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Spring Quarterly 2016

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Services Community Arts Music Food Theatre Crafts Dance

Seward Summer Favorite:

Garage Sale Days!
Birchwood BOOST
MInnehaha Intersection:
Planning for Safety
Sewards Own
Garden Party
New Third Places,
Home Improvement
... and so much more!

Discover all
that is Seward
at www.sng.org

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Garage sales are the perfect reuse and recycle event, your trash becomes someone elses
treasure. Join SNG on May 13th and 14th
for our annual Garage Sale Days. You can sign
up to host a sale at www.sng.org or you can donate
your unwanted items on one of the donation sites below.
Registration fee for the SNG sales
is just $18, for this you get a place
on our printed map, an official garage sale lawn sign, copies of the sales
map and a link on our website. If you dont want to host a sale remember to
save the date for walking around the neighborhood and enjoying our unique
Seward Community.

Volume 4, Issue 15 2016

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Published by
The Seward Neighborhood Group
Minneapolis, MN 55406

Seward Garage Sale Days!

Do you want to get rid of your items before May? Check out the list below
for ideas of where your gems can be dropped off. SNGs Environment
Committee created this list of places folks can take unwanted household items, in addition to donating
to thrift stores like Savers, Goodwill, and Salvation Army. We hope this list reduces whats burned at the
Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (HERC), our solid waste to energy facility.

PLACES TO BRING UNWANTED ITEMS:

The Seward Profile, a quarterly publication
of the Seward Neighborhood Group (SNG),
strives to keep neighborhood residents,
businesses, property owners and organizations
informed of whats 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

Summer Issue 2016
Copy and ad deadline:

May 6, 2016
In homes and businesses:

May 27 - June 1, 2016
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, Kerry, Shell, Bruce Design: Marne
e-mail:profile@SNG.org
Printer: Print Craft
Discover all
that is Seward
at www.sng.org

1. Longfellow-Seward Exchange is a Local Facebook page to post items for free or for sale,
embracing the saying One mans trash is another mans treasure.
www.facebook.com/groups/LongfellowSewardExchange/

2. Free Geek at 2537 25th Ave S. in Seward accepts computer equipment, small appliances,
cameras, phones & game equipment to build new or recycle responsibly.
freegeektwincities.org

3. Womens Prison Book Project c/o Boneshaker Books at 2002 23rd Ave S. in Seward
accepts new or used books, especially paperbacks. www.wpbp.org

4. Better Futures MN accepts new and gently used building materials and home improvement
supplies at 2620 Minnehaha Ave.. http://betterfuturesenterprises.com/about-us/

6. At Fix-It Clinics hosted by Hennepin County, residents bring in small household appliances,
clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more to receive free guided assistance from
volunteers to repair them. www.hennepin.us/fixitclinic

7. Twin Cities Free Market is a great way to exchange free items with others by posting an
ad online. www.twincitiesfreemarket.org

8. Consignment Stores are a great way to make a little money for your goods. Some
TurnStyle locations accept housewares and Once Upon a Child accepts childrens toys
and clothes.

9. Craigslist offers an opportunity to post items for free or for sale online.
minneapolis.craigslist.org

10. Junket: Tossed & Found 4049 Minnehaha 612-293-6863

http://shopjunket.com/about-us/

5. Habitat for Humanity The ReStore at 510 County Rd D West in New Brighton accepts
new and gently used building materials and home improvement supplies.
restore.tchabitat.org\

RECYCLE:

1. Eureka Recycling! at 309 Como Avenue (Como & Minnehaha) in Saint Paul accepts cloths
& linens for textile recycling. www.eurekarecycling.org

2. Scrap metal recycling facilities will take metal appliances and other metal products
(shelves, lamps, curtain rods, grills) for cash.

THRIFT STORES:

1. The Free Store, Central Lutheran Church 333 South 12th St., Minneapolis 612-870-4416
http://centralmpls.org/#/community-ministry/the-free-store

2. Savers Thrift Store 2124 E. Lake St., Minneapolis

http://stores.savers.com/mn/minneapolis/thrift-stores-minneapolis-mn-1032.html

3. St. Paul Goodwill, 1239 University Ave. W, St. Paul, 651-646-0377

http://ges.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/donate/donate_items.html

Change Is Coming This Summer:

Franklin/Cedar/Minnehaha/20th Ave. Planning for Safety

For at least 16 years the Seward Neighborhood Group and Seward Redesign have been working to make the Franklin/Cedar/Minnehaha intersection safer for people in cars, people who walk and people who bike. Three years ago the SNG Community Development Committee and Seward
Redesign started working with Bob Byers and others at the Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Works Departments. On February 9, the
community overwhelmingly voted to support a plan at a Community Development Committee meeting that was attended by over fifty people.
Everyone agrees it is a problem intersection:

Crashes are roughly double the rate of similar intersections in the city.

There is high percentage of pedestrian & bicycle crashes.

In a 10-year study, it is tied as the worst bike/car crash intersection in Minneapolis.
There are a lot of things causing these crashes. Some of the major ones include:

The intersection is really confusing and drivers are concentrating on figuring out which way to go and watching other cars.

The layout of the left turn lanes makes it hard to see on-coming cars.

Pedestrians and bicyclists have to cross multiple streets and deal with drivers who are distracted by the intersection design.

Drivers tend to speed on Franklin between 16th and Cedar where it feels like a highway.
The plan addresses a lot of these problems and makes significant improvements while staying within a limited budget and taking advantage
of funding that is available now. Details of the plan are available at www.Hennepin.us. Just search for Franklin Cedar.
The proposal fixes a lot but it is a very complex area and there may be future problems. The county and city staff promised to monitor the potential
problems and come back to the project with fixes if they are needed. Also, the resolution that was passed included strong recommendations for
some additions to address these concerns. The resolution that was passed is available at http://sng.org/community-development-committee/.
When will it happen? Construction is planned to start in August this year. The plan is to keep the intersection open during construction.

Birchwood BOOST

As many Seward residents know, the Birchwood Cafe has had a busy few
years, with a successful Kickstarter campaign, remodeling, reopening,
and celebrating 20 years of serving Good Real Food. Building on that
momentum, on February 1st, the cafe announced a new giving and outreach
partnership program called Birchwood BOOST.
The new endeavor is rooted in Birchwoods community spirit and the idea
is to engage their community and give people the opportunity to be the
change. People come here to eat but they also come here to connect with
each other and share ideas, said owner Tracy Singleton, expanding on
that, we hope that BOOST can provide meaningful, intentional support for
organizations working to make the world a better place while enriching our
community at the same time.
The new programs goals are to raise awareness and financial support for
nonprofit organizations that are working on issues important to the Birchwood Cafe, such as protecting the environment, increasing social justice,
improving food systems, and creating more access to healthy food and
healthful living.

It takes every farmer we know

to make a waffle this good.

The Boost comes through engaging and educating Birchwood Cafe staff
birchwoodcafe.com
and customers on action steps they can take to make a difference over the
612.722.4474 Minneapolis
course of a two-month partnership. Through events in the restaurant, people
will be able to learn from, connect to, and volunteer with Birchwood BOOST
partnering nonprofits. Participating organizations will be featured in the restaurants
social media, newsletters, and in-cafe promotions, and
will receive the proceeds of a voluntary point-of-sale
round-up Boost from customers, as well as host a
ticketed Booster Club event in the cafe. Groups for
2016 have already been selected.

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Birchwood BOOST will also streamline the restaurants

charitable donations. We do a lot of giving throughout
the year, said General Manager Jimmy Layer, and we
think this is a great way to really focus and have a bigger
impact.

The first Birchwood BOOST partner is Climate Generation:

A Will Steger Legacy (http://www.climategen.org), an organization that works to educate
and empower people to engage in solutions to climate change, with a focus on engaging
youth. Proceeds will be directed towards their 11th Annual Summer Institute for Climate
Change Education, to be held June 21-24, 2016 at Macalester College in Saint Paul.
The changes in our climate have affected our farmers and will have a profound impact
on how our food comes to us, notes Singleton. On the heels of the Paris climate talks
and in the midst of our presidential campaign, collaborating with Climate Generation
for the Birchwood BOOST right now makes a lot of sense. We love that this group focuses
both on issues on climate change and of social justice.
For more BOOST information, please see www.birchwoodcafe.com

The 22nd annual South Minneapolis Housing Fair

will be held April 16th from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm at the
Minneapolis Sports Center - Midtown YWCA, located at
2121 East Lake Street. The Fair is free to the public and
provides home improvement and community resource
information. The theme for this years fair is smart
houses, the focus will be on tech options, efficiency
and eco-friendly/green living.
In addition to local high-quality building, remodeling and
landscaping contractors, there are booths with experts
on gardening from the University of Minnesota and from
the city of Minneapolis who will answer your questions
on everything from building codes, solid waste and
graffiti removal.
Also, we have returning fair favorites; we will again have
Tech Dump, where you can bring your small electronic
devices for recycling, Elpis Enterprises where kids can
build a bird feeder; fair attendees can make their own
non-toxic chemical at the Mississippi Watershed
Management Organization booth; and you can view
the Tiny Solar House sponsored by The Minnesota
Renewable Energy Society.
How-to sessions are being offered on a variety of
home improvement topics including: the dos and donts
of green remodeling, adding green elements to your
remodeling project, and information on installing solar.
The South Minneapolis Housing Fair is an independent
non-profit 501(c)3 that produces the fair to improve
Minneapolis Neighborhoods and their housing stock.

For more information, go to www.housingfair.org.

Seward Co-op in 3 locations!

Two full service grocery stores
Believe it or not, spring is coming! Get your garden started early by ordering
plants now! Every year, our school has a Plant Sale. This is a fun event and a
great way to support the school. Just go to sewardplantsale.org to order and
pay online! All profits directly support supplies and activities at Seward
Montessori School!

Frankin Store
2823 E. Franklin Ave

The plant sale offers a huge variety of plants, including a diverse assortment of
annual and perennial flowers, ground covers, and greener, native perennials,
vegetables, herbs and hanging baskets.

& neighborhood caf

The Seward Montessori Plant Sale runs from February 25-March 18. Orders
must be turned in to the school office or completed on-line by Friday, March
18. Orders will be ready for pick up at the school on May 5 & 6.

with unique day

& evening menus

Co-op Creamery
2601 E. Franklin Ave

TREES by Joyce Kilmer

| www.seward.coop

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Starting Monday March 7 in City

Against the sweet earths flowing
Council Wards 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 (and
breast;
Monday, March 21 for the entire city),
A tree that looks at God all day,
the City of Minneapolis is offering
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
more than 1,200 three- to eight-foot
trees for only $25 each. Mark your
A tree that may in summer wear
calendar now. Order your tree at
A nest of robins in her hair;
www.treetrust.org or call 952-767Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
3886.
Who intimately lives with rain.
You must pick the trees up on May
21, 22, or 23 at the Minneapolis
Poems are made by fools like me,
Impound Lot. Trees are available
But only God can make a tree.
for Minneapolis property owners
including residents, businesses and
nonprofits. Choose from several varieties and sizes of trees, including fruit
trees. First-come, first-served order early for best selection. Limit one tree per
property, maximum three properties.
Healthy trees look beautiful in your neighborhood, increase property values,
help clean the air you breathe, absorb carbon dioxide, save on your energy bills
with strategic planting, keep the city cooler in the summer, provide homes for
wildlife and help manage stormwater.

NEW Neighborhood Third Places!

A Tree Grows
in Seward

Friendship Store
317 E. 38th St.

Local. Craft. Small Batch. Lawless

produces spirits for the everyday
person. Their liquor license should
get final approval from the City Feb.
12. They are hoping to open before
summer. Lawless Distilling Company
is located at 2619 S 28th Ave.
An elaborate, new sushi and
karaoke lounge has opened!
Come get your song on in
one of the private rooms that
hold 10 up to 35.
Encore Karaoke and Sushi
is located at 2111 E Franklin
Ave.

At Mon Petit Cheri Bakery, building community through

food is their motto. Some of the best experiences and
memories in life often are shared over a meal, or a great
cup of coffee and conversation. Taking great pride in
sourcing as much local produce and product as possible
youll find the most delicious baked goods, breakfasts,
lunches and now dinner. Their new dinner hours started
with a Grand Opening this past Valentines Day. They will
be serving local beers and wines for the dinner hours.
Mon Petit Chri is at 2401 E Franklin Ave. New hours:
Mon Wed 7 am4 pm and ThursSun 7 am 11 pm.
(They will be closed from 4 to 5 on Thurs thru Sunday to
prepare for dinner.)
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BETTER FUTURES MINNESOTA

Moving to Seward

Better Futures Minnesota, the pioneering nonprofit organization that helps

guide men who have faced a variety of personal challengesto a positive,
productive path through its transformative program is celebrating its
relocation to the Minnehaha Mile. The organizations headquarters and
popular reuse materials retail warehouse have moved to 2620 Minnehaha
Avenue South in Minneapolis. Better Futures Minnesota provides services
that divert material from the landfill. They also recycle or reuse materials
that can be salvaged. If you are interested in donating clean and re sellable
building/home materials to Better Futures they can be picked up for a modest
fee or you can drop them off at no cost. No Appointment is necessary.
For a list of acceptable items check out their website
http://betterfuturesenterprises.com/minnesota/donate/

FRANKLIN AVE BRIDGE (COUNTY ROAD 5)

Update on Summer Closure

Hennepin County is reconditioning the Franklin Avenue Bridge (County Road

5) in Minneapolis. The bridge spans West River Parkway and the Mississippi
River. Crews will rehabilitate this historic structure during two construction
seasons. In 2016, the bridge will be closed to complete the work, the exact
date of closure has not been scheduled. For more information check out
the website at http://www.hennepin.us/franklinbridge

Discover all
that is Seward
at www.sng.org

Come to Sewards Garden Party!

Mark your calendars for the 2016 Seward

Garden Tour and Tea Party. Scheduled for

Thursday, July 14, from 6 to 8 pm, this is a

chance to stroll Sewards most interesting
gardens, pick up tips from the gardeners,
and enjoy an early summer evening stroll.
Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 on the
day of the event. Enjoy light refreshments
and best yet, support SNG! For additional
information, contact Kerry at 612-338-6295,
ext. 119 or kerry@sng.org.
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SNG HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS

AVAILABLE AT 2.50% INTEREST

NEIGHBORHOOD ENERGY AUDITS

& CONSERVATION GRANTS
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 neighbor
hood 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.
For more information on the loan programs, or general home improvement
advice, contact Doug Wise, SNGs Housing Coordinator, at (612) 338-6205,
ext. 102 or doug@sng.org.
Seward Residents receiving a Home Energy Squad Enhanced Audit will
have the cost of the energy audit reduced from $70 to $30. Residents
who have previously had an audit are eligible to receive another one if the
prior audit was before February 2013. The energy consultants will come
to your home, evaluate your energy saving opportunities, and install the
energy-efficient materials of your choice:

Door weatherstripping A water heater blanket

A programmable thermostat Refrigerator thermometer

High-efficiency showerhead High-efficiency faucet aerators

Specialty compact fluorescent light bulbs (a-line, bathroom globe and indoor floodlight)
The audit will also include a blower door test to measure your home for air leaks, an insulation inspection of your attic and walls using an
infrared camera and a safety check of the homes heating system and water heater. The SNG Environment Committee is offering $200 Energy
Conservation Grants to homeowners making improvements recommended by the audit. Participants also have access to utility company
rebates and SNGs home improvement loans at 2.5% interest. For more information, contact: Doug Wise, at (612) 338-6205, ext. 102 or
doug@sng.org.

Check out Sewards 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.

at the Seward Neighborhood Online Forum!

Coming soon!

OPEN STREETS

on Franklin Ave.
Sunday, Aug. 21.

Letter to
the Community
It seems like Ive been involved in trying to improve the
Franklin/Cedar/Minnehaha intersection forever. Actually it has only
been about 9 years. It looks like we finally have a plan everyone
can live with that will improve the intersection for everyone -people in cars, people on bikes, and people walking.

Discover all
that is Seward
at www.sng.org

I want to thank a bunch of organizations for making it happen:

Seward Neighborhood Group and Seward Redesign:
Without the ongoing support and pressure on our local
governments from these organizations, nothing
would have happened.
The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition, the North Star Chapter
of the Sierra Club and the Native American Community
Development Institute were great allies in the project.
Minneapolis Public Works Department for seeing
the need that something had to be done and
agreeing to the project.
Probably most important, the Hennepin County Public Works
Department. They took this project on as an engineering challenge.
There are too many individuals to thank individually. The most
important person to thank is Bob Byers, the project manager for this
project. His willingness to involve all the stakeholders, have countless
public meetings, show up at open streets twice to talk to people,
listen to ideas and concerns from anyone, and come up with
creative solutions made this project happen.

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Join Your Neighbors Online

Welcome to
the Neighborhood!

Finally, and most important, I want to thank all the residents and
businesses who came to the most recent public meetings. The concerns
you expressed made the project better. Thank you especially for agreeing
to take a risk to make the neighborhood safer for everyone.
Sheldon Mains, Serial Shameless Agitator

SNG has updated welcome kits to

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