Posts Tagged ‘Lucy Gerold’
Touchstone Plaza at Peavey Park “Bridges” Generations
By Robert Albee Imagine a public art project that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and is promptly neglected””no, make that abandoned””by the very community that commissioned the work in the first place!. That”'s the legacy of Touchstone Plaza, located on the southwest corner of Chicago Avenue and East Franklin Avenue in Peavey Park. I never knew there was a plaque with a fabulous poem and community challenge called “Thrones” by Louis Alemayahu. Over the years, I”'ve heard friends declare the mosaics to be hideous and a blight to the neighborhood. Some even wanting it moved or bulldozed into oblivion””all 88,000 pounds of concrete that makes up the mosaic-tiled “Thrones.” A group of Ventura Village volunteers led by residents Jim Cook, Dee Henry Williams and me showed up recently with a public address system and a hand-held microphone and offered it to anybody who”'d speak or sing. No advertising or public notice, [...]
Young Leaders”' Program
The Young Leaders program was begun in 2006 by St. Paul”'s Lutheran on 15th Ave and 28th Street. After talking with hundreds of people in the area, one of the issues that rose to the top was the lack of programs for youth in the critical ages of 11 to 15. Based on successful programs in Milwaukee and Philadelphia, St. Paul”'s designed the program as a way to build job and leadership skills in youth. Each youth goes through an application, interview and probation process that is similar to the real world of work. If accepted, they are placed in a career team that does work to benefit the community, for which youth receive a stipend. They also receive training in such skills as interview techniques, oral and written reports and workplace safety, and make career day visits to workers in different fields. This summer”'s career days included discussions with Becky George of Mercado Central and Inspector Lucy Gerold of the 3rd Precinct of the Minneapolis Police [...]
