NENA News

Accepting applications

NENA is seeking applicants for the vacant Board seat from the Wenonah neighborhood. The Wenonah neighborhood is bordered by 54th St. on the north; 34th Ave. on the east; Cedar Ave. on the west; and the southern boundary of the City of Minneapolis on the south.

If you live in the Wenonah neighborhood as a homeowner or renter, you can nominate yourself. Any NENA member can also nominate a Wenonah neighborhood resident as an applicant for the Board. Completed nomination forms for the Wenonah seat are due July 6. More information and the Board application is available on the NENA site, www.nokomiseast.org.

Monarch Magic! workshops

Monarch Magic! is a free activity program offered by Wavelets Creative Arts in partnership with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and NENA.

Monarch Magic! activities are led by Lake Nokomis Artist-in-Residence James Everest, with Naturalist Jenny Winkelman and several guest teaching artists. All activities take place outdoors at Lake Nokomis Park and are free and open to people of all ages and abilities.

Participants will learn about various aspects of monarch butterfly life cycles and habitat and then work together on various creative arts projects for the Monarch Magic! community performance installation at the annual Monarch Festival. The Monarch Magic! installation serves as an immersive entryway from Lake Nokomis and nearby neighborhoods into the Festival on Sat., Sept. 9.

Workshops run from June 25 until Sept. 9. For more information or to sign up for a workshop, go to www.monarchfestival.org.

Monarch Mile Coming to Nokomis East in August

This summer Nokomis East will be adding another project that expands the number of pollinator-friendly gardens in our neighborhood. The Monarch Mile is a pathway of native plants along E. 50th St. from the Nokomis Naturescape to the Gateway Gardens. In partnership with Metro Blooms, NENA will be installing 17 pollinator gardens in the boulevards to attract butterflies, bees, and birds, and to add natural beauty to our neighborhood. The boulevard gardens will be installed by Minnesota Conservation Corps members in late July and early August.

Curb Appeal Matching Grant Lottery

The first year of the Curb Appeal Matching Grant Lottery was a success, with 52 Nokomis East residents registering for the reimbursement funds. The lottery drawing at the May 23 Night Out With NENA event randomly selected 16 grant recipients. Of the 16 winners, five were from Keewaydin, five from Minnehaha, three from Morris Park, and three from Wenonah. The funded projects include house painting, step repair, hardscaping, and new roofing.

Due to the interest in the first round of grants, the Curb Appeal Grant Lottery will return next year! Subscribe to our online newsletter, NENA News, on the NENA website for future announcements on the next registration period and other neighborhood information.

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