Category: News

Current Events, Announcements, and Timely Useful information

Journey To Babble: Maps & Last-Minute Info

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Well, it's coming up, our Nokomis Beer Crawl! On Saturday, May 2, 2015, we're going to see what Minnesota’s burgeoning craft beer industry has to offer.

With the itinerary below, I have attached a PDF of maps of our destinations. I got the directions and travel times between stops from Google Maps, so I take no responsibility. I suggest you study the maps beforehand and make any adjustments to the directions you need to feel comfortable traveling during the day.

Our first stop, Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, does not take reservations, so if you're going to join us for food and a brew, please be there at 11 a.m. SHARP so our large group (20+) will be able to be seated together. If you arrive late, we cannot guarantee that you'll be seated with us. I did e-mail Northbound that our horde is coming, so maybe they'll make a space for us, but, again, no guarantees.

If you need a designated driver, both Dave Morem and Jane Dusek have offered their services. Please contact them directly if you would like to ride along with them.

The long-range forecast for May 2 is sunny and in the low 80s. I hope that prediction holds, LOL! It's going to be a fun day.

—Lynne

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We’re Simplifying Dues: All will be Due each September

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Can't remember when you joined, or when your dues are due?  You're just like the resduest of us. At the last Membership meeting Pam recommended a way to make things things simpler - everyone is due in September, when we kick off the active part of our year.

We'll set everyone's membership date to this September.  If you've paid dues in calendar 2015, then you get until September 2016.   That means free bonus months for quite a few folks while we make the transition.

Since we're sending the Newsletter from the Website, they'll automatically expire in September too.  You can by PayPal or in person in September and it's all simple.

We'll firm up all the transition details, get the automation lined up.  We'll get the nuts and bolts worked out and share those details at the May meeting.

Now there will be one fewer thing to remember.

Journey To Babble Brewery Tour Tentative Itinerary

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Welcome to my tentative Nokomis Beer Crawl itinerary! Yes, we’re taking a jaunt through the Twin Cities on Saturday, May 2, 2015, to enjoy what Minnesota’s burgeoning craft beer industry has to offer.

I hope that I have put together a fun beer-tasting tour. I tried to keep this roster full of interesting, off-the-beaten-path brewers who offer something unique. On our four-stop adventure, we’ll start off at a brewpub where we can also grab a bite to eat before embarking on the rest of the tour. Beer-tasting on an empty stomach isn’t a good idea, after all.

Even if you’re not a beer drinker (like me), I believe you’ll find this daytrip interesting, at least from a beverage production perspective. In any case, I’m sure your beer-enjoying comrades wouldn’t mind having a designated driver along.

Below are 2015’s selected stops and their philosophies, all in their own words. Who better to tell their stories than the brewmasters themselves?

In the meantime, if you have any questions, be sure to let me know. Hope to see you there!

—Lynne

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Chuckwagon Dinner To Also Benefit “SAVE”

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Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States for all ages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every day, approximately 105 Americans die by suicide—that’s over 38,000 Americans every year. They leave behind an estimated quarter-million people—spouses, parents, siblings, friends—who become suicide survivors.

For our Chuckwagon Dinner, the U.S.S. Nokomis is directing a portion of the proceeds to SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education), a Bloomington-based organization with a national reach in suicide prevention. SAVE’s mission is “to prevent suicide through public awareness and education, reduce stigma and serve as a resource to those touched by suicide.” We do this in memory of Nokomis member Bill Bredesen, who passed in August 2011.

SAVE’s prevention and education programs are designed to:

  • Increase knowledge about depression, other brain illnesses and the need for assessment and treatment as suicide prevention.
  • Increase knowledge about symptoms of depression and the warning signs of suicidal thinking and behavior.
  • Increase understanding and the use of intervention skills that can help avoid the tragedy of suicide.
  • Increase knowledge about community resources and how to access and use them.

SAVE also provides customized training programs for:

  • Clergy.
  • Mental health professionals.
  • Medical professionals and others in hospitals and healthcare settings.
  • Law enforcement personnel.
  • Social services professionals.
  • Educators.

Issues such as risk assessment, community-based suicide prevention, environmental safety, gatekeeper training, intervention techniques, and documentation are some of the topics covered in SAVE’s professional education courses.

For every dollar raised, 92 cents goes directly toward programs. SAVE has earned the Independent Charities of America Seal of Excellence, which is awarded to nonprofit charitable organizations that have been independently reviewed annually and certified to meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. Of the 1,000,000+ charities operating in the United States today, fewer than 2,500 have been awarded this Seal. For more information about this worthy organization, go to www.SAVE.org.

St. Pi’s Party is March 14th!

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For quite a few years, Jack and I have hosted beer tasting parties. First, they were at my house with food and beer. Then, we upgraded to the Barn Tasting Beer Dance and enjoyed several years of bonfires and dancing with our food and beer. Recently, we've hosted the parties at hotels where a soak in the hot tub was substituted for the dancing with the food and beer. This seems to be working pretty well, so we're at it again this year. However, our traditional date is a pretty big deal this year. Why? Think about the date. 3.14.15. Sound familiar? It should - it's PI! Therefore, instead of having a St Patrick's Day party, we're calling it the St Pi Day's party. 

You are invited to the Residence Inn Roseville at 2985 Centre Pointe Drive, Roseville MN 55113 any time after 4:30 pm on March 14th (the day of our March meeting). Please bring some food to share. Let's see how many people can bring Pi-themed food. Think about it all of the possibilities: anything round will work, including anything in a round bottle or bowl, meatballs, cookies, etc. You could even bring a square pizza, since Pie Are Squared! I can guarantee that we will have a special toast at 3.14.15.9:26. It will only come once in our lifetimes!
And then, of course, there's the beer. Please bring at least a six-pack of your favorite to enter. We will taste in elimination rounds and the tasting will be blind. Two winners will be chosen, along with the winner of the coveted Bad Beer Board. The decisions of the judge will be final. Don't forget to eat between rounds!
If you'd like to get a room at the hotel, visit www.marriott.com/mspro . Studio rooms start at $103 and "sharable" rooms start at $113 (today's rate). See you there.
Mary

January Dance – Disney Style

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We had a great time at the Fort Snelling Officer's Club on the 17th of January at our 14th annual dance. Our lovely meals of Champagne Chicken or Strip Loin of Beef were delicious and we topped them off with Peach Cobbler. We were so fortunate to have both our favorite bartender, Gary, and our favorite DJ, Rob, to celebrate the night with us. The music was perfect for our Disney theme, reminding us that there are lots and lots of danceable songs in the movies! We had villains like Cruella de Vil and Narissa, leading men like Bert the Chimneysweep and Prince Charming, beauties like Snow White and Fantasia Fairy, and assorted other human and animal characters. Sometimes you even had to guess! It was quite lovely and I hope that everyone had a great time. See you next year!

Mary

Sledding and Sliding on Valentine’s Day

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03082008_Tube1.ashxIn the ancient past, when we had a sledding and sliding party there was snow for sledding and sliding. It's been an awful century (!!) for that, so we're scheduling something a bit more certain.

After we finish our February General membership meeting we'll dress up and head down to Elm Creek Park for a long sliding hill and lots of fun.

Elm Creek Park, in Dayton/Maple Grove MN, has a tubing hill that MAKES snow, and has a moving sidewalk lift too. Add a warming house with hot chocolate, and it's sure to be fun.

Captain’s Log – February 2015

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Captain's Log - March 2015

Greetings, crew! Happy Valentine's Day, late. Happy St Patrick's Day, early. We aren't having a St Patrick's Day party this year, but we have a lovely alternative for you. See the article about the event in the newsletter and on the website.  

It's a little early for me to report on the success of our Feed May Starving Children packing, but you can check out the results on the website. It's pretty neat for everyone to be able to go online and check for what's going on without having to wait until the newsletter comes out. Check it out for the most up-to-date information. 

It's been a rough month for us. Losing our friend Juana was devastating. It was immensely gratifying to see so many of you at the funeral. When we were asked to raise our hands, we sure made a showing! A standing-room-only crowd was a wonderful testament to the loving and special woman she was. We were all very lucky to have had her in our lives. As we move forward, she will live in our memories and our photographs. I hope that Juana has joined with our other lost crewmates and is enjoying a laugh and a hug. 

See you around the galaxy!

Captain Mary

Funeral Arrangements set for Juana Mann

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Juana Fairy 2Our good and dear friend Juana passed away peacefully on December 31st at 12:40 after a long battle with cancer and its effects.

Funeral Arrangements

Juana's family has set funeral arrangements for Saturday, January 10th.

Visitation will take place from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Funeral services begin at 3:00 PM

All arrangements take place at Geary-Delmore Funeral Chapel, Plymouth