Minneapolis Parks have a bunch of great winter activities for people of all ages, including robotics and animation classes at Fuller, 3x3 indoor soccer at Bryant Square Park, archery at MLK Rec Center, open skating and hockey at Parade, Spanish immersion preschool at Fuller, adult yoga at Armatage, ballet at Linden Hills, ceramics at Fuller, and activities for people 55 and older including coffee & chat, crafts, and walking groups at Lyndale Farmstead. You can check the rest of them out and sign-up here.
Our Last Minute Local Gift Guide has new additions every day. We're getting down to the wire, so go shop at a local small business if you need a gift. Yesterday, we added Wild Rumpus, Eye Candy Boutique, Fit 1st Running, Gear Running, Kitchen Window, and a few more.
Some brief housekeeping from the SW Voices team. We'll have an adjusted holiday email schedule over the next week or so. We'll send The Southwest Weekly tomorrow (Dec. 23rd), take a break on Friday (Dec. 24th), then only send two emails next week (Dec. 27 - 31). We'll still work to get you everything you want and need, but don't be alarmed if you miss us one of those days. We'll resume our regular daily schedule in January.
LINK ROUNDUP
If you're looking for a COVID test, there are free options provided by the State of Minnesota. You can get saliva test sent to your house (you'll have to send it back) or visit a community testing site (the Convention Center and airport sites have been moving quickly).
Hennepin County officially signed on to the nationwide opioid settlement, which means the county could be getting up to $50 million to address to opioid crisis. (Hennepin County Gov.)
Every year, King's Highway puts out candle luminarias on Christmas Eve. The luminarias traditionally have extended from 42nd-46th Streets, but now it goes up to 48th and follows Kings Hwy. towards the lake. Did you know it's a fundraiser for the Domestic Abuse Project? It's raised $34k since 2003. (Domestic Abuse Project Instagram)
GET INVOLVED
The Whittier Alliance is hiring a tenant organizer.
Did you know Hennepin County has a program where you can sign-up to have volunteers help you fix your household items over Zoom? If you're handy and want to volunteer to help, email nancy.lo@hennepin.us.
If you make 60% of Minnesota's median income or less ($67,000 for a family of four, even less for individuals), you may qualify to get assistance with your energy bills. Request an application or find your local service provider at mn.gov/energyassistance or call 800-657-3710 and press “1.”
STUFF TO DO
The Jungle Theater's next show, Redwood, kicks off on February 5th. Tickets go on sale to the general public on January 7th. Want to make sure you get a seat? Buy their two show bundle now and get tickets before they go on sale to the general public.
It's the middle of winter, but don't forget that sailing class registration at Bde Maka Ska opens on January 1st at Noon.
