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Winter Quarterly 2015

Crafts Arts Dance Music Food Theatre Services Community

SEWARD
ewriter
WINTER FROLIC
& ART CRAWL

SNG 2015 Year-in-Review

Spread Joy Fund

New Winner Announced

Neighborhood News

Seward Projects, Great & Small

Books to Give & to Get
Housing Updates, Kul Chocolate
& so much more

Read why Seward

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

lucida sans typewriter

Volume 3, Issue 14 2015

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Published by
The Seward Neighborhood Group
Minneapolis, MN 55406

SNGs Taste of Seward - Yum!

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:

Kate S., Kerry C.

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

For information on everything Seward,

find us at www.sng.org

On November 4th over 100 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 Taste of Seward, the annual meeting of the Seward
Neighborhood Group. New member Jessie Wuollet will join re-elected incumbents, Shell Collins,
Hanna Epstein, Peter Fleck, Trisha Kirk, Laura Murphy, Tami Traeger and Marne Zafer.
We say goodbye and thanks to Peter Truax and Ben Walen. Ben Walen served as Board
President for 4 years and will be deeply missed. Thank you Ben and Peter for your service to
the neighborhood. Thank you to all the volunteers and
donors who supported the Taste of Seward this year.
Special thanks to Pat Rosaves for organizing the
Silent Auction once again and to At Last Gourmet for
donating 4 types of soups for our tasting pleasure.

The 2016 Board of Directors of SNG include:

(Back, left to right): Peter Fleck, Shel Collins,
Hannah Epstein, Bob Friddle, Marne Zafer,
Tami Traeger, Tariku Belay and Laura Murphy
(Front) Diann Anders, Ashley Freitag, Trisha Kirk
and Jessie Wuollet (not present Bruce Johansen).

Its Back!

Alexis Troschinetz, co-chair of SNG's Environment

Committee, collects input on Community Solar
Gardens from Tariku Belay (current board member),
Jessie Woullet (incoming board member), and
Andrew Magill
(SPOKES shop
coordinator) to
guide SNG's
next steps.

New this year Santa Erik

will be joining us at the
Lighting Ceremony at 5:30
pm on Saturday Dec. 5th,
there will be hayrides with
Santa for all kids
and kids at heart.
Immediately following the
Lighting Ceremony will be
an open house at Chef
Shack Ranch celebrating
their 2 year anniversary in Seward. Free donuts and cider for everyone from 6 7 pm.

Returning activities at the Seward Winter Frolic include dog and family portraits
at Fun City Dogs, hot soup for sale at Bethany Lutheran Church, music and
interactive arts activites at the Ivy Building, card making at ArtiCulture
and the Community Sing at 2 pm on
Sunday at Faith Mennonite Church.

There will be special and activities in

most of the Seward Businesses and
over 100 artists showing their work
around the neighborhood.

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

2016 SPREAD JOY Fund Winner Announced

Kirsten Jean Collins was picked as the recipient of the 2016 Spread Joy Fund. She will
use the money for a final class in her ABE licensure program at the U. The course is
located in Cuba and will allow her to improve her Spanish speaking skills while learning about the literacy movement in Cuba.

The Seward SPREAD JOY Fund

The Seward Spread Joy Fund is a grant program made possible by an anonymous donor
and administrated by the Seward Neighborhood Group. Its intention is to provide up to
$1,000 every year to allow one Seward resident to have an experience that benefits them
or the neighborhood that they otherwise wouldnt be able to afford. Applicants must not
receive physical gain from the grant, they must have lived in Seward for at least three
years, and they must make a report of their experience.

SIGNED & DULY NOTED

SEWARDS HISTORIC MILWAUKEE AVENUE

This November, a dedication ceremony to commemorate the installation of the first and
only historic sign in the Milwaukee Avenue Historic District was held. Speakers included
Minneapolis Council Member Abdi Warsame; as well as Tony Scallon and Robert Roscoe,
key community players in the historic districts renewal. State House Representative Phyllis
Kahn conducted the unveiling.
Milwaukee Avenue was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1974.
Located in the heart of the Seward Neighborhood, the Milwaukee Avenue Historic District
is one of few intact examples of immigrant housing in Minnesota from the 1880s. The
late Charlie Nelson, historical architect of the Minnesota Historical Society, championed
the national designation, saying, Its time America learned about how common people
lived, sometimes with uncommon achievements.

The Milwaukee Avenue Historic Sign Project was

sponsored by the Seward Neighborhood Group and
made possible with funding provided by the State
of Minnesota through the Minnesota Historical Society
from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
Shown: 1880s Side (1970s on the other Side)

So Cool is Kul

On August 16th, 2015 Kul Chocolate opened its

doors in the Seward Neighborhood to the delight
of chocolate lovers and locals. Owner and entrepreneur Peter Kelsey (the previous owner of
The New French Bakery) decided to embark on
making chocolate bars that as he describe as
not candy, but a superfood. His goal was to
make a great tasting product that was low in
price and low on the glycemic index. Peter traveled throughout Europe and
South America learning and investigating not only which machine to purchase
for his factory, but also which farms utilized sustainable practices. Kuul
Chocolate models its business after a bean to bar philosophy. Their bars
are 70% dark chocolate, and there is an assortment of bars ranging from
an endurance bar with 8 grams of protein to a decadent Maca & Fruit bar.
When asked why he chose the Seward neighborhood, Peter replied he has
always felt at home here, from his early stomping days in the 70s to opening
up The New French Bakery to now beginning this new venture.

Kuul Chocolate is located 2211 Franklin Ave. E., Minneapolis. K

uul Chocolate bars can are purchase at their store, Coastal Seafood
or Midwest Mountaineering. www.kul-chocolate.com

by
Amanda Luker

Boneshaker Books will soon be celebrating

its 5th anniversary this winter! Here are our
suggestions for Top 10 must-reads. Theres no time like
winter to curl up with a great book.

1 ) Octavias Brood
by Walidah Imarisha & adrienne maree brown
2) Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3) A Brief History of Seven Killings
By Marlon James
4) Rad American Women A-Z
by Kate Schatz
5) The Body Keeps the Score: Brain. Mind, and Body
in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk MD
6) Operation Ajax
by Mike de Seve
7) The Argonauts
by Maggie Nelson
Discover all
that is Seward at
8) Molecular Red
www.sng.org
by McKenzie Wark
9) Queer and Trans Artists of Color:
Stories of Some of Our Lives by Nia King
10) The New Prophets of Capital
by Nicole Aschoff
Boneshaker Books is located at 2002 23rd Ave. South
behind Precision Grind Coffeeshop.

Meet the Artists (who create the Frolic)

What many do not know is there is a core group of artists who meet months before the Winter Frolic
& Art Crawl. This artist committee works to make the Seward Frolic frolic!. Long-time Seward
community members, each has their own inimitable style and medium. Theyll be part of a much-loved
tradition of showing off, exhibiting work that is seen by many as got-to-have, perfect-for-gifts art.

Connie Lanphear
Stain Glass

I've been working in stained glass for about 14

years, creating designs inspired by nature and
trees in particular. I love the graphic lines of tree
branches and the way leaves reflect color and
light. I will be showing and selling my art in
studio #210 in the Ivy Building.

Dan Leisen
Photography

Dan Leisens nature and landscape photography

captures the beauty of our Minnesota woodlands
and waterways. Dans work has been in many juried
art shows and fairs including the Powderhorn, Edina
and Stone Arch Bridge art fairs. His photographic
images of the north country and local parks are
available on notecards and medium to large matted
and framed archival prints. The image shown here
is of the Baptism River, south of Ely MN. Dan is
one of the Artists@Faith, showing at Faith Mennonite
Church.

Leann E. Johnson
Tile

Award-winning tile design combines art and

functionality with cultural images and patterns
that resonate for artist Leann E. Johnson
(Lea-Way Designs, LLC). She offers tiles as
functional art, Two-Way Tile Trays, and tile
jewelry available for personal expression and
your gift-giving needs. Leann is one of the
Artists@Faith, showing at Faith Mennonite Church.

Kat Lange
Painting

I work primarily in watercolor and acrylic and take

my inspiration from the beauty of the natural
world. I love the interplay of light and shadow on
an image, and am most attracted by vivid color.
My recent fascination is capturing the mystery of
a walk in the woods, resulting in my "path series".
I will be showing my art and selling cards and
magnets in studio #210 in the Ivy Building.

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.

Now here - Coastal Seafoods

Seasonal Cant-Miss Treats

Fresh Florida Stone Crab season is now open.

The season runs from October 15 to May 15.
These delicious claws are harvested in a completely
sustainable manner, as the crabs are returned to
the ocean where they are able to regenerate their
claws. The fresh Bristol Bay Red King Crab season opens late October until
the quota is reached, typically late November to early December. This is
probably the sweetest most amazing crab available anywhere in the world.
We will carry these crab clusters frozen, once the fresh season is over.And
the season for the greatest scallop of the year, the Nantucket Bay scallop,
opens in November and continues with luck through the first half of the
winter. These are small, incredibly sweet and rich tasting, a delicacy not to
be missed.

Dont forget to stop by Welna II during the Seward Winter Frolic

and get treats and homemade Lefsa!

Free Home Energy Audit

At SNG, weve been busy ...

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Income qualified residents currently can get a free home energy audit
from the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE). The income limits are
below. For those not qualifying, SNG reduces the cost to $30. Residents
who have previously had an audit are eligible to
receive another one if the prior audit was before
February 2013. CEE is also offering 0% interest
loans for energy improvements and the SNG
Environment Committee is providing rebates
of up to $200 for energy improvements
recommended by the audit. Income limits
for free energy audit: To schedule your

Seward Neighbohood Group 2015 Review

Contribute to SNG in 2016 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 2015 Year-in-Review is online at sng.org.

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

S e w ar

SNG has worked diligently through 2015 on a wide range of

issues, initiatives, and events, often in partnership with other
organizations, government agencies, and local businesses.
Find highlights of the year below or the complete report on-line
at www.sng.org:
Neighborhood clean-up north of Franklin
Garden tour and community celebration.
Summer Bike Library
Cyber-SNG: E-Democracy Seward Neighbors Forum,
updated website, Seward Tweets, Community
Calendar.
Winter Frolic-Art Crawl, including Benefit Kick off
and Triangle Park celebration
National Park Ranger-led birding hike along
the Mississippi.
Wednesday evening guided neighborhood walks.
Rain garden workshop
Energy Workshop; provided a partial rebate for
the cost of home energy audits.
Kings Fair
Continued work on ...
o Safer intersections for all: Franklin,
Cedar and Minnehaha; Franklin, Riverside
and 29th.
o Neighborhood enhancing redevelopment
of Seward Commons
o Conditional and Non-Conforming Use
Permits, ReZoning, and Variance requests
o SNGs home improvement loan program
o Safe Routes to School with Seward
Montessori School
Franklin Open Streets
Garage Sale Days (80+ registered sales)
The PROFILE Quarterly
National Night Out (over 35 registered block parties)

audit call (612) 335-5874 or contact Doug

Wise, SNG Housing Coordinator, for more information at doug@sng.org
or (612) 338-6205, ext. 102.

SNG RECEIVES NEW FUNDING

!for HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS!
Loans now available at 2.50% interest

The Seward Neighborhood Group is offering home improvement loans

to homeowners and rental property owners to make improvements to
properties with up to four units.
The SNG Revolving Loan Program is available to both owner occupied
and rental properties; it provides loans up to $12,000 for a term of
up to ten years at 2.50% interest. There is no income limit on the
Revolving Loan Program.
The Interest Subsidy Grant Program is available to owner occupied
properties; it reduces the interest rate on Minnesota Fix-up Fund loans
from 5.75% to 2.50% on loans up to $20,000 for up to 15 years.
The Interest Subsidy Grant Program currently has an income limit of
$97,500 (total household income).
The SNG Emergency Deferred Loan Program provides deferred loans
to owner-occupants of properties in the Seward neighborhood who
face emergency home repairs and are unable to obtain funds to repair
the problem. For homeowners unable to make monthly payments, the
loans will be repaid when the house is sold.

In the know

For more information on the loan programs, or general home

improvement advice, contact Doug Wise, SNG's Housing Coordinator,
at (612) 338-6205, ext. 102 or doug@sng.org.

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 612-483-7239
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 612-338-6205, x112

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!

Seward Welcome Kits

Always Available

SEWARD JOINS
THE LAKE STREET
ENERGY CHALLENGE

As one of the neighborhoods adjacent to the Lake Street

corridor, the SNG Board voted in September to join in a
targeted two-year effort to promote energy efficiency and
renewable energy programs. The effort is known as the
Lake Street Energy Challenge and is an initiative sponsored
by the Midtown Community Works (MCW) Partnership and
Xcel Energys Partners in Energy. The initiative will work with
neighborhood groups and business associations and focus
on expanding the reach of residential, commercial,
and renewable programs.
SNG will assist in outreach in Seward with programs
like Home Energy Squad, Xcel Energys Home Lighting and
Refrigerator Recycling, and community solar programs.
As part of the outreach there will be a series events in 2015
and 2016 to share information about energy efficiency and
renewable energy programs for homeowners or renters.

Seward Neighborhood Group

2323 E. Franklin Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55406

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Seward residents are encouraged to take the

Lake Street Energy Challenge Pledge and can find out
rebates, weatherization help and financial assistance
by visiting the web site at:
http://www.mcwsustainability.org/partners-in-energy.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact: Emma
Struss, Xcel Energys Partners in Energy Coordinator,
estruss@mncee.org, 1.800.369.4362

pewriter

Join your Neighbors Online

Discover all
that is Seward at
www.sng.org

Welcome to
the Neighborhood!

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.