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Neighbors!
There is one more yoga session in Gold Medal Park for 2024. Please join us on Saturday, August 31 at 9 a.m. Bring a mat, bring water, and enjoy a wonderful practice in this gorgeous setting.
Stay tuned for announcements about programming for the rest of 2024. Watch for our email and newsletter next week.
Thank you for all you do to make this community so wonderful.
Good morning friends and neighbors! As summer enters its last days, please remember that we have 2 more sessions of Yoga in Gold Medal Park. Saturday's forecast is for temperatures in the low 80s with little chance of rain. Please join us at 9 a.m. and bring your mat, water, and a neighbor! We only have 2 more sessions for the summer of 2024 and hope you will join us!
It's been a wonderful summer for Be That Neighbor with so many successful events, from the aerialists to Open Eye puppet theater to the Enso Daiko drums to many young scholarship singers. Stay tuned for the announcement of our fall programs which will include an exciting Benefit Concert, the schedule for the Mill City Singers, and an update on Hope 612, the theater program for our young people.
We are proud of our community and of the work we do to help support that community through programming. We are so very grateful to each of you for everything you do to be part of this vibrant community of friends and neighbors.
See you on Saturday---Claudia
Good morning, all! We have another wonderful weekend in Gold Medal Park.
Yoga begins at 9 a.m. There are only 3 more yoga classes, so mark your calendars and join us by the letters in the park. You will be so glad you did.
At 1:00, Kayla Rogness, Sallie Steele Birdsong scholarship recipient will be singing. She is an incredibly talented young woman and her music will be so much fun.
Coach Jennifer Weber and her group of athletes from Cedar Riverside will be setting up games and passing out free ice cream. What a wonderful afternoon!
Join us!!
Good morning, friends and neighbors. Thank you to all of you that were able to come to Gold Medal Park for the aerialist show and Enso Taiko. Two wonderful programs in a park with so many community members! Thank you, thank you!!
It's difficult to believe that there are only 4 more yoga sessions this summer. Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 10, 17, 25, and 31 at 9 a.m. for Yoga in the Park. Bring a mat and water and a neighbor! The practice lasts approximately 1 hour and, in our gorgeous park, it is a wonderful experience.
On Saturday, August 17th, we will be hosting an afternoon of games and ice cream! The young people from the Cedar Riverside Athletic and Enrichment programs will be leading the games and helping make sure everyone gets ice cream! Join us!
Summer won't be here much longer. Take advantage of everything you can while we still have this beautiful season.
Stay tuned for more announcements about the return of the Mill City Singers on October 5th. We have a fabulous season planned and hope you will come and sing with us.
Thank you for all you do to build our wonderful community!
Claudia
Good morning to all! We have a wonderful few days coming up in Gold Medal Park.
Yoga in the park will be held on Saturday, August 3rd at 9 a.m. Be sure you join us.
At 11 a.m. on the 3rd, we will be hosting an aerialist show. This has never happened here before and you won't want to miss it.
On August 6th at 6:00 pm, we will be hosting the drums from Enso Daiko. They were here last year and it was such a fun program. Mark your calendar. It is National Night Out and this is a wonderful way to celebrate our community.
Please join us!
Good morning, all!
The Mill City Singers closed out the 2023-24 season with a busy and fun weekend. We sang in Kelley Park in Apple Valley on July 19th to a huge and very receptive crowd. The MacPhail Community Youth Choir joined us in the concert, and along with JD and Fred duets, it was a wonderful evening. Sunday, the 21st saw us leading the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in front of 36,000 Twins fans. What a weekend!
Mark your calendars for October 5th which will be the start of our 2024-25 season, the 10th year for the Mill City Singers. There are many exciting things already being planned. Join us! You won't be sorry!!
Yoga in Gold Medal Park will begin at 9 a.m. on July 17th. Bring a mat and water and a friend. It's an amazing way to be a part of our community.
Please remember that everything we sponsor is free to participants. The all volunteer board of Be That Neighbor raises the funds needed to pay for our events and does all of the work of managing every program and every event!
Mark your calendars for our August events.
Saturday, August 3rd, 11 a.m.--Aerialist in Gold Medal Park
Tuesday, August 6th, 6 pm--Taiko drums in Gold Medal Park
Saturday, August 17, 3:30 pm--Singer and ice cream social, and games led by the Cedar Riverside Athletic and Enrichment group. Prizes will be awarded!!
Thank you for all you do---Claudia
Well . . . .the Minnesota Twins have changed the start time for Sunday's game. It is now scheduled to begin at 12:05!!!
How lucky are we that we are a flexible group, used to dealing with changes!! I do promise that "Take Me Out to the Ballgame' will be sung in English, not Portuguese. Whew!!!
Looking forward to Friday in Apple Valley and Sunday with all of you at the game.
Thank you---Claudia
Good morning, all! Be That Neighbor has a wonderful weekend planned and our hopes are that you can participate in everything we are doing.
The Mill City Singers will be singing in Kelley Park in Apple Valley (6855 Fortino St, Apple Valley) on Friday, July 19th. JD has suggested everyone plan to be there at 6:30. Bring your lawn chair! It's a wonderful setting and there will be a park filled with neighbors from Apple Valley.
On Saturday, July 21st, the Singers will be leading the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the Twins game. It's a wonderful end to our 2023-24 season. You won't want to miss it.
To all of our faithful yogis, it's been an 'interesting' summer of Saturday morning rain showers. The forecast for Saturday, the 20th is glorious, so let's try again. We meet by the Gold Medal Park letters at 9 a.m. for an hour of yoga with friends and neighbors. Bring a mat and water.
On Saturday afternoon at 4:00, Open Eye Theater will be performing a puppet show entitled, 'CowBoat'. It's always great fun to have them in our park. Bring your child AND your inner child for fun entertainment!
Thank you for all you do to help build our community.
Claudia
Good morning, all! We have an amazing weather forecast for Saturday morning, finally. Join us at 9 a.m. in Gold Medal Park for an hour of glorious yoga in the most beautiful setting in Minneapolis. Bring a mat, water, and a friend. See you there!
The Singers have 1 more rehearsal before the summer hiatus. We will meet on July 13th at 2:00-3:30 on the 8th floor of the Guthrie. Please join us for great music, wonderful laughter, and an amazing community. Just come. It is that easy!
A reminder that we will be singing in Apple Valley in Kelley Park at 6:30 on July 19th. JD and Fred will begin the program and it will also include the glorious group from MacPhail Community Youth Choir, directed by JD.
On Sunday, July 21st, we will be leading the singing of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at Target Field. It's always a grand time and if you haven't picked up your ticket from Claudia, please do so at Saturday's rehearsal.
Be That Neighbor is sponsoring several more events in Gold Medal Park this summer. Please make sure to mark your calendars so you don't miss even one.
July 13th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 19th, 6:30--Perform at Kelley Park, Apple Valley
July 20th - Open Eye Theater Puppet Show - 4:00PM
July 21st--Lead the singing of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at Target Field, 1:00. There are still a few tickets available. See Claudia at rehearsal.
August 3rd – Aerialist – 11:00AM
August 6th – National Night Out – Taiko Drums – 4:00PM
August 17th – Ice Cream Social and Games in the Park – Led by Cedar Riverside Athletic and Enrichment--4:00PM
Thank you for all you do for the community!
Claudia
Good morning, friends and neighbors. HOW is it July already? Nothing is better than a Minneapolis summer and we have activities for everyone.
Saturday, July 6th at 9 a.m. we will be sponsoring yoga and hope to see all of you. The forecast is for a high of 82 and sunshine. Join us, please. Bring a mat, some water, and a friend. It is free to all participants and open to all.
The end of this incredible season for the Mill City Singers is fast approaching. We have 2 more rehearsals on July 6th and 13th at 2:00-3:30 on the 8th floor of the Guthrie. It is all 'show and tell' day. Bring a talent or interest you would like to share. Send Claudia an email at cjkittock@gmail.com so she can get you on the list. Don't worry, there will be plenty of time to sing too!!
At 4:00 on Saturday the 6th, we will be sponsoring a 1 hour concert featuring singers from the Sallie Steele Birdsong Scholarship program. These are incredibly talented young people and you will want to come and support them. Bring a chair, your favorite beverage, and a friend.
Mark your calendars now!
July 13th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 19th--Perform at Kelley Park, Apple Valley
July 20th - Open Eye Theater Puppet Show - 4:00PM
July 21st--Lead the singing of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at Target Field, 1:00. There are still a few tickets available. See Claudia at rehearsal.
August 3rd – Aerialist – 11:00AM
August 6th – National Night Out – Taiko Drums – 4:00PM
August 17th – Ice Cream Social and Games in the Park – Led by Cedar Riverside Athletic and Enrichment--4:00PM
WOW!! Don't miss anything.
#BeThatNeighbor
https://vimeo.com/950782267
Good morning friends and neighbors. We hope this email finds you getting ready to enjoy a wonderful Wednesday.
The weather forecast for Saturday, the 29th is for sunshine!!! We will be practicing yoga together in Gold Medal Parkat 9 a.m. It is the most beautiful setting in Minneapolis and we hope you join us. All you need is a mat and water, and bring a friend or neighbor to join this community of practitioners.
The Mill City Singers will not be rehearsing today. July is a busy month with great fun planned. We are learning wonderful songs and laughing together. There is plenty of time to join us. With no auditions, and no fees, all you need to do is come. Bring a friend! The more the merrier.
Know that we will begin again in September!! Our schedule for the rest of this season is as follows:
July 6th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor--Show and Tell day. Contact Claudia at cjkittock@gmail.com so that your name can be added to the list of people sharing their talents.
July 13th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 19th--Perform at Kelley Park, Apple Valley
July 21st--Lead the singing of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at Target Field, 1:00. There are still a few tickets available. See Claudia at rehearsal.
Looking forward to sharing our yoga practice together and singing together in July. Don't miss a minute of either!
Claudia
Good morning Singers and Yogis! We hope this email finds you getting ready to enjoy a wonderful Wednesday.
We will be practicing yoga together in Gold Medal Park on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. It is the most beautiful setting in Minneapolis and we hope you join us. All you need is a mat and water, and bring a friend or neighbor to join this community of practitioners.
The Mill City Singers will be rehearsing on Saturday, June 22nd at 2:00-3:30 on the 8th floor of the Guthrie. We are learning wonderful songs and having great fun. There is plenty of time to join us. With no auditions, and no fees, all you need to do is come. Bring a friend! The more the merrier.
Know that we will begin again in September!! Our schedule for the rest of this season is as follows:
June 22nd--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 7th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 13th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 19th--Perform at Kelley Park, Apple Valley
July 21st--Lead the singing of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at Target Field, 1:00
Join us in Gold Medal Park at 4:00 for a short concert by 2 singers from the MacPhail Community Youth Choir, Sallie Steele Birdsong Scholarship recipient Gannet Gessert and singer Kayla Greenfield. Bring a chair and your favorite beverage and join us for an hour of wonderful music by these dynamic young singers.
It will be a wonderful Saturday!! Join us.
In 2017, Be That Neighbor started a theater group called the Mill City Players. It began with 26 young people from the Cedar Riverside community and young people who were experiencing homelessness. We rehearsed at the Guthrie and over the next 3 years performed all over Minneapolis.
After 3 years, all of our players had ‘successed out’. They were in college, working full time, housed, and fully engaged with life. Just as we had begun to recruit a new group, the pandemic happened.
Hope 612 began in February, 2024, and started with a ‘Dream Team” of alumni from the original group of the Mill City Players. Mahad Ahmed, Anthony Anderson, Sam Karpeh, Mahamed Salad, and Miske Salad have met twice a week since February to write a play about their experiences growing up in Minneapolis. The plot of the play is focused on 3 areas the playwrights identified as the most critical in their lives; racism, fentanyl abuse, and police brutality. Each character is based on their own experiences and the power of their words is clear. As they have written this play, they have insisted that it must end in hope. The discussions about hope, despite their experiences, have been wonderful and so heartening.
The plan is to perform this powerful work at Waterworks Park, the Commons, Elliot Park, the Capri Theater, and Mixed Blood. We need your help. Be That Neighbor offers this program free to every participant and all the work in running this program is done by Be That Neighbor. Artists give away their work far too often, and these young people deserve to be paid for their artistry. We know how important art is to the life and well-being of a community. As one of our writers said, “It’s really special to do this work, but getting paid for it would be entirely different.”
Please join us in this project titled, “Hope 612”. These artists need your support so that we can share their work with you. Go to https://www.bethatneighbor.org to become a partner in this project. Please watch this video, created by Mike Binkely. https://vimeo.com/950782267
Good morning, friends and neighbors! We have another wonderful Saturday ready to go. All we need is you!
We will start the day, Saturday, June 15th, at 9 am in Gold Medal Park with yoga. Bring a mat, some water, and a friend and join us for this community practice. It's the prettiest setting in all of Minneapolis and you won't want to miss it. In case of rain, I will post on Facebook by 7 am. https://www.facebook.com/BeThatNeighbor
Choir rehearsal is at 2:00-3:30 on the 8th floor of the Guthrie. How can you be part of this dynamic group? Just come. It's that simple. There are no fees to singers and no auditions. The schedule for the remainder of this season is as follows. Know that we will begin again in September!!
June 15th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
June 22nd--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 7th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 13th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 19th--Perform at Kelley Park, Apple Valley
July 21st--Lead the singing of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at Target Field, 1:00
See you on Saturday---Claudia
Good morning, Singers. We are excited to be singing again!!
Join us on Saturday, June 1st, 2:00-3:30 on the 8th floor of the Guthrie. Come and help us make wonderful music together. You will enjoy the community, the laughter, and the chance to sing with this incredible group. All you need to do is come. It's that simple and that much fun.
After rehearsal we will be sharing a meal together at the Legacy Condo on 1240 South 2nd St, in the Community Room. Bring a dish to share and serving utensils. We will provide water, plates, napkins and utensils. It's always a great gathering and it's just a few blocks from the Guthrie.
We have more fun ahead and you will want to mark your calendars now so you won't miss any of it! I will be bringing tickets for the Twins game to rehearsals, so make sure you let me know if you can be there and get your ticket at a rehearsal.
June 1st--2:00-3;30, Guthrie, 8th floor and potluck at the Legacy Condos (1240 South 2nd St), 3:30-5:30
June 8th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
June 15th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
June 22nd--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
June 29th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 13th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 19th--Perform at Kelley Park, Apple Valley
July 21st--Lead the singing of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at Target Field, 1:00
See you on Saturday---Claudia
Yoga in the Park is back on Saturday, May 25th at 9 am. We will meet every Saturday, 9-10 a.m. by the orange sculpture.
Each session is free to all participants. All you need to do is grab a mat and some water and bring a friend to join this incredible practice. The schedule is as follows.
May 25
June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
July 6, 13, 20, 27
August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Make this part of your weekend routine. You won't be sorry!
We had the best time celebrating World Peace Day in Loring Park! It is always an honor to be asked, and being there never disappoints. Thank you to the organizers and to all the singers who joined us.
We will not be rehearsing on May 18th nor on May 25th. Our next rehearsal will be on June 1st, 2:00-3:30 on the 8th floor of the Guthrie. We have a very fun June and July scheduled. Mark your calendars now.
June 1st--2:00-3;30, Guthrie, 8th floor and potluck at the Legacy Condos (1240 South 2nd St), 3:30-5:30
June 8th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
June 15th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
June 22nd--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
June 29th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 13th--Rehearse, 2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
July 19th--Perform at Kelley Park, Apple Valley
July 21st--Lead the singing of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at Target Field, 1:00
You won't want to miss even a minute.
See you there---Claudia
Good morning, Singers! I hope this email finds you ready for a beautiful week here in Minnesota. When you live here, you learn about the power of each and every gorgeous day.
Saturday is World Peace Day and we will be singing at the Loring Park celebration. Please plan to be there by 1:30 and wear brightly colored clothes. We will have a wonderful time singing from 2:00-2:40 and, as always, JD and Fred will have the audience fully engaged and singing with us. You won't want to miss it.
I would love to have some pictures to post, so if any of you come with friends who take pictures, please ask if they are willing to share the pictures. I have yet to find a way to sing AND take pictures!!!
We will return to rehearsing on June 1st, so make sure you don't miss this wonderful afternoon in gorgeous Loring Park. Singing about peace and love and optimism . . . .can't do better than that.
Hope to see you all---Claudia
Happy May!! Our community is literally blooming and gorgeous.
We are rehearsing on May 4th, 2:00-3:30 on the 8th floor of the Guthrie. Thank you to Fred for filling in for JD last week. We certainly sang hard and laughed hard. What a gift it is to be able to rehearse with the Steele brothers every week. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
To those of you lucky enough to be at MacPhail's Music Matters Luncheon . . .oh, what a show! From MCYC to the brilliant 8 year old pianist, it was an hour of glorious music from our community partner. Bravo, MacPhail and thank you for your partnership.
We are busily at work, planning a summer of fun in Gold Medal Park and will kick it off on Saturday, May 25th with a 9 a.m. yoga practice. Yoga in the Park will continue every Saturday at 9 a.m. through Labor Day. It is free to participants and a wonderful way to start every summer weekend. Watch for more news about a puppet show, an aerialist, music acts, and much more! This is a vital part of our summer in the city.
Make sure you have these dates on your calendar.
May 4th--2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
May 11th--2:00, Loring Park
May 18th--no rehearsal
May 25th--2:00-3:30, Guthrie, 8th floor
June 1st--2:00, 3;30, Guthrie, 8th floor and potluck at the Legacy Condos (1240 South 2nd St), 3:30-5:30
There is more to come! Make sure you are part of it.
Thank you for all you do---Claudia