Changemakers Honored

The Arc Greater Twin Cities presented its Changemaker Awards to 12 individuals for making a difference for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The volunteers were honored at The Arc’s Annual Meeting and Volunteer Celebration on May 14 at the Minneapolis Ramada Plaza. The “Changing Attitudes” award category recognizes those who positively change public perceptions of people with disabilities. Receiving the award are: Jake Wild Crea, St. Paul, John Kelly, UnitedHealth Group, Eagan, Allie Henley, Abby Hirsch and Tim Strom from Plymouth.

The “Changing Policies” category recognizes persons whose efforts have resulted in systems and policy changes that benefit individuals with disabilities and their families. The recipients are: Terry Burke, St. Louis Park, Tim Nelson, Hammer, Champlin, Erin Zolotukhin-Ridgway, Highland Park The “Changing Lives” category recognizes long-term or intensive efforts that positively affect the lives of people with disabilities. The honorees are: Susan Kane, Lake Elmo, Nancy Miller, Bloomington, and Joanne Carlson, Apple Valley, Skye Mak, Minneapolis.

The Arc Greater Twin Cities fosters respect and access for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, giving them the power to achieve a full and satisfying life.

Elders Music Program Feted by City

 
Minneapolis Arts Commission gave its second annual MAC Awards at the Minneapolis MOSAIC opening festivities on June 4 at the Pantages Theatre. The Minneapolis Arts Commission has selected three public art projects and organizations to be recognized with the third annual MAC Awards. The selected projects include interactive public dance performances on Nicollet Mall (Don’t you feel it too?, by Grace Minnesota), a WPA inspired mural on The Hub Bike Coop building (Cooperatives through the Ages by Luther Lyons Hill and Benjamin D. Bayne), and a program that brought a diverse group of elders together to make and play their own musical instruments (Mountain Dulcimer Project by Volunteers of America).

The Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts and the Community recognizes a person, group, or organization that has made a significant contribution to the integration of public art into the life of our community. The Mountain Dulcimer Project is this year’s winner. Under the direction of musician Karen Mueller, a group of elders ranging in age from 62 to 99 years old were brought together to in a 10week project to discover the mountain dulcimer. They learned to build their own instruments, to play them, and then presented public performances at Southwest Senior Center, Walker Methodist Nursing Home, and Clara Barton Open School. This project and its public performances challenge the common perceptions of aging and expose elders as viable, creative, contributing members of the community.

The Minneapolis Arts Commission was chartered in 1974 with the mission to strengthen the arts and enrich cultural life in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Arts Commission works closely with the staff of the Department of Community Planning & Economic DevelopmentPlanning Division, Cultural Affairs and shares their goal of developing a strong and vital arts community throughout Minneapolis.