is located at: 1500 44th Ave North.
(44th and Humboldt)

For further information contact:
David 612-529-8964 or Philip 612/521-1161

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And for your Feb. calendars:
Feb 24, 2007
7-9 p.m.

Camden Coffee Company
Stories in celebration of Black History Month.
Tellers to be confirmed.
Hosted by David Zander

Here are some scenes from the historic reading of Hmong poets and storytellers at the Camden Coffee Company in November, featuring Hmong activist Pacyinz Lyfoung, writer and playwright Ka Vang and Dr. Gary Yia Lee from Australia:

Creating Hope for Future Generations:

30 Scholarships Totaling $40,000 Available to
Southeast Asian High School Seniors

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, January 29, 2007 – A number of people from the local community have come together to administer a national scholarship fund that will award $40,000 to Minnesota Southeast Asian high school seniors.

The Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative (NSRC) Fund is offering approximately 30 scholarships between $1,000 and $2,000 each to first- or second-generation Southeast Asian students from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, or Vietnam.

Candidates must live and attend high school in Minnesota, plan to graduate from high school or receive their GED during the 2006-07 academic year, and be accepted to an accredited program in fall 2007. Accredited programs include vocational and cosmetology schools, colleges and universities.

To obtain a scholarship application or to make a tax-deductible donation to the Minnesota Chapter of the NSRC Fund, visit www.NSRCFund.org or e-mail MNScholarship2007@hotmail.com.

The scholarship application deadline is March 1, 2007, and an awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 5, 2007.

Building Blocks Award for Great Block Clubs!

Nominate a block club to be honored with a police Building Blocks award

The Minneapolis Police Department is seeking nominations for its annual Building Blocks Awards, which go to the city’s most active and effective block clubs. Minneapolis has a long tradition of strong block clubs that work to prevent crime, connect neighbors, and take on issues in their neighborhoods.

Each honored block club will receive recognition at a public ceremony, Building Blocks Award signs to post on the block, a $100 gift card, and an award of appreciation for each block leader.

For more information.

Deadline: Wednesday, January 31st, 2007

Snow Emergency Information in Somali, Spanish and Hmong

If you or someone you know needs information on Snow Emergency Parking rules in Minneapolis, go to www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/snow or you can also call 311 or watch city cable channels 14 and 79 when a snow emergency is declared.

Volunteer Request from North Regional Library

The Minneapolis Public Library is implementing a conversation circle program at North Regional Library to help English language learners practice conversation skills and build vocabulary. The program has been well-received, although they’ve had a hard time finding volunteers to lead circles at North Regional. We’re looking for a few people to facilitate circles on Saturdays, between 1 and 3 pm. For more information, contact:

Sarah Russ
Community Connections Facilitator
VISTA
New Americans Center

612.630.6069 // sruss@mplib.org
Fax 612.630.6060

Job Opening at HACC!

JOB TITLE: Housing Development Director

SALARY: $30K to $35K DOE plus benefits TYPE: Full Time DEADLINE: February 9th, 2007

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:The Hawthorne Area Community Council (HACC) is seeking an individual with strong housing finance and development experience to serve as HACC’s Housing Development Director. This position will work closely with other HACC staff to improve the quality of our residential community.

For a full description, e-mail us at bworra@hawthornecommunity.org

NRP And Minneapolis Call for Discussion

The Neighborhood Revitalization Program Policy Board and the Minneapolis City Council have called for public discussion of the Community Engagement Report submitted by the City Coordinator on November 9, 2006.

As a result, the offices of the NRP and the City Coordinator are working together to conduct a series of public meetings and a community survey.

The previously announced deadline for public comment on the report has been extended until Thursday, February 8, 2007.

Public meetings have been scheduled for the end of January and early February, at locations selected to encourage attendance by a broad cross-section of community members.

A language interpreter has been arranged at the meeting on February 1, 2006.

The date, time and location for the North side meeting is:

Thursday, February 1st, 2007 – North (Sumner-Glenwood, Near North, Willard-Hay, Hawthorne, Jordan, Folwell, Cleveland, McKinley, Victory, Webber-Camden, Shingle Creek, Lind-Bohanon)

Location: North Regional Library, 1315 Lowry Avenue N
Time: 7:00-8:30 PM

(Interpreters for Spanish, Somali, Hmong, Vietnamese, Lao and Oromo languages will be available)

Happy Holidays from Hawthorne!

And we recently we received the following message back from the Twin Cities neighborhood organizagtions:

Thank you! And we'll see you all in 2007!

Open House At Juxtaposition Arts On Tuesday

An intimate showing of drawings and animation works by youth artists will be held at Juxtaposition Arts on Tuesday, Dec. 19 from 5:00-7:00p.m.

Juxtaposition Arts
2007 Emerson Avenue North
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411
Located at the intersection of Emerson and West Broadway on the 5 and 14 bus lines

For more information: Juxtaposition Arts, 612.588.1148
http://www.juxtaposition.org/

UPDATE:

Here are some scenes from the Open House including a discussion from Juxtaposition Arts project director Satoko Muratake.

Hawthorne Huddle a success! Thank you!

This month's Hawthorne Huddle was standing room only as friends, residents, officials and community organizations gathered at Farview Park to discuss the year's achievements and to mark 9 years of working together to make Hawthorne a better place.

Thank you to everyone who took time to announce their events and talk about what worked well for them this year. We look forward to seeing everyone again in January!

For more photos from this event, click here.

Here, Ellen Luger, Executive Director of the General Mills Foundation, discusses the Hawthorne Huddle (approximately 30 seconds):

Hawthorne Huddle Thursday, Dec. 7th

The General Mills Foundation and the Hawthorne Area Community Council would like to take time to remind you that we are having a very special Hawthorne Huddle on Thursday, Dec. 7th from 7:30 to 8:45 AM in the multipurpose room of Farview Park at 609 29th Avenue North.

In keeping with the celebretory spirit of this month's Huddle, a delicious hot breakfast will be served. Please come to celebrate the 9th anniversary of he Hawthorne Huddle and share your thoughts on the accomplishments we should celebrate and what we should work on for new year!

Special speakers will include Mayor R.T. Rybak, Interim Chief of Police Tim Dolan, and City Council member Diane Hofstede, as well as safety updates from Lt. Mike Sauro of the MPD 4th Precinct and a welcome from Ellen Luger, executive director of the General Mills Foundation.

Timberwolves visit Farview Park

Tuesday night on December 5th, the Timberwolves paid a visit to the Hawthorne area neighborhood to play basketball with our kids at the newly christened Gary Wilson Gymnasium at Farview Park. Gary Wilson and many other friends of Farview Park and the Hawthorne neighborhood were in attendance, and the evening included free t-shirts and a pizza party afterwards!

You can see some of the great photos from the evening here!

Thank you to everyone who came to make this a great event!

Here is Jon Oyanagi from the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board discussing the Timberwolves visit.

Coach W.H. Nelson also expressed his appreciation.

Coach Gary Wilson was very pleased as well.

Here, you can watch the Timberwolves as they play with the children:

Scenes from the Gary Wilson Gymnasium Dedication

Over 200 people gathered on Saturday, December 2nd to honor Gary Wilson for his lifelong contributions to the community. With the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, they dedicated the new gymnasium at Farview Park in the Hawthorne Area Neighborhood to him.

Friends, families and officials gathered from far and wide to thank him for the unique and tremendous impact he's had on their lives and the well-being of the city.

Gary Wilson and his family expressed their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to everyone who has helped him along the way.

You can see more pictures of the dedication ceremony here!

Here is a youtubed video of the dedication ceremony. (Approximately 1 minute long)

Thank you, Gary, for everything you've done for our community!

It's made a difference!

Farview Soccer Team Emerges Undefeated in 2006

In case you missed it, the Hmong Times has a nice article about the success of the Farview Soccer Team in an earlier November issue and its recent successes with an undefeated season. Congratulations to Coach Blong Yang and his team.

Photo from the Hmong Times

An Introduction To The Hawthorne Area Neighborhood

A brief introduction to the Hawthorne Area and the Hawthorne Area Community Council.

You can see the larger version here.

Gary Wilson Gym Dedication Sat. 12/ 2

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will honor longtime North Minneapolis coach, Gary Wilson, by dedicating the recently rehabilitated gymnasium at Farview Park in his honor.

Gary has worked tirelessly for the past 30 years to secure improvements at Farview. He was a vocal and active member of two community advisory committees the Park Board convened.

Gary Wilson is a very special “humble hero” and a fierce champion for positive athletic programs for Minneapolis youth. Conservative estimates are that he has touched the lives of at least 3,000 children through his coaching.

Gary comes from a family of eight children and grew up in NE Minneapolis. He graduated from Edison High School, where he excelled in sports and is a member of the Edison Hall of Fame.

Gary began his long association with the MPRB as a youth sports participant at various Eastside parks starting at age 10. As an adult, he has coached virtually every sport and every season at Farview and Jordan Parks for over 30 years.

In fact, Gary is still coaching at Farview Park and now is beginning to coach the grandchildren of his former players.

Over the years, Gary has been honored many times by various organizations, including the Annual MN Umpires Clinic, City of Minneapolis, City of Minneapolis Distinguished Nominee - Minneapolis Award, Kare 11 TV Eleven Who Care* , Northside Athletic Club, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, University of Minnesota Cal Stoll Award,

* Eleven Who Care recognizes the contributions of grassroots volunteers and promoting the spirit of volunteerism in our communities. As only Gary would do, he requested that his Eleven Who Care monetary award of $1,000 be directed to the Jordan Park Athletic Program.

Gary and his wife Janet, who live in the McKinley Neighborhood in North Minneapolis, have been married over 50 years and are parents to three adult children and have eight grandchildren.

Join us as we honor this “humble hero” from North and Northeast Minneapolis who always puts others first. The dedication ceremony is scheduled for:

Gary Wilson Gym Dedication
Saturday – December 2, 2006
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Dedication Ceremony @ 11:15 am
Farview Park – 29th & Lyndale Avenue North