Monthly Night Out With NENA is scheduled for May 23

With the new property tax statements out, residents have been asking questions about the change in taxes and values. Get your questions answered by a City of Minneapolis representative at this Night Out With NENA, hosted at the Lake Nokomis Community Center (2401 E. Minnehaha Pkwy.) on Tues., May 23, from 6:30–8pm.

The Curb Appeal Matching Grant Lottery winners will be chosen at the end of the evening. A hotdog cookout dinner will also be provided.

Night Out With NENA events are monthly opportunities for Nokomis East neighbors to connect and learn valuable information on a topic related to issues of interest to residents. Questions about this event can be directed to lauren.hazenson@nokomiseast.org.

Food Garden Build Day

Meet your neighbors, share some food, and help build Nokomis East’s first community food garden on Sat., Apr. 29, 8am–4pm, at St. James on the Parkway Episcopal Church (3225 E. Minnehaha Pkwy.). This garden grows food for local food shelves.

This is the first big workday for the food garden, where volunteers will be building the new garden beds and adding height to existing beds.

All volunteers 12+ are encouraged to join in. Bring work gloves and wear attire appropriate for the weather. If you are joining us for lunch, please bring a dish or snack to share. Please contact Program and Communication Manager Lauren Hazenson at lauren.hazenson@nokomiseast.org or 612-724-5652 if you plan to attend.

Build Day schedule:

• 8:30am—Coffee, donuts, and volunteer sign-in

• 9am—Garden building begins

• 12pm—Potluck lunch

We will work until the garden beds are built. Come and join us for all or part of the day.

MPRB Volunteer of the Year

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) recognized Nokomis Naturescape volunteer Marilyn Jones as a Volunteer of the Year at a ceremony held on Apr. 19. The Naturescape garden is an official Monarch Waystation and National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat site located on Lake Nokomis at 50th St. and Nokomis Pkwy. Jones has been volunteering as a Nokomis Naturescape gardener for over eight years.

Residents interested in volunteering at the Nokomis Naturescape can join in every Tuesday in the spring, summer, and fall. The next work day is May 2, 6-8pm.

Register for monarch workshop

Register for the 11th Annual Grow Monarch Habitat Workshop while you still can! This kid-friendly session on Sat., May 20, 10am-noon (doors open 9:30am) offers a wealth of information for both beginning and advanced gardeners. The workshop is held at the Lake Nokomis Community Center, 2401 E. Minnehaha Pkwy. Registration is required, workshop attendance is free, and participants may purchase Garden To-Go Kits from NENA with 12 native pollinator plants for your yard. To register, fill out the form found at www.nokomiseast.org/grow-monarch-habitat-workshop.

Nokomis East Garage Sale

Garage-salers in the Nokomis East area are invited to register their sale on the NENA website, starting May 1. Last year over 100 sales took part in this all-day neighborhood event, which draws bargain hunters from all over the metro area. The garage sale itself will be Sat., June 17, 8am-4pm.

Curb Appeal Matching Grant Lottery

The deadline to enter the Curb Appeal Matching Grant Lottery is May 12. Nokomis East residents are encouraged to sign up and get their upcoming exterior home project entered to win a matching grant up to $500. Winners will be announced right before Memorial Day Weekend to start your summer off right. Contact lauren.hazenson@nokomiseast.org for more information or go to www.nokomiseast.org to register.

Upcoming Events

• Sat., Apr. 29, 8:30am-4pm: Nokomis East Food Garden Building Day. Meet at St. James on the Parkway Episcopal Church, 3225 E. Minnehaha Pkwy.

• Tues., May 2, 6-8pm: Nokomis Naturescape Garden Work Night, at Nokomis Naturescape on Lake Nokomis, 50th St. and Nokomis Pkwy.

• Wed., May 3, 6:30-7:30pm, NENA Housing, Commercial, and Streetscape Committee, at the NENA Office, 4313 E. 54th St.

• Tues., May 9, 6-8pm: Nokomis Naturescape Garden Work Night, at Nokomis Naturescape on Lake Nokomis, 50th St. and Nokomis Pkwy.

• Wed., May 10, 6:30-8pm: Green Initiatives Committee Meeting, at the NENA Office, 4313 E. 54th St.

• Sat., May 20, 10am-12pm (doors open 9:30am): NENA Grow Monarch Habitat Workshop, at Lake Nokomis Community Center, 2401 E. Minnehaha Pkwy.

• Thur., May 25, 7-9pm: NENA Board of Directors Meeting, at the NENA Office, 4313 E. 54th St.