Upcoming Monthly Men’s Sunday Brunches (bring something to share/cook up): Sunday, April 16th at Andy Mickel’s, 106 SE Arthur Ave, Minneapolis, 55414, 612-331-8396. (in Prospect Park off University Ave near I-94 and 280). May 21st at Rick Gravrok’s, 2925 Monterey Ave S, St. Louis Park, 55416 952-926-6655. w/ Mark Soderberg (on the west side of Lake Calhoun, off Lake St.). These brunches are open to all men from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m; plan to come and chat and eat for a 1/2-hour to 2-hour period anytime – inevitably some men stay on until 2 p.m. 12 men attended December’s Men’s Brunch at the Rick Gravrok’s and 11 were at January’s Brunch at Frank Brandon’s in St. Paul. — Andy Mickel, 2006-03-05.

The next ManKind Project-Minnesota New Warrior Training Adventure will be held April 28-30 at Eagle Lake Camp near Brainerd, MN. The cost is $595, with payment plans available. To learn more, attend an Open Circle event: Observe, Ask Questions (or Participate if you like) in a safe container with a group of men who are practicing authenticity and connection to feeling at Open Circle of Warriors events at the Men’s Center every 2nd Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. Contact Andy Mickel with any questions 612-279-6416 or see: <http://minnesota.mkp.org/> for Open I-Group dates/times. Register with Eric Lucas, 20388 Idaho Avenue, Lakeville, MN 55044, 952-469-6497, <welucas4@frontiernet.net> — Andy Mickel, 2006-03-04.

Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota (PCAMN) is pleased to announce the fifth annual Minnesota Conference on Child Abuse Prevention, April 27, 2006 in St. Paul. Workshop presentations are in six tracks: Parent Leadership, Early Care and Education, Advocacy and Systems Change, Health and Wellness, Family Violence and Abuse and Neglect Prevention Strategies. One hour will be allocated for each workshop. Registration is $90 before April 3; $110 after; $25 for fill-time students. FFI: <http://www.pcamn.org/>

Call 651-523-0099 or 800-621-6322 to register. — Paul Masiarchin, State Coordinator, Minnesota Fathers & Families Network, 2005-11-14.

The 32nd Conference on the Great Mother and New Father will be held June 3 - June 11 at Camp Kieve, Nobleboro, Maine. Guest teacher is Robert Sardello who will describe two streams coming toward us, the stream we receive from the past and the stream of Sophia coming to us from the future. Among the Teachers and Artists this year are: Reza Derakshani, Carl Big Heart, Gioia Timpanelli, Dog von Koss, Caroline Casey, David Whetstone, Ruth Bly, Marcus Wise, Daniel Deardorff, Coleman Barks, Galway Kinnell and Robert Bly. FFI: PDF of brochure at <http://www.greatmotherconferernce.com/>; <register@greatmotherconference.com>, 845-677-8559. — Mark Stanley, 2006-02-14.

The inaugural issue of GRIP - Gender Relations in Progress - Envisioning Real Equality Together was published, Winter, 2006 Issue #70, 64 pp. (succeeding Everyman Journal). Articles include: Gender Leadership: GRIP interview with Maureen Geddes, The 5-hour Man-Woman Communication Experiment, A Workshop Breathes New Life into a Relationship, Is Marriage Obsolete? Accountability in Relationship and more. FFI: <http://www.gripmagazine.org/>, 1-800-217-6730, <david@gripmagazine.org> — David Shakleton, 2006-02-06.

The Men’s Center in the News: “Stopping Sexual Violence – Beyond Lock ‘em up” Wow. An editorial that mentions both the dramatically lower recidivism rates for sex offenders than for the general criminal population, and that sex offenders often have concomitant addictive disorders that contribute to their behavior (“Pawlenty’s prisons / Must safety be costly?” Feb. 2)! Outpatient sex-offender treatment does, in fact, work. And don’t forget the importance of community-based, volunteer-facilitated support groups such as “Choosing Healthy Sexual Boundaries,” TCMC, Uptown, Minneapolis. These groups can help men gain skills that may help them avoid entering or re-entering the prison system. A valuable, safe, humane alternative to “casting a wider net” and then “locking them up for life.” — Tommy Jones in the Star Tribune, February 5, 2006.