10th Annual Give to the Max Day is November 15

A letter from Jake Blumberg, Executive Director, GiveMN:

Dear friends,

Generosity isn’t new to Minnesota. We take pride in our reputation of civic engagement, near the top of national lists of highest voter turnout and charitable giving year after year.

When we started Give to the Max Day in 2009, it was meant to be a one-time event to help raise awareness for the new GiveMN.org. But after $14 million was donated in just 24 hours, we knew something truly special had just happened in Minnesota.

10 Years of Give to the Max Day from GiveMN on Vimeo.

You’ve help to build Minnesota’s giving holiday from the ground up. More than 300,000 generous people like you have given $10, $100, $1,000 or more at a time, adding up to nearly $200 million through GiveMN.org to support more than 10,000 organizations all across the state.

For us, Give to the Max Day is a celebration of generosity in countless ways. We see groups of volunteers come together to pack meals for 24 hours straight. We hear from teachers who use the day to teach the importance of giving back, even offering students their own $5 and $10 Golden Tickets. There are countless displays of generosity each year as we shine a light on what’s good in our communities.

Support your favorite causes for GTMD18

As we get ready for the 10th annual Give to the Max Day this Thursday, we encourage you to reflect on the causes you are passionate about, whether it’s a national or statewide movement, or a neighborhood group down the street. Your donations will help them continue to meet their missions, but we also hope in the days to come you will consider volunteering, donating goods and clothing…realizing generosity in all its forms.

On behalf of Minnesota’s nonprofits and schools, thank you for your support on Give to the Max Day, and all year round.

Sincerely,

Jake Blumberg

Executive Director, GiveMN

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Editor's Note: If you'd like to participate in Give to the Max Day, but aren't familiar with local organizations, here are some to consider: People Serving People, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Mill City Summer Opera, The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul, Minneapolis Parks Foundation, Friends of the Hennepin County Library, MacPhail Center for Music, Friends of the Mill District, St. Stephen's Human Services, House of Charity, YouthLink, Minnesota Historical Society, Minneapolis Foundation, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

2018 Holidazzle is Just Around the Corner!

It's not too early to start planning your 2018 Holidazzle experience.  Find all the info you need at https://www.holidazzle.com/. 

2018 Holidazzle dates and times:

. . . .

Friday, November 23-Sunday, November 25

Thursday, November 29-Sunday, December 2

Thursday, December 6-Sunday, December 9

Thursday, December 13-Sunday, December 16

Thursday, December 20-Sunday, December 23

. . . . .

Thursdays from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Fridays from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Sundays from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. 

November 11 Event Will Recognize 100th Anniversary of World War I Armistice

Via a November 9 announcement form Hennepin County:

The community will join in recognizing Veterans Day and the 100th anniversary of World War I armistice on Sunday, November 11, along Victory Memorial Drive.

The armistice ended fighting on land, sea and air between U.S. allies and their last opponent, Germany.

Event details

• Sunday, November 11, 10 a.m.
• Flagpole plaza at 45th Avenue North and Victory Memorial Drive

Featured program

• Prominent speakers on the war’s local history
• Musician Robert Robinson
• 21-gun salute
• Moment of silence at 11 a.m.

View the full event program (PDF)

The flagpole will cast a shadow on the plaza around 11 a.m., weather permitting.

Hennepin County is sponsoring this event in collaboration with the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and City of Robbinsdale.

More about Victory Memorial Drive

Trees and monuments along Victory Memorial Drive honor the 568 Hennepin County service men and women who died in World War I. Dedicated to fallen soldiers in 1921 and rededicated in 2011, the drive is located in the northwest area of Minneapolis and the eastern border of Robbinsdale.

Learn more about the memorial’s history at hennepin.us/victorymemorialdrive.

Happy Thanks-Swimming! Come Swim a 5K on Thanksgiving Day

Via a November 9 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

Why run a Thanksgiving 5K when you can swim it?! Join us for Happy Thanks-Swimming 5K, a new event being held at the Phillips Aquatics Center on Thanksgiving Day. It is all about swimming, fun and putting a new spin on the Turkey Day 5K.

• Participants will choose a lane that best fits their timing needs and swim 75 x 75s.

• All abilities are welcome, and you can swim as much or as little as you wish.

• Cost: $40 ($5 discount for Open Swim Club members)

Take Thanksgiving by the drumstick and do a 5K in the water. It's a great way to stay fit this fall and kick off a healthy holiday season!

Event details

Date: Thursday, November 22, 2018

Time: Select one of two time slots: 8-10 am or 10 am-noon

Location: Phillips Aquatics Center
Address: 2323 11th Avenue South, Minneapolis

Cost: $40 ($5 discount for Open Swim Club members)

Hennepin County Voter Turnout Results

Via a November 7 e-newsletter from Hennepin County:

Unofficial election results were 100% reported for all of Hennepin County as of 2:43 a.m.

Total ballots cast in Hennepin County

In the 2018 election, 631,100 people cast a ballot in Hennepin County. Of these, 182,400 cast absentee ballots and 448,700 voted at their polling place on Election Day.

Voter turnout

Voter turnout in Hennepin County was 77 percent of registered voters.

For Comparison:

	2018	2016	2014
Total ballots cast	631,100	685,000	451,800
Absentee ballots cast	182,400	203,400	56,000
Election Day ballots cast	448,700	481,600	395,800
Voter turnout	77%	81%	59%

All results are available on Hennepin County’s election results webpage and all statewide results are available at the Secretary of State’s election results webpage.

Election results become official at the canvassing board meeting, set for November 13, 2018.

For more information about elections and voting in Hennepin County, visit hennnepin.us/elections. 

November E-Newsletter from 3rd Ward Council Member Steve Fletcher

A Note from Steve

On Friday, the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor Frey opened the Council meeting by reading the names of the people killed in a racially motivated shooting in Kentucky, and in an anti-Semitic shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As shaken as I am, and as I know many of you are by the alarming events of the last couple of weeks, I'm also full of gratitude to be part of a community full of people who really show up for each other in difficult times. As an elected representative, as a resident of the city, and as a Jew, I have had many occasions to feel proud of the compassion, the clarity of values, and the generosity on display in Minneapolis.

I’ve heard from many of you looking for ways to be a comfort to people who are feeling fear and grief.  I’ve also heard from many you wanting to do something about the hateful rhetoric and dog-whistle politics that are empowering white supremacists around the country, and about the easy access these murderers have to assault weapons.

If there are ways that our office can provide comfort and support in this moment of grief and anxiety, please do not hesitate to let us know.  We will continue to work toward our vision of a city that is inclusive, supportive, and safe for everyone, and would welcome your input and collaboration in our work.

In the meantime, all of the work of the city continues. This week, we passed multiple groundbreaking ordinance changes on housing, aimed at stabilizing existing affordable housing, incentivizing more affordable housing, and preventing needless evictions. This marks the beginning of an exciting slate of tenants' rights and affordable housing work making its way through the council in the coming months.

This month will also include public hearings before the City Council on the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the 2019 Budget. More on both of those below.

En Avant,

Steve

TOMORROW — Tuesday, November 6 — is Election Day! Please VOTE!

VOTE EARLY IN PERSON TODAY (MONDAY) FROM 7AM-5PM Locations:

• Downtown Early Vote Center, 217 S. Third St., in downtown Minneapolis.
• East Early Vote Center in the University of Minnesota Field House Lobby, 1800 University Ave SE.
• North Early Vote Center at the Minneapolis Urban League, 2100 Plymouth Ave. N.
• South Early Vote Center at Regents Assembly Church, 810 W. 31st St.

Absentee Voting is Easy: any voter can vote early with an absentee ballot; no reason is required. If you plan to vote absentee by mail, please allow enough time to complete the process, which can take longer than seven days. Absentee ballot applications are available at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/absentee and may be submitted anytime throughout the year.

VOTE ON ELECTION DAY (TOMORROW)

• Polls are open from 7:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M. If you are in line at 8:00 P.M., you MUST be allowed to vote.
• Click here to find your polling location.
• Voters can register at the polls in person and vote on Election Day. You must provide one of the forms of identification required by Minnesota law.

Sample Ballot: state law allows voters to bring materials into the polls to help complete your ballot — and the sample ballot is the single, best tool available for this purpose. Your sample ballot is customized to your specific ward and precinct, and you can get yours at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/BALLOT.

THANK YOU for being a voter!

WEDNESDAY: Join Me for a Ward 3 Community Forum on the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan

On Monday, October, 29, the Minneapolis Planning Commission took four hours of public comments from over 110 people on the City's draft Comprehensive Plan, Minneapolis 2040. The Planning Commission then adopted a set of amendments and voted, 8-1, to forward the plan to the City Council for our consideration.

The City Council will have our own public hearing on the 14th, but first, join me on Wednesday for a community forum in Ward 3!

I will be joined by Heather Worthington, Director of Long Range Planning in the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development.

Together, we will discuss how the draft Comprehensive Plan has changed based on over 10,000 comments received during the 90-day public comment period earlier this year, and take further questions and comments. 

Community Forum on Minneapolis 2040, the City's Draft Comprehensive Plan

THIS WEDNESDAY, November 7 from 6:00 - 8:00 P.M.

University Baptist Church, 1219 University Ave SE

Please RSVP for the event here!

To see the full draft plan and what has changed in it, go to http://minneapolis2040.com.

Additional public comments on this revised draft can be submitted to the Planning Commission and City Council online. CPED staff will not be making any further revisions to the plan; any further edits will be made by the Planning Commission or City Council as formal amendments.

Here is the planned calendar of remaining public meetings for the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan:

• Wednesday, November 14, 4:30 P.M. — City Council Public Hearing
• Monday, November 26, 10:00 A.M. — City Council Committee of the Whole Special Meeting — Council Members can offer amendments; no public comments will be taken
• Wednesday, December 5, 1:30 P.M. — City Council Committee of the Whole Regular Meeting — Council Members can offer amendments; no public comments will be taken
• Friday, December 7, 9:30 A.M. — City Council Regular Meeting (final meeting planned for 2018) — final Council action (vote) on Comprehensive Plan

2019 Budget Update

The Budget Committee of the City Council has concluded hearing departmental presentations on Mayor Jacob Frey's proposed 2019 budget, and held our first public hearing on Thursday, November 1st. THANK YOU to everyone who attended to share your comments on the proposed 2019 budget.

Here are the remaining City Council meetings for the 2019 Budget:

• Wednesday, November 28 — Adjourned City Council Meeting — Public Hearing on Property Tax Levy and Budget
• Friday, November 30 — Budget Committee Meeting — the City Council will mark up the proposed budget; no public comments will be taken
• Wednesday, December 5, 6:05 P.M. — Adjourned City Council Meeting — Public Hearing and Final Action (adoption) on 2019 Budget

Comments can also be submitted online on the City’s website, or you can send me your comments and ideas on the Mayor's proposed 2019 budget directly at Steve.Fletcher@minneapolismn.gov or to my office at 612-673-2203.

Visit the City’s budget website to learn more. You can also watch budget hearings on Minneapolis City Council TV. Tune to SD channel 14 or HD channel 799 on Comcast or SD channel 8001 or HD channel 8501 on CenturyLink. You can also watch archived meetings on the City of Minneapolis YouTube channel.

Update on Navigation Center for People Experiencing Homelessness

Last month, the City Council approved a 1.25-acre site at 2109 Cedar Ave. in south Minneapolis as a temporary site for a Navigation Center that will provide a safe and service-rich environment for single adults living at the Franklin/Hiawatha homeless encampment who face challenges connecting to traditional shelter housing.

Since then, the Council has had continued discussions about this project as it moves forward: we approved $1.5 million in funding towards the construction of this shelter, we voted to suspend procurement rules to better enable us to meet our goal of opening the Navigation Center by early December, and we voted to create a City-led work group for this project. I am one of four City Council Members serving on that work group.

Until the center opens, there are no plans to close the encampment. Ongoing outreach efforts at the encampment continue to focus primarily on public health and safety, especially as the weather gets colder, in addition to assessments to help people secure emergency shelter and supportive housing. At this point all but one of the families with children at the encampment have been placed in transitional housing; the navigation center is intended to serve single adults.

Click here for more information on how you can support people at the Franklin/Hiawatha Encampment.

"Making Downtown Fun Again"

The Star Tribune wrote an in-depth story on some of the work we've been doing as a city around downtown nightlife.

We know from the downtown crime stats - violent crime down over 20% and property crime down by nearly 50% year-to-date - that things have been improving, and that's been the result of a lot of collaborative work by Mayor Jacob Frey's office, the City Council, the Warehouse District Business Association, the Downtown Improvement District, the Minneapolis Police Department, city staff in Business Licensing, Public Health and Public Works, Minneapolis Mad Dads, St. Stephen's Human Services, YouthLink MN, and more.

Hoping this is the first of many positive stories about the Warehouse District. We'll keep working to make downtown nightlife better and better. You should come enjoy it!

Bloomberg Selects Minneapolis for American Cities Climate Challenge

Bloomberg Philanthropies named Minneapolis among its American Cities Climate Challengewinners for resources and technical support to help achieve ambitious climate goals.

Bloomberg will provide winners with robust technical assistance and a support package valued at $2.5 million per city. The resources include a philanthropy-funded team member to facilitate the development and passage of high impact policies, training for senior leadership to assist with implementation of their proposed climate plans, and public engagement support.

Minneapolis plans to improve transit reliability and user experience; encourage new mobility options such as bikeshare, electric bikeshare, more electric vehicle charging, and electric vehicle education and incentives; and implement a comprehensive citywide solar strategy including a focus on onsite and community solar garden subscriptions for low-income residents.

The Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge builds on the America’s Pledge initiative, which aims to keep the U.S. in the Paris Agreement.

Xcel Energy Terminates Grant Contract & Power Purchase Agreement with Crown Hydro

In August, the Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously to order Xcel Energy to terminate their grant contract with Crown Hydro. This week, Xcel announced that not only are they terminating that grant contract, but they are also terminating their power purchase agreement with Crown Hydro as well.

This is great news, and a big win for everyone in our community -- but especially those who have spent years building an alternative vision for our central riverfront -- one that celebrates the Falls as an accessible community benefit for all.

It is up to all of us – residents, community organizations, and elected officials alike – to make sure that it remains accessible and vibrant for generations to come. I'll keep working with Mayor Jacob Frey, the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership, Friends of the Lock and Dam, and more to protect and improve a riverfront we can all enjoy.

Read more here from Twin Cities Business.

Replacement of West River Parkway Wood Plank Trail

85-foot section of wood plank trail will be replaced over 2-3 weeks; parkway remains open

The second phase of a project that will eventually replace all planks on the West River Parkway Wood Plank Trail began in late October. Construction is expected to take two to three weeks to complete.

Closures and Detours

• During construction, the east (river) side of West River Parkway Trail will be closed between Portland Avenue and 11th Avenue South. The parkway will remain open.
• Pedestrians will use a detour to the sidewalk across the parkway. 
• Bicyclists may choose to use the parkway or travel south one block and use the bike lane on Second Street.
• Motorists traveling in this area must use caution and share the road with bicycle traffic.

Project Details

• Last year approximately 100 linear feet of planks were replaced. This work is Phase II, which will replace another 85 linear feet.
• The new planks are made from Douglas Fir, replacing the old White Oak planks.
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board maintenance and planning staff are evaluating the new plank design before replacing the entire plank trail, which will occur as funding becomes available.

Minnesota Cold Weather Rule Has Begun for the Winter

The Minnesota cold weather rule begins for the season Oct. 15. The rule protects residential customers who have difficulty paying their natural gas bills from having their natural gas service disconnected between Oct. 15 and April 15. Residential customers must contact CenterPoint Energy to set up a payment plan.

Who should call?

Customers who anticipate having trouble paying their entire natural gas bill, have received a notice of proposed disconnection, or need gas service reconnected are all urged to call CenterPoint Energy to establish a payment plan. A payment plan will include what is owed and the amount to be billed. The plan will also take into consideration a customer’s financial situation and any other special circumstances.

Other helpful information:

• In addition to calling CenterPoint Energy to discuss and establish a payment plan, company representatives are available to refer customers to social service agencies who may have energy assistance funds.
• Customers can also sign up for CenterPoint Energy’s average monthly billing plan, which spreads natural gas costs throughout the year. Customers can sign up online through My Account at CenterPointEnergy.com/Register or by calling CenterPoint Energy.
• The Minnesota Department of Commerce maintains a website that provides information on energy efficiency and heating assistance programs.
• Customers interested in helping others pay their natural gas bills can support the Salvation Army’s HeatShare program. Visit The Salvation Army’s website to make a donation.

Call CenterPoint Energy at 612-372-4680 or 1-800-729-6164 to set up a payment plan. Find more information at CenterPointEnergy.com/ReadyForWinter.

2018-2019 Snow Emergency Information

Winter can strike at any time, and being prepared for it might save you a few headaches, inconvenience and money.

By now you should have received the Snow Emergency Information mailer from the City of Minneapolis, but if you didn't (or didn't save it), there are a number of ways to keep up to date on weather-related restrictions, etc.

Go to http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/snow/ and you'll find it all: If a Snow ER is in effect, the Snow ER hotline (612-348-7669), towed vehicle info, instructions for downloading the Snow ER app and more.

Envision Community Concept Combines Healthcare and Housing

Article by Claudia Kittock, photos by Rick Kittock

Several months ago, I was honored to meet with a group called Street Voices of Change. Begun in 2016 with about 12 people meeting in a church basement, it has grown into 3 overflowing groups meeting every week at various churches throughout downtown Minneapolis. Street Voices groups are made up of people who experienced homelessness and want to invest in and empower each other to build a “loving community that recognizes the trauma of homelessness and seek to restore dignity in every aspect of the experience.”

A few years before Street Voices began their work, Hennepin Healthcare formed an innovation team called Upstream Health Innovations. Upstream’s mission is to “empower patients to lead healthy lives by partnering with the community to build capacity and foster the health innovations that create equity and improve outcomes.”

Dr. William Walsh, Upstream’s Deputy Chief Innovation Officer and a practicing physician, sees homelessness as a situation that profoundly impacts a person’s health and creates financial strain on the healthcare system. He believes the healthcare system could help provide housing for the patients whose health is most impacted by homelessness, but the high cost of housing makes this investment unfavorable. Upstream recognized that innovation is needed for the healthcare system to help house the homeless.

Dr. William Walsh explaining the planning process for the Envision Community concept

Dr. Walsh conducting a recent collaboration meeting

A collaborative group, including Upstream Health Innovations, started to work on ways for the healthcare system to participate in housing. This work was guided by Street Voices members, the true experts in the situation of homelessness who wanted to create viable housing for themselves and others experiencing housing instability. They called their initiative “Envision Community.”

Envision Community proposes a new type of housing for Hennepin County. Four things make Envision Community different than other housing in Hennepin County:

- Utilizing tiny home architecture in the form of pods.

- There will be pods designed for single adults. 

- There will be pods designed for couples.

- There will be a common house with shared bathrooms, a kitchen and common space for all residents to gather.

  

More pods can be added to the existing community at any time as the community grows.

Architectural models of the 'tiny house' pods

The population goals are to house a diverse community from across the housing stability spectrum. Envision is designed to include 20% chronically homeless who are the highest utilizers of healthcare, 20% people who have never experienced homelessness and would choose to live in this community, and 60% people who are experiencing homelessness and are not high healthcare utilizers.

During the design process, the collaborative recognized that housing alone is not enough. An accepting, flexible community is essential to create stability and belonging for people who become housed. This is what converts a house into a home. Without this, many people return to the streets seeking freedom and friendship. Because of the importance of community, Envision functions as an intentional community, sharing common values with the intention to live out those values on a daily basis.

It took a broad community to develop this concept. Key collaborators like the Minnesota Design Center, Alchemy Architects and the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, assisted the Street Voices members by adding their industry-specific knowledge to help turn the Street Voices members’ needs, desires, and experience of what works into a viable solution. The United Health Foundation, the McKnight Foundation’s Region and Communities Program, Julia Dayton, and the Dayton Hudson endowment at the Minnesota Design Center generously funded portions of the project. 

Drawings of the planned community

Fascinating? I agree. Next steps include finding land for the initial demonstration community and raising additional funds. If you would like to find out more or get involved, please contact Dr. Walsh at william.walsh@hcmed.org.

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About Claudia Kittock

Claudia is a resident of the Mill District. In addition to writing for Mill City Times, she is a founding Board Member of Friends of the Mill District. Claudia is the author of Health Through Chaos, mentors young adults at YouthLink, and has served on the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (DMNA).

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Contact: claudia@millcitymedia.org

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Editor's Note: The Star Tribune also ran an article on this topic: http://www.startribune.com/a-village-of-mini-houses-for-the-poor-and-homeless-proposed-in-minneapolis/499730811/

Faribault Woolen Mill Opens Charming Retail Store on Washington Avenue

Article and photos by Merle Minda

Step inside the newly opened Faribault Woolen Mill store on the corner of Washington Avenue and 11th Avenue South in the Mill District, and you’ll feel it from the first moment: warmth, design, usefulness and beauty. Surrounded by these warm and beautiful woolen blankets in a vast array of colors and designs, you may even recognize some designs from your youth, when a woolen blanket was placed on the foot of your bed on a cold winter night.

Tom Kileen, CEO of Faribault Woolen Mill Co.

Faribault Woolen Mill is an integral part of Minnesota history. Spinning wool and making blankets since 1865 (that’s over 150 years, folks!), they start by using raw wool and combing, processing and weaving it into the fine products they make today. In their early history they made blankets for the military, both Army and Navy, still an essential piece of their business. Over one-third of their business remains with the military. Faribault blankets went off to two World Wars and everything in-between.

The mill in Faribault is perched on the banks of the Cannon River; you can visit the mill and see the entire process from beginning to end. They have a retail store at this site too, just 60 miles south of the Twin Cities, but the new Washington Avenue store is their first free-standing retail venture in the United States.

Faribault Woolen Mill store now on Washington Avenue in the Mill District.

Talking to CEO Tom Kileen, I learn that after all the years of being started and owned by the same family, the mill closed in 2009 and was about to be sold off in pieces when another family, the Mooty family, bought the mill and started it up again. Kileen is a family member, and talking with him is to speak with someone who devoted heart and soul to the mill and its fine array of new designs and products.

Not depending solely on history, the new blanket designs are truly gorgeous. In addition to the military blankets which you can buy here (and they are unbelievably warm and sturdy), the new designs and colors are simply tops of the availability of wool blankets sold today. Plus Faribault Woolen now makes scarves and warm ‘throws’ and larger and smaller sizes for any situation.  Use them for hiking, camping, backpacking – they are dependable and go everywhere.

The Betsy Ross design.

Blanket with street car map of Brooklyn.

Remember these striped ones?One of my favorites is the “flag designs”, with a Betsy Ross blanket as well as a current 50-stars blanket. Another innovation is blanket throws with designs of maps of major cities, such as a Brooklyn blanket. Inspired by vintage street maps, they also feature the Twin Cities, New York, Chicago and San Francisco. What a gift!

And then there are the new colors, the new plaids, the fringes, even the striped blankets you may remember from yesteryear. They make other products with wool too, partnering with Leather Works Minnesota for woolen valet trays, coasters and key chains. When you are out shopping this holiday season, do not miss this store.

Blankets everywhere!

Woolen pillows, too.

“We expect our store to be an easy way for our old and lots of new customers to learn about Faribault Woolens and own one or two for their own family or gifts. We have done an extensive overhaul of the old mill, bringing back many former workers but also designing and making new products,” said Kileen. “We are very enthused about the reception of our latest designs and our new store in Minneapolis,” he continued.

Faribault Woolen Mill Co. is Minnesota’s oldest manufacturer, but they have stepped up in time for today’s market. See the “Story of Wool” on their website at www.faribaultmill.com. You can order online of course, but it is a treat to pop into this friendly store and pick out your favorites. They are located at 1029 Washington Avenue S (next to Northern Coffeeworks). Hours are M-F, noon-7pm; Sat. 9am–6pm; Sunday 11am-5pm. Customer Service: 1-507-412-5510, customerservice@faribaultmill.com.

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About Merle Minda

Journalist and free-lance writer Merle Minda writes about travel, business, people profiles and other subjects for a number of national and regional publications, including Delta SKY, Mpls/St. Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Business, Star Tribune, Twin Cities Statement, Minnesota Monthly, and now Mill City Times. She can be reached at mminda@earthlink.net or TravelOverEasy.com on the web.

For MN Locals Only: 2 GINGERS Irish Whiskey Cocktail Competition

Do you fancy yourself a mixologist? If so, here's your chance to shine (and if you're really good, win a trip to Ireland)!

After opening popular Irish pubs – Kieran's Irish Pub, The Local, Cooper and the Liffey – Irishman Kieran Folliard launched 2 GINGERS Irish Whiskey in March 2011.

Kieran Folliard, photo credit Beam Suntory2 GINGERS Irish Whiskey has launched a Cocktail Competition open ONLY TO RESIDENTS OF MINNESOTA for a chance to win a 7-day trip to Ireland, hosted by creator Kieran Folliard himself.

With Minnesota as the muse, residents (21+) are asked to create a new cocktail recipe based on local landmarks or Minnesota history. Entries are to be posted on the contest website, including the cocktail recipe, directions to make the drink, photo and a short description of the cocktail's inspiration.

Contest ends December 31, 2018. Click here for official contest rules.

2 GINGERS was created by Kieran, who was inspired by his red-headed (a.k.a. "ginger") mother and aunt. It is double-distilled to retain more of those natural whiskey flavors (most Irish whiskey is notably triple-distilled) and aged for four years in Ireland’s mild climate.

Next some inspiration? Enjoy a signature The Big Ginger® (2 GINGERS plus ginger ale, a wedge of lemon and a wedge of lime in a tall glass filled with ice).

Give to the Max Early Giving Info

Although Give to the Max Day itself isn’t until November 15, you may make your donation early to count for Minnesota’s giving holiday! Simply visit GiveMN.org and search for the causes that mean the most to you any time between now and November 15!

All gifts made during this Early Giving period are also eligible for daily $500 Early Giving Golden Tickets—so planning ahead could boost your chances of winning!

Finally, Give to the Max gifts made during Early Giving are also eligible for the grand prize—a $10,000 Super-Sized Golden Ticket drawn at midnight as soon as GTMD18 is over!

We are excited to help ignite the generosity of thousands of donors as we prepare for the 10th year of Minnesota’s statewide giving day!

Read more FAQs about Early Giving.