Hamline Midway neighbors recognized for community contributions

Every year we nominate several volunteers who continually go above and beyond in service to the Hamline Midway community. This year’s nominees were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the neighborhood alongside other volunteers from across the city at a special awards celebration in their honor on Jan. 29.

Mayor Chris Coleman congratulated the nominees on their achievements, and City Council President Russ Stark presented the awards. Their names will be added to a plaque hung in city hall alongside Honor Roll awardees from years past. Please join us in congratulating and thanking this year’s nominees for all they do to benefit the Hamline Midway neighborhood.

Photo above: (L to R) Jessica Kopp, Sasha Mackin, and Steve Mitrione, all received Neighborhood Honor Roll status for their extraordinary service and contributions to the Hamline Midway community.

Steve Mitrione

Steve’s impact as a longtime neighborhood volunteer, transportation committee member and environmental advocate has been profound. He helped lead the Charles Ave. Bikeway project as an original volunteer with the Friendly Streets Initiative, and saw his many years of involvement in improving Snelling Ave. culminate this year with a major project that included vital pedestrian improvements. He was also one of the first St. Paul residents to install a residential boulevard rain garden. Steve’s passion for his community has improved both the physical and cultural environment of the neighborhood in many lasting ways.

Sasha Mackin

As a member of the Hamline Midway Coalition Board of Directors from 2009–2014, Sasha served ably as both Vice President and President. Sasha cared about and attended to organizational culture, board and staff development, and all the important little things that make an organization thrive. Sasha was also committed to building a strong, connected neighborhood, and served on the HMC Community Building Committee and the planning team for the annual Hamline Midway Spring Festival.

Jessica Kopp

The web of a community can often be traced to a few perpetually involved “connectors.” Over the last year, Jessica has devoted herself to rejuvenating the vital connection between the neighborhood and its two community schools, Hamline Elementary and Galtier Community School. In doing so, she has forged valuable new relationships, ensuring the schools remain involved in neighborhood events, and otherwise reestablishing them as centerpieces of the community.

Neighborhood Investment Cooperative officially incorporates, seeks volunteers

The newly forming Hamline Midway Investment Cooperative is hitting the ground running in 2016 as they look to move this exciting project into the next phase, continuing to move towards collectively investing in a neighborhood property.

Now officially incorporated, the HMIC has a stated mission to “seek community pledges to buy a commercial property, that will underpin a sustainable business that serves the community, and will provide a return to the investors. HMIC empowers the community through development—property, business, and all the less material elements of community growth and strength.”

As a volunteer-led effort, the remarkable energy and dedication of a core group of neighbors has been vital in getting the project to this point. The group is looking to expand its size and have identified a particular need for volunteers with expertise and background in legal, finances, or commercial realty, as well as anyone with experience in running or managing co-ops. Of course, any and all volunteer support is enthusiastically welcomed!

To move the process forward, several working groups will be focusing on specific aspects of the project, including research, communications, and finance/governance. If you’re interested in joining this effort, email hminvestmentcoop@gmail.com to get involved. More information and background on this project can be found at www.hamlinemidway.org/Investmentcooperative

Neighborhood Garage Sale

Mark your calendars and start planning for the annual Hamline Midway Neighborhood Garage Sale on Sat., June 4, from 8am to 3pm. Garage sales are a great way to meet new neighbors, reduce waste, and support the community economy. With more than 50 participating sales across the neighborhood in 2015, we’re looking to have an even bigger impact this year.

There will be a $10 fee for participating sales to help with the expense of printing flyers, sale maps, and signs, as well as advertising in the Monitor, Pioneer Press and Craigslist. If you live within the Hamline Midway boundaries, start clearing out your closets and collecting your unwanted items for this year’s sale. If you have questions or would like to learn more, please email garagesale@hamlinemidway.org. We’ll post registration forms and start collecting fees closer to the date.

Public Art Group seeks input

The Hamline Midway Public Art Working Group wants to hear your feedback on a slate of possible projects the group could pursue and seek funding for in 2016. Following the success of the Midway Murals project in 2015, which brought four beautiful murals to Snelling Ave, we’re looking to continue the evolution of Hamline Midway as a hub for public and community-oriented art in 2016. The group has developed a slate of possible projects to pursue this year, and is now seeking input from the community. Visit www.hamlinemidway.org/publicart to see the list of possible projects, vote on your favorites, and offer your ideas.