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About Nokomis Square: Community Spirit

Senior Housing Cooperative, South Minneapolis, MN

While the business affairs of Nokomis Square Cooperative are managed by a professional management company, the NSC lifestyle encourages independence and member involvement. At NSC, members really are responsible for the day-to-day life at the building. There is a place for you to participate.

As a member of Nokomis Square Cooperative, you choose your own level and area of participation. Members plan monthly entertainment, holiday parties and learning experiences. Coffee groups, card and game playing are also regular activities. If you like to write, you can join the newsletter committee. Members plan and maintain the garden, advise the dining room and kitchen staff , welcome new members, archive building and membership information, assist the marketing department, orient newcomers, recycle and sell greeting cards, and organize fundraising events. The Workshop and Library are both managed by members.

Day by Day

Residents looking for leisure activities have no trouble finding other Nokomis Square Cooperative members to share their interests. Among the ongoing activities avid readers will find a book club, a children’s literature group, and regular poetry gatherings, and the library is always open.

Game players have a myriad of choices from bingo nights, mahjong, and endless card games. Scrapbookers can utilize the craft room for ample table space and a quiet environment to organize their memories.

The Busy Hands group meets weekly for knitting, crocheting, and lots of laughter. If there is something you enjoy find a neighbor and start your own group.

There are also organized opportunities just to enjoy and socialize with your neighbors. Pot luck dinners, summer cookouts, happy hours, a men’s group coffee, and afternoon Cookies & Conversation are all options. Once a month evening entertainment is provided by a outside performers. And once a month lectures/learning experiences are offered by outside guests with a variety of interests. There are also regular group excursions to art museums, theaters concerts, ball games and other events.

Moving becomes crucial as we age and Nokomis Square Cooperative offers several options for maintaining balance, strength, and range of motion. In addition to the the exercise room, open 24/7, there are movement classes throughout the week. Every weekday morning gentle exercise classes accommodate residents at every fitness level. These classes also available on the in-house closed-circuit television for residents who prefer to participate from their own apartments. Qi Gong & Tai Ji Quan and Moving for Better Balance (TJQMBB) classes are available several times a week and vary season by season.

In the summer, residents head outside for gardening, a weekly cornhole toss game, or just a stroll around the neighborhood. For those who want a longer walk or a bicycle ride, Minnehaha Falls Regional Park and Lake Nokomis are close by.

In addition to organizing events and activities for members of Nokomis Square Cooperative, many residents also contribute to projects that have a wider reach in our community.  The Knotters Project volunteers meet regularly to make blankets that are donated to the VA hospital and to charities throughout the Twin Cities. Residents donate to a monthly collection drive for Minnehaha Food Shelf gathering cereals, soups, juices, and personal items throughout the year to help meet the needs of area neighbors. Opportunities for involvement with the Nokomis East Neighborhood Association, Nokomis Healthy Seniors, or in area schools are also available.

Nokomis Square Cooperative boasts a wide range of artistic talent among its members. Writers, poets, quilters, woodturners, photographers, painters and more can be counted as neighbors and we do our best to showcase their skills. Author readings and poetry nights are open to all. A large display area facing the atrium is updated monthly and is often used to highlight the work of NSC residents.