Untitled Document

Minnesota Sesquicentennial Update - September 2007

Topics this month:
Executive Director’s Column: - Catch the Spirit & Pass It On!
Your Donation Matters
Congrats to Grant Recipients and More to Come
Greetings from Minnesota! A Postcard Mosaic tribute to every county
What’s cooking at the Sesquicentennial?
Sesquicentennial on a Stick?
Register Your Event on the Sesquicentennial Web Site

Executive Director’s Column:
Catch the Spirit & Pass It On!

Last week in Stillwater, birthplace of Minnesota’s statehood, we unveiled the Sesquicentennial Community Spirit Program, or as one of our Commissioner’s coined it – the “Catch the Spirit” program.

In fact, the Sesquicentennial Community handbook is called, “Catch the Spirit & Pass It On.” The program is our attempt to encourage all communities across Minnesota, and all Minnesotans, to catch the spirit of statehood and pass it on. For me, here at home in Minnesota, statehood is a value and framework in which people help accomplish together, as a civil society, what we cannot do alone. In the context of the United States of America, it means we are full citizens in this country, with all of its rights and responsibilities.

Perhaps Elmer Rasmuson, a former Republican mayor of Anchorage, Alaska, and a lifelong banker there, said it best when he was organizing Alaskans and lobbying Congress to grant statehood to Alaska back in the 1950s, one hundred years after Minnesotans achieved theirs. Mayor Rasmuson said statehood was “a very precious right which fortunately most Americans can assume to be their own from birth. I cannot, nor can my children. Question has been raised as to whether Alaska can support statehood. I do not know the exact cost, but I am prepared to pay my share and am confident that the budget is within our means. I find it difficult to write up a price tag on freedom.” -- from his letter to Senator Joseph O'Mahoney, dated April 22, 1950

Jane Leonard For 2008, for the Sesquicentennial, we are commemorating our statehood and celebrating the Minnesota statewide community of today. Many individual communities and people are coming together. We are learning from our past and we are committing to and acting on our hopes and dreams Minnesota’s future. We’ll be talking about our hopes and dreams this fall during the Many Voices, One Minnesota - Sesquicentennial Plan for Our Future community conversations. Watch for a meeting near you and check our website soon for schedules.

Another way to catch the spirit and pass it on is to put up Sesquicentennial banners and flags in your communities, homes, businesses, just like Stillwater did for the kick-off of the Community Spirit program. You can order them now on the site for official Sesquicentennial street graphics.

And one more way to catch the spirit and pass it on is to think about where you might like honor a Minnesota Capitol for a Day. To help showcase communities across Minnesota and to embrace Minnesota’s vast environmental, geographic and cultural diversity, we are asking Minnesotans to nominate a Capitol for a Day. We are asking for nominations now and we will hold an online vote during this fall to help select the five communities to be showcased (along with the regions they represent) in the months ahead and during Statehood Week.

Capitols for a Day may be a small town, regional center, township, reservation, or an entire county so long as the opportunity is used to highlight that community and the region of the state. To determine regional boundaries for the five Capitols for a Day, the Sesquicentennial Commission will use the biomes of Minnesota as a guide. These are the natural areas still present today and very much present before European settlement:

One community to represent the coniferous forest zone of northeastern MN
One community to represent the deciduous forest zone, running diagonally northwest to southeast down the middle of Minnesota and includes some of the Twin Cities area.
One community to represent the prairie grasslands, running north/south on the western border of Minnesota, and includes some of the Twin Cities area.
One community to represent the tall grass aspen parklands of northwestern Minnesota
One community to represent the driftless area of southeastern Minnesota.

To nominate a community, you can go to our website at http://www.mn150years.org/capnomination.html or send us your name and contact information along with a 150 words or less essay on why your nominee should be selected. In this way, you, too, can “Catch the Spirit & Pass It On!”

--Jane Leonard, Executive Director.

Your Donation Matters

Making a contribution to the state Sesquicentennial Commission is easy and important. Your support of this historic state milestone will help make next year something to remember and create a legacy that lasts for generations to come.

Donations of any amount will help the Sesquicentennial act as a catalyst for programs and events across the state. Your tax-deductible contribution will make next year’s Statehood Weekend Festival and Expo a monumental statewide gathering. It will support the grants program bringing the Sesquicentennial spirit to communities across Minnesota. Donations will support our ongoing “Plan for Our Future” forums across the state. You will help make all of these events meaningful and successful.

Please pledge online at www.mn150years.org by clicking on “Make a Donation” in the right-hand column. Or mail donations to the Sesquicentennial office. Checks can be made to The Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to commemorate and celebrate everything that makes Minnesota special. Please pledge today.

Congrats to Grant Recipients & More to Come

The Sesquicentennial Grants Program is officially up and running and the responses are astounding. Over 100 grant applications have come in for the first two rounds of the program and they cut a wide swath across all of Minnesota. They indicate that Minnesotans have big plans for 2008 and they’re taking advantage of this seed money to help make those dreams come true. Last week, $73,000 was granted for 60 projects in 48 counties. Each grant was matched one-to-one by local funding or in-kind donations bringing the total investments thus far to over $150,000.

Stillwater The grant funds for the program, $325,000 in all, came from the State Legislature appropriation to the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission. The Legislature granted $725,000 total to the Commission to operate the Sesquicentennial. Grants funds take nearly half of that and the remainder will go to fund statewide Sesquicentennial initiatives.

The Commission divided the grants funding into two categories: Micro Grants and Legacy Grants. The Micro Grants of up to $1000 each are intended to help communities create events or projects that commemorate the 150th anniversary of statehood. The larger Legacy Grants (between $5000 and $7500) are intended to seed resources for enduring creations in the spirit of statehood. There will be at least one micro-grant available for projects in each county in Minnesota.

The first round of Micro Grants closed August 15th. After countless hours of reading and reviewing each application, the grant review team chose to award 60 grants covering 48 counties. The list of winners was released at a press conference in Stillwater on September 18th and is available on the Sesquicentennial website.

The creativity of Minnesota’s residents is evident in the wide array of projects and events for which they have requested grant funding. Requests include funds for a Sesquicentennial Calendar, various compositions and songs in both English and Spanish, local celebrations of town or county anniversaries, open houses, exhibitions, guest speakers, and preservation assistance for several historic places. The Sesquicentennial office received more than 60 grant applications and expects to receive a similar amount for the second round, due December 7th, 2007.

More than 40 Legacy Grants applications were sent in by the September 10th deadline. Proposals for these grants are just as varied and creative as those for the Micro Grants. Grant applications for the second round of Legacy Grants are due November 1st.

Parties interested in applying for the second round of the Micro or Legacy Grants should go to the Sesquicentennial’s website at www.mn150years.org where you’ll also find the list of the first round of grant winners. Questions can also be directed to info@mn150years.org or 651-296-1870.

Greetings from Minnesota! A Postcard Mosaic tribute to every county.

Greetings from Minnesota! is a public art piece in the form of a monumental travel postcard to commemorate the Minnesota Statehood sesquicentennial and leave a legacy for all Minnesotans to enjoy. It’s slated to become a permanent installation at the Minnesota State Fair in 2008.

Created in mosaic and handmade tile, this public art piece will be a collaboration of community members throughout Minnesota. We would like as many participants as possible to contribute their ideas. Imagery within the postcard will celebrate history, regional landmarks and myth, arts and culture, ways of life, and capture the spirit of Minnesota. Handmade county-specific tiles border the postcard, with design input from citizens in each of the 87 counties in Minnesota.

How You Can Get Involved:

Throughout the year, hands-on opportunities will be offered throughout the state, where community members can work on the piece. Work will take place in schools, community centers, senior centers, regional museums, in libraries and in conjunction with other events. There will be opportunities to submit designs for your county or work in a group on the mosaic!

Outcomes

This project will unite people from rural, suburban and urban communities through art by creating a beautiful piece celebrating things that define us across Minnesota. It will leave an enduring creation for people to enjoy well past the Sesquicentennial in a place all Minnesotans cherish, our great State Fair. Perhaps we can break some records for number of participants, largest postcard, or best dedication at the 2008 State Fair!

Who to Contact:

The Sesquicentennial Commission at info@mn150years.org or 651-296-1870 or Susan Warner, Lead Artist, Mississippi Mud Works, 2600 31st Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406. Phone: (612)-378-0907. Email muddworkz@gmail.com

What’s cooking at the Sesquicentennial?

Meatloaf, lefse, wild rice, banana bread, hotdish, hotdish and more hotdish – all are considered staples of the traditional Minnesotan diet. But as the state’s population has grown and diversified so too has its cuisine. As the state’s 150th birthday approaches, Minnesotans have the chance to reflect that diversity and celebrate all that connects us. What better way start that journey and connect us than with food?

In honor of the 150th year of statehood, the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission is seeking recipes for a cookbook highlighting the tastes of all Minnesotans. This cookbook will follow in the footstepsof an earlier publication; A Minnesota Centennial Cookbook – A Hundred Years of Good Cooking, published in 1958. For that book, Virginia Huck and Ann H Andersen compiled over 375 recipes, with all 87 counties across Minnesota represented.

The Sesquicentennial cookbook will have recipes of the past intertwined with the latest creations and countries of origin represented. There are many opportunities to become involved in celebrating and highlighting the rich history and current culinary creations found in the land of lefse and lakes.

If you are interested in helping organize the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Cookbook please e-mail Claire Plank at claire@mn150years.org. This is the perfect opportunity to be involved in the design, creation, funding and promotion of a lasting tribute to Minnesota. For the time being, the cookbook will be available via our website once it is complied. With help, funding and support we will be able to publish a printed version. If you would like to direct donations to that cause, please do so via our website at www.mn150years.org or mail donations to the address below.

Above all there is a need for recipes, and no – not just the world-famous hotdish. Dig through Grandma’s tattered recipe box, write down that concoction you’ve been making for years, or share a family favorite. Now is your chance to see what’s cooking across the state.

All recipes, food photos and questions can be e-mailed to cookbook@mn150years.org or sent directly to the Sesquicentennial Office at Sesquicentennial Cookbook, C/O James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55102. Please send copies of photos as we will not be able to return photos you send. Please call or email the office with any questions and visit our website to see what others are contributing.

Sesquicentennial on a Stick?

The Minnesota Sesquicentennial made a huge splash at the “Great Minnesota Get-Together” last month. From the deluxe booth donated by Skyline, to the curiously popular “Constitutions-on-a-stick,” and the thousands of visitors, Sesquicentennial commission members and staff were very pleased with their first big public appearance.

State Fair The Minnesota-based exhibit design company Skyline Displays designed, built and donated the spectacular booth the Sesqui-team used throughout the fair. The Skyline folks also set up the booth for the Sesquicentennial, and took it down at the end of the fair. The booth made a great first impression for the Sesquicentennial.

The Sesquicentennial booth had a prime location at the Fair, right on the corner of Dan Patch and Underwood. The central location on one of the Fair’s main thoroughfares made it easy for visitors to catch the Sesqui-booth. Sesqui-volunteers at the fair helped get the word out about Minnesota’s 150th anniversary coming up in 2008. They had daily giveaways including pins, t-shirts, pens, water bottles, and the creative “Constitution-on-a-stick”.

The Sesqui-booth also had a theme for each day— from Minnesota weather to Minnesota symbols and everything in between. Fair-goers were also able to write a message to the future in journals that will be archived at the Minnesota Historical Society. It was helpful for Sesquicentennial staff to hear from citizens how excited and enthused they arewith all the events taking place for the Sesquicentennial from now through the end of 2008.

The busiest day the Sesquicentennial fair booth was August 29th, Constitution Day. The Sesquicentennial crew helped celebrate the 150th birthday of the signing of the State Constitution with a full day of events. The Sesqui-crew started the morning by raising the U.S. flag, the Minnesota flag, and (for the first time ever) the Minnesota Sesquicentennial flag. A press conference followed shortly after with remarks by Executive Director Jane Leonard, Minnesota Historical Society Assistant Director Andrea Kajer, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and Supreme Court Justice Paul Anderson. The festivities continued throughout the day as the Commission presented the Constitution with a birthday cake and volunteers and staff in 1850s clothing participated in the Fair’s daily parade.

The Minnesota Sesquicentennial of course, could not have pulled off the fair without the help of over 100 volunteers. Many of the people involved with the Sesquicentennial “loaned out” their employees for the day to help work a shift or two. Family and friends helped too, staffing a booth 12 hours a day for the 12 days of the fair. The volunteers’ enthusiasm was contagious. One volunteer even came up with a Minnesota trivia game.

To see Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and Supreme Court Justice Paul Anderson’s speeches at the Fair on Constitution Day, visit http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_241150356.html.

Official Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Coordinating Mini-Conference
October 24, 2007 Roseville, Minnesota

If you are planning any activity, event, program, project or other efforts related to the upcoming Minnesota Sesquicentennial between now and the end of December, 2008, you are strongly encouraged to attend the official Sesquicentennial Coordinating Mini-Conference, on October 24, at the Roseville City Hall. There is no charge and refreshments are graciously being provided by the Roseville Visitors Association, host of one of the first official kick-off events for 2008, the Winter Jazz Blast.

There are two time slots available on October 24: from 10 a.m. to noon and then repeated from 1 to 3 p.m. Parking is free and directions to City Hall are at http://www.ci.roseville.mn.us/index.asp?nid=806.

If you cannot attend, you still must register your event, program, activity by using the form below.

The Sesquicentennial Commission is the official Statehood Sesquicentennial coordinating body, created by the State Legislature and appointed by the Legislature and Governor to plan statewide activities and coordinate with other entities all activities to commemorate and celebrate Minnesota’s Sesquicentennial in 2008.

To help the Commission fulfill this duty and fully report to the Governor and Legislature all of the activities undertaken in the months ahead, we need to find out what everyone is planning and help coordinate these activities across the state and across the months ahead..

There are many events, programs, and activities relating to Minnesota’s Statehood Sesquicentennial either in development or being planned by organizations across Minnesota, from state agencies and local government to non-profit organizations, businesses and educational institutions.

Participants at the Sesquicentennial Mini-Conference will be able to network with other participants and will receive a briefing on Commission Sesquicentennial plans thus far – including grant winners, commemorative stamp plans, Statehood Week activities and Capitol for a Day plans, and the ongoing Plan for Our Future meetings across Minnesota. You will also be able to confer with the official street graphics, merchandise, and commemoratives providers.

Please RSVP to Karen Rickert at 651-296-1870 or karen@mn150years.org. You can also use the registration form below to both register your Sesquicentennial activity with the Commission and let us know you can or cannot attend the Coordinating Mini-Conference.

Official Sesquicentennial Event, Project, or Activity
Registration Form

To help the Commission fulfill this duty and fully report to the Governor and Legislature all of the activities being undertaken in the months ahead, please register your event, project or activity with the Commission, using this form below.

This form will register your Sesquicentennial event, project, program, activity, etc., with the Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission.

Registration will make it possible for your activity to be on the event calendar and on the list of monthly Sesquicentennial programs, events, projects and activities. We can help you find out if others are doing the same thing you are planning and you can work together.

Being a part of the official listing also allows you to use the official logo for public, non-profit purposes.

The Commission will also help you promote your activity through the Commission's publicity channels, and your activity will also be included in the Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission Final Report to the State Legislature and Governor.

SESQUICENTENNIAL PARTNER ACTIVITY REGISTRATION FORM

(You can complete this form online or download a Word version to send in.)

Name of event, activity, project, program:__________________________________________

We are planning on attending the Coordinating Conference on October 24 [ ] yes [ ] no

Summary of event, activity, project, program:
(Please include the following if applicable)

Brief description
How many people do you expect to attend?
Is this a new event created for the 2008 Sesquicentennial?
How will you publicize your event?
Will there be an admission fee or ticket sales? If so, how much?
Are reservations needed to attend the event?
Attach copies of any promotional materials you have.
Anything else you’d like to share with us.

Sponsors, if any:

Where it will take place:

Date it begins: Date it ends:

Do you have a Sesquicentennial Grant award for this effort?

Does the activity involve any of the Sesquicentennial themes? Please check any or all that apply.

[    ] Arts & Culture         [    ] Health & Wellness
[    ] Education        [   ] Innovation
[    ] The Great Outdoors & Natural Resources

Other__________________________

Name of contact person:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Website of event and/or host organization:

Can we link to your website? [ ] yes [ ] no

Will you link to the Sesquicentennial website? [ ] yes [ ] no

You can fill out this form and fax it (to 651-297-1087) or mail it to the Commission (at Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission, James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55102) or email to info@mn150years.org or go to the website at www.mn150years.org and fill out the online form. Call 651-296-1870 if you have questions.

Image credits: The photos are (1) Executive Director Jane Leonard announcing the winners of the grants in Stillwater, (2) Tane Danger and Shauna Connelly in the state fair booth, and (3) fourth graders from the Stillwater event. Claire Plank took the pictures from Stillwater. The photo from the fair was taken by Jeff Hoffman.