‘Miscellany’ Archives
Jana Metge””Phillips”™ Good Neighbor and Advocate ”“ Extraordinary day for an extraordinary quilt, for an extraordinary neighbor
BY CLEAN SWEEP COMMITTEE MEMBERS Jana Metge, the Clean Sweep Event and Community Organizer Extraordinaire, was honored with a very symbolic gift of a quilt at the Stewart Park Clean Sweep Luncheon (held inside this year due to the early wintery chill). It couldn”™t have been more appropriate to the weather and acknowledgement of Jana”™s colorfulness, her connection with so many organizations, and the warmth she brings to every event, generally, and greeting of people individually. Beth Hart is another good neighbor great at making connections. She “connected” a recent experience of having a family quilt made to the idea of it being a way to acknowledge the incredible work Jana has done for decades for not only the Clean Sweep event but in constant advocacy with and for the Phillips Community. Besides providing warmth for the day and offering important symbolism with the 16 T-shirts naming many Phillips organizations with whom Jana [...]
Peace House Community Journal – The Need for Sleep
By MARTI MALTBY When asked to name a person”™s most basic needs, most people will reliably name food, shelter and clothing. A quick Google search adds air, safety, warmth, health and sex. Sometimes one or two other ideas like companionship get tossed out, and Wikipedia adds sanitation, education, healthcare and internet to the list. (I suppose if you”™re Wikipedia, you have to say the internet is a necessity.) Amazingly, sleep seems to escape everyone”™s notice as a basic need. However, almost everyone recognizes the necessity of sleep. Numerous clinical studies have shown the negative effects from lack of sleep on health, cognition, student test scores and any number of other measures. Even if a person hasn”™t heard about the studies, they know what insomnia or pulling an all-nighter in college is like. From my own experience working graveyard shifts, inadequate sleep impairs judgment, reduces the pleasure of normally enjoyable [...]
Peace House People
This poetical picture story is by Mike Hazard. It is part of a project called Peace House People. The work will be exhibited at Franklin Library in February, 2020. The project is funded by an Artist Initiative grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. MIKE HAZARD BACK PORCH Life surprises on the back porch at Peace House. Ellie listened to music while Shayna braided her waist-length hair. Shayna said, “Mama used to always say, ”˜Suffer for beauty.”™” “When I look at this picture, I see a scene I have seen a hundred times in the neighborhood,” said the spoken word poet Fatima Camara. “I feel like I know these people even though we have never met.” “When I look at this picture, I see a blended family,” said the artist Bill Jeter. A blended family is a perfect metaphor for the Peace House Community. Life is good on the back porch. MIKE HAZARD I STILL LIKE TOMORROW Stories are shared at [...]
