Tip of the hat to Mr. Johnny Nash.

Last week we sprang into gear at Redeemer Center for Life, celebrating the return of nice weather at Venture North Bike Walk & Coffee! It was a fantastic day: neighbors eating good food and sipping cool smoothies, watching the “fashion show” of Venture North’s newest bicycles and accessories, and joining in a family bike repair class with lead mechanic Casey. And, by the end of the day, we took in over $1200 in sales to support Venture North’s youth development program!

Now that it’s April, Venture North has new summer hours. Swing by and say “Hi!”:

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• Monday through Friday, 10 am to 7 pm
• Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm
• Sunday, 12 noon to 5 pm

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We’re also updating our coffee bar to serve more drink options at a more affordable price. Check back here for more information in the future, or find Redeemer Center for Life and Venture North on facebook!

Did you see one of our mechanics, Joni Strozyk, on WCCO the other day? The weather is heating up, and so is activity all around RCFL!

Venture North Bike Walk & Coffee is currently looking for experienced bicycle mechanics to fill two full-time, seasonal (temporary) positions! We want people excited about the possibilities of a start-up and who are passionate about out community-oriented mission. Qualified residents of North Minneapolis are encouraged to apply. Check out the job posting at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits: http://www.minnesotanonprofits.org/job-details?id=52396.

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to humanresources@venturenorthbwc.org. Redeemer Center for Life is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

January may be the first month of a new year, but it’s also our transition month from the old year. In the Admin offices of RCFL (not exactly as glamorous as the program part of the organization), we have been closing out the books for 2011, sending tax documents, and putting together materials for Redeemer Lutheran’s annual meeting. One fun thing that we get to do, though, is say Thank You to the members of the RCFL Board of Directors that are cycling off.

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Last Thursday, we got to show our gratitude to Dale Forsberg, Annie Lovejoy Elasky, and Jeff Huggett. Each of them has served as a board member since 2006– six years! Redeemer Center for Life has grown a lot in six years, stretching for new dreams. Dale, Annie, and Jeff’s leadership helped guide the organization through these changes, and we are thankful for them for that. We know that they will continue to use their gifts and energy to help the communities where they live and work, just as our three newest board members– Jon Taves, Patricia Peterson, and Gary Scharmer– will bring their gifts and energy to help lift up the work of RCFL in North Minneapolis. So, to all board members– past, present, and new– RCFL would like to say, “Thank you!”

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From left to right: Dale Forsberg, Annie Lovejoy Elasky, & Jeff Huggett

This Saturday, January 14, RCFL is holding a very special Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event to kick off its “Dream Because You Can” campaign! From Saturday through the end of March, we want to inspire our neighbors in North Minneapolis to turn their dreams into actions. We’ll be having lots of community events focusing empowerment and health for ALL of who are– mind, body, and spirit.
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The kickoff event, “Dream Because You Can… We Did!” is this Saturday, January 14,  from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. Venture North Bike Walk & Coffee is giving away 20 tickets to the 20th annual “African Americans in Science” event at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis– so reserve yours now by sending  an email at live-it@venturenorthbwc.org!

A light brunch will be served in The Living Room at RCFL from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, where we’ll hear a brief “We Dream So We Are” presentation. Then we’ll hop on a Venture North bus from the Redeemer campus to the Science museum!

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day festivities will continue on Sunday, January 15, at Redeemer Lutheran Church. The community will come together to lift up the legacy of Dr. King through worship at 10:00 AM, followed by the Annual Soul Food Dinner at 1:00 pm. At 2 pm, the diverse group of singers and musicians of the “I Have A Dream Choir” will present spirited musical selections alongside other Northside choirs and powerful spoken word performers in this program of inspiration and unity.

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Events in February will concentrate on African American history, while March will highlight women who changed history, coinciding with Women’s History Month. We hope you join us for all of these fabulous events– let’s turn our dreams into reality in 2012!

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SHARE YOUR DREAMS WITH US! GO TO OUR “POLL EVERYWHERE” PAGE AND POST YOUR DREAMS! YOU CAN SUBMIT THEM ONLINE, BY TEXT, OR ON TWITTER BY FOLLOWING @POLL.

That is to say, We all do better when we all do better!
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Join us tonight, Monday, January 9, 6:30pm, in the Living Room.
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This is an incredible opportunity to embark on life-altering positive change! At the end of 2011 we embarked on 12 weeks of challenge, purpose, and change. Drawing focus and inspiration from The Power of People: Four Kinds of People Who Can Change Your Life, and Dr. Verna’s newest book, Change Your Life in 30 Days, women participants from the Redeemer community and Harrison Neighborhood stretched, grew, and yes, changed. This Women’s Empowerment group will challenge who you are, how you think, why you think the way you do, and what you want out of life.

Mark your calendars! December 10th is Redeemer’s annual Christmas Store!

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In just 8 days over one hundred neighborhood children will walk through the upper level of Redeemer Lutheran Church, guided by volunteers, to pick out four presents for their family members. There are gifts for all ages: for baby sisters and older brothers and mothers and grandfathers. And the kids only pay $1.

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The doors will open at 8:30 am for registration; 9:15 am for the store. At 11 am the store will close and everyone will gather for a community lunch in Fellowship Hall. There will also be carol singing, arts and crafts, and photo opportunities with Santa Claus throughout the day!

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If you have questions about helping out, either by volunteering or by donating new toys and gifts for adults, please call Babette Chatman at 612-374-4139. We’d like to get all donations by Thursday, December 8th, so we can set up the store on Friday. We hope to see you there!

As Venture North Bike Walk & Coffee nears completion, our service and education manager, Casey Pavek, shared this story with us:

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On the last sunny Saturday (that would be November 12), saw Casey and some of the mechanic interns were cleaning out one of the PODS full of donated bikes. Venture North’s first cohort of mechanic interns are 6 young adults, ages 16 – 22, taught comprehensive bicycle repair and maintenance skills by Casey, a former bike mechanic at the Hub Bike Co-op. Right now they meet twice a week for 4 hours, and when the store opens they will have “office hours” shadowing Casey and the other mechanic staff.

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On this particular day, the Venture North crew emptied out two truck-loads of bikes and parts to scrap (check out the donation policy on the VNBWC website, so you know what won’t be scrapped) and found six kid-sized bicycles that could be repaired. Since they needed practice, the interns started fixing them up. Soon, a group of children formed to watch and learn. The interns did a great job teaching the kids how bicycles are repaired, and even fixed one little girl’s tire. The girl rushed home and brought back her parents—who had lunch for the interns in tow!

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Small moments of grace like these remind us that the goal of living well together that we’re seeking is well worth the while. We look forward to teaching and learning with the community, so keep your eyes peeled for announcements about winter classes!

Have you gotten your flu shot yet?

This upcoming Tuesday, November 8, there will be free flu shots in the Living Room, from 4pm to 7pm.

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Influenza can be a serious disease, especially for children and older adults. Some people may claim that the shots gives you the flu, but this is not true. For more facts about influenza and flu shots, check out this question and answer resource from the Centers for Disease Control.

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Thank you to the Fairview Foundation and the Minnesota Visiting Nurses Association for providing the shots!

Two great events are coming up in North Minneapolis! Please check them out and support the work that these organizations do.

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Sunday, October 23rd, Market to Mississippi Ride & Lunch

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Join our neighbors in the West Broadway Community from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm for a free, family-friendly bike ride from the West Broadway Farmer’s Market to the Mississippi River. The ride will be led by Major Taylor Bicycling Club, with stops along the river to learn from a National Park Ranger! A tasty lunch of local foods will concluded the excursion.

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Please RSVP for the event by going to http://westbroadway.org/farmersmarket/

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Nice Ride bicycles will be available for those 16 years and older with advance registration. Helmets are required and available with advance registration.

Monday, October  24th, Showing of the Movie “FRESH”

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The Northside Healthy Eating Project will be screening the movie “FRESH” at the Capri Theater, at 2027 West Broadway, as well as rolling out their new name: Northside Fresh! Light food will be servied at 5:30 pm and the screening will be at 6:00 pm. A discussion of where our food comes from and how we eat in North Minneapolis will follow.

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Northside Fresh is a coalition of people and organizations dedicated to making healthy foods more available across North Minneapolis.