Transition Longfellow kicks off its 6th year

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On Sat., Jan. 14, Transition Longfellow will host its Annual Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction at Bethany Lutheran Church, 3901 36th Ave. S., from 9 to 11am. This is the group’s sole fundraising activity for the year, and at this kick-off event, they will also unveil activities planned for 2017.

For five years, Transition Longfellow—a South Minneapolis resilience and sustainability group—has been building resident knowledge, skills and community connections. As a result of the work of these neighborhood volunteers, residents have:

• made little free libraries, solar cookers, cold frames, raised bed garden boxes, insulated curtains and a whole lot of homebrewed beer and kombucha;

• learned how to grow vegetables, cook with the sun, compost, prune, connect multi-barrel rainwater systems, and reduce waste;

• connected with their neighbors at potlucks, movie nights, game nights, book groups, and knitting groups; and

• grappled with some hard truths about Minnesota’s changing climate and explored ways to reduce their carbon footprint and energy use while preparing for change.

The group facilitates multiple activities every month, with a budget of less than $1,000 a year and no paid staff. How do they do it?

“We have great partnerships with community groups and businesses, and we’ve got a core group of dedicated volunteers,” said Leslie MacKenzie, one of the founders of the group, “but we could really use more help.”

This year one of the group’s most pressing needs will be to find a new home base for its monthly movie night with a potluck. “Free or affordable space where the community can gather is one of the biggest barriers for volunteer groups like ours,” said MacKenzie.” “We’ve been very lucky to be welcomed at Bethany Lutheran on 36th, Gandhi Mahal, Riverview Wine Bar, Lake Coffee House, Junket, and Peace Coffee.”

Looking Ahead to 2017

Food and garden-related programs planned for 2017 include:

• Growing microgreens indoors (Jan. 23) and sow summer foods in winter (Mar. 12)

• A 5-week Veggie Basics class with Hennepin County Master Gardeners (5 Saturdays in Apr.)

• Installing 24 more raised bed gardens with the Chard Your Yard program (installed 2nd Saturday in May)

• A garden work-sharing group (May - Oct)

• How to make and use biochar (June)

• A Day of Garden Skillshares (July 15) and a Day of Food Skillshares (Sept. 23)

A cornerstone activity of Transition groups around the globe is a commitment to reducing energy use and taking action on climate change. In November, Transition Longfellow worked with the Seward Neighborhood Group, Longfellow Community Council, the City of Minneapolis Emergency Services and the Department of Health to host a climate resilience conversation with community members.

Transition Longfellow intends to continue the conversation in 2017 with a series of preparedness-related talks in the spring and summer.

“If we’re going to be a resilient community that can handle all the ‘mores’ that a changing climate is going to bring—more rain, more heat, more ice, more insect-borne diseases—we need to prepare now, and ideally we will do it together,” said MacKenzie.

The group will host a book group, reading Sharon Astyk’s “Making Home.” This book engages readers in finding more security, more peace of mind and more happiness by putting down deeper roots. The author shares ways to save money, create more resilient families and preserve more for future generations. The book group starts in January; dates to be announced on the Transition website.

Longfellow residents are known for their commitment to waste reduction and recycling. Transition Longfellow is partnering with Junket to host a Getting Ready to Go Zero Waste class (Mar. 9), with an accompanying online group where people can follow up on their waste reduction commitments.

The group will continue to host monthly movie nights with potlucks at 6:30pm, and a pre-dinner Meditative Movement for Health class at 5:30pm, led by Deb Davis. Until June, movie nights will be at Bethany Lutheran.

For more information about the pancake breakfast and silent auction, or any of our activities, visit transitionlongfellow.org or call 612-724-4265.

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