The Angler
Brrr! With the cold weather that has blasted us this past month, I, for one, feel some sense of relief at seeing fall sports and yard work wind up so I can settle in for a few months of hot tea, warm radiators, and down comforters. But that doesn’t mean turning away from friends and neighbors. Here’s what I hear people have been up to this past month in Bridgeland.
Tom Eckhardt, who has taught many kids from Southeast and Seward to play soccer over the years, has been named the Matthews Park volunteer of the year for 2006. Eckhardt, who is also a dedicated volunteer with the Southeast Soccer program, is currently coaching the girls’ 10U team for Matthews. He will be honored at a volunteer appreciation dinner.
Once he gets back from Italy, that is! When Eckhardt isn’t at the park teaching our kids how to shoot and steal the soccer ball, he is a proud parent cheering on his daughter, Anneliese O’Meara Eckhardt, who performs on French trapeze with the popular Circus Juventas troupe in St. Paul. Anneliese, who attends South High School, was invited to perform, along with her trapeze partner, Samson Finkelstein, at the 6th International Circus Festival, in Latina, Italy, Oct. 19–23. Congratulations to both Tom and Anneliese on their accomplishments!
On a very sad note, we extend sincere condolences to the family of Carrie Leaney, who died Sept. 29 at age 44 of breast cancer. Carrie is the daughter of Wilford Schulz, an educator with the Minneapolis schools and a long-time coach with the Southeast Soccer program, and Ardis Jacobson, who lives on Arthur Ave. in Prospect Park. In addition to her parents, Carrie is survived by her husband, John Leaney, son, Jack, and sister Eero Schulz. Carrie was a lifelong member of Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis, where a memorial service was held on Oct. 5.
To learn more about Carrie and the many lives she touched, see the wonderful Caring Bridge site about her at www.caringbridge.org/visit/carrieleaney.
Prospect Park residents Don and Claire Aronson of Arthur Ave. are welcoming their new grandson, Levi Rex Ackerman, who was born on Sept. 22. Levi was 5 lbs., 15 oz, 20” long, and according to grandma, is “witty, intelligent and really, really cute.” Levi’s parents are former Prospect Park resident Rebecca Aronson and husband Tim Ackerman, son of Wanda Ackerman of south Minneapolis and the late Doug Ackerman.
Rebecca now lives in Maryville, MO., where she is an assistant professor in the English department at Northwest Missouri State University. Her first book of poetry, Creature Creature, is expected to be published near the end of the year. Look for it on the counter at Schneider Drug.
Also celebrating the publication of a book is Prospect Park resident and celebrated author Debra Frasier, whose newest children’s book, A Birthday Cake Is No Ordinary Cake, is now out in stores. A publication party was held at the Red Balloon bookstore at 891 Grand Ave. in St. Paul on Sept. 16, and Frasier says many neighborhood folks stopped by to help her celebrate. To see the new book, go to www.debrafrasier.com, where you can also enter a contest to receive a free author visit to a school or library.
Congratulations to Prospect Park resident Jere Purple, who recently received the 2006 Outstanding Advisory Council Member award from the Minnesota Community Education Association. Jere has provided significant leadership for the Pratt Community Education Center for more than 35 years, as well as helping to form the Southeast Seniors/Live-at-Home Block Nurse program and chairing the Friends of Pratt campaign.
Prospect Park resident and renowned architect Ralph Rapson celebrated his 92nd birthday last month at his house. Family members, friends, current and former neighbors, and clients all attended, where they were entertained by a live jazz combo on the porch. Among other projects, Rapson designed the old Guthrie theater, the building that houses the Southeast Library, the Rarig Center on the West Bank campus, and Cedar Square West. I understand that he is still a practicing architect, having recently designed a home with his son Toby Rapson.
One last bit of Prospect Park news: With funding from the Pratt Council, two anonymous donors, and the Pratt Parent-Teachers Organization, Jakki Kydd-Fidelman assumed duties Oct. 1 as a part-time coordinator at Pratt Community School. She will work with university and community volunteers, as well as working to create new opportunities at the school.
Enough Prospect Park news for you? Well, you gotta hand it to ‘em—when you ask for local news, the PP residents send it to you! If you have news from your corner of Bridgeland that you’d like to pass along for publication, send it to me at lmlincoln@mn.rr.com.
In Marcy-Holmes, resident chanteuse Karen Quiroz-Bly is now co-hosting “The Artists’ Cocktail,” a performance showcase held at the Jitters Café and Martini Bar at 205 East Hennepin Ave. on the third Tuesday of each month. Drinks and dinner begin at 7 pm, followed by 8 p.m. sets by Karen and co-host Henry Allen. At 9 p.m. two showcase performers go onstage, followed by an open mic session at 10 p.m. From my experience, it’s tough to get out for some fun on a weeknight, but well worth it. Life has to be more than just work and sleep.
And speaking of taking time for fun, the R & R (Riverfront Residents) Social Club will be holding its next gathering on Wed., Nov. 29, from 5-8 pm, at the ice rink in the Milwaukee Road Depot hotel at 300 Washington Ave. S. downtown. Skating passes are free (bring your own skates or rent them there), and there will be free hors d’oeuvres, cake and prizes. The R & R Social Club is open to all and designed to bring folks together from riverfront neighborhoods to socialize, support riverfront causes, exchange information and just have fun.
Greg Isola, parent liaison and volunteer coordinator at Tuttle Community School, wants folks to know that the school would be happy to accept donations of hats, mittens, scarves, and other cold-weather gear for students who need them. You can drop off donations between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the school. For more information, call Greg at 612/668-1224.
Greg says Tuttle is also participating as one of several Minneapolis sites for Kids Voting Minneapolis, which will take place as part of election day on Tuesday, November 7. (I know First Congregational Church, 500 SE 8th Avenue, is also taking part because I’m volunteering there; other polling sites in Bridgeland may be doing so as well.) Kids Voting is a program that allows kids to cast their votes for candidates in certain elections, such as for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, and the gubernatorial contest. (They don’t have to vote for soil and water commissioners.) The kids love getting to vote, and it helps prepare them to be good participatory citizens when they turn 18.
Volunteers are needed to staff the Kids Voting booths at the polling sites. To volunteer at Tuttle, call Greg; to volunteer elsewhere, get in touch with Gianna Lassiter 612/269-8242 or gianna_bl@msn.com
And if voting wasn’t fun (and important!) enough, there’s a treat in it for you. On Election Day, stop by the Wilde Roast Café at 518 East Hennepin Ave., show them your “I Voted” sticker, and they’ll give you one of their delicious cookies for free. I personally recommend the white chocolate macadamia nut. Wilde Roast will also be hosting an election night event with OutFront and Rainbow Families; there will be several TV sets on display so everyone can watch the results roll in together.
Last month I reported on the Bete Noire cake at Wilde Roast, which was featured on the cover of the September Bon Appetit. I just enjoyed a slice of that cake last night, and it is really wonderful. Here’s a recommendation for this month: the plain croissants at the Clicquot Club Café at 2929 E. 25th St. in Seward. I don’t usually order plain croissants, as I often find them too dry and I prefer something with fruit or cream or icing. But I bought one a few weeks ago at the Clicquot Club after my son’s soccer game at Matthews Park and I was astounded. The croissant was flaky on the outside, chewy on the inside, a little crunchy on the ends, and had the most wonderful fresh pastry smell. Definitely the best croissant I’ve ever had and I plan to have many more.
On a final note, maybe this cold weather will cut down on the usual obnoxious partying, binge drinking, and dangerous behavior too often displayed by some of the university students in our neighborhoods. I had been starting to feel more charitable to these kids after I saw how hard a large group of Restorative Justice participants worked to help prepare for the recent rummage sale at First Congregational Church in Marcy-Holmes. In particular, one young woman, Anna, saved me a lot of time by helping me to make approximately 30 signs for the event.
But the next day, on Sunday morning, my husband, Tom, walked out into the yard only to step in a pile of vomit left the night before by wandering partyers. Good-bye charitable feelings. Don’t we have some ditches that need to be dug around here? There certainly will be plenty of sidewalks to be shoveled before long. If you’ve got a job that needs doing or you would like to participate in hearing public apologies from Restorative Justice participants, contact Restorative Justice Community Action, Inc., at 612/341-1645.
last revised: November 10, 2006