Hawk Ridge Park Neighborhood Ice Cream Social
2026-06-25 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | Hawk Ridge Park, 18001 Verdin St. NW, Andover, Minnesota, 55304
Join your neighbors for an old-fashioned Neighborhood Ice Cream Social and a chance to meet the local candidates who will be on the ballot this fall! These casual gatherings are a great opportunity to enjoy a sweet treat, connect with others, and have friendly conversations with the people seeking to represent us. Whether you already follow local issues closely or simple want to become more informed, we hope you’ll stop by, ask questions, and get to know your neighbors and candidates in a relaxed, welcoming setting. All are welcome and its FREE!

Prairie Knoll Neighborhood Ice Cream Social
2026-06-23 17:30 - 19:30 | Prairie Knoll Park, 14800 Prairie Road NW, Andover, Minnesota, 55304

DFL Coffee Break - Andover
2026-06-20 08:30 - 11:00 | Starbucks inside Andover’s Target, 2000 Bunker Lake Blvd NW, Andover, 55304, United States
The DFL Neighborhood Network hosts a coffee break every Saturday at Starbucks in the Andover’s Target from 8:30am-11:00am for DFLers looking for politically compatible company. We just get together, talk over events, relax, and get re-energized to face another week. Drop in, stay as long as you like, and see what we are all about. Charlie is usually there.

Upcoming Events

Jun

27

8:30 am – 11:00 am

DFL Coffee Break – Andover

Jun

27

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

DFL Coffee Break – Ramsey

Jul

11

8:30 am – 11:00 am

DFL Coffee Break – Andover

View Calendar

Doug Chapin Meet & Greet
2026-06-19 16:30 - 19:00 | The Home of Alison Sill, 1117 142nd Avenue NE, Ham Lake, Minnesota, 55304, United States
Please join the Neighborhood Network folks at this event in support of Doug Chapin! Doug is working for real solutions to the challenges our neighbors face and priorities that put Minnesota families first.

RSVP to Alyssa Helgason: Alyssa@ChapinforCongress.com

DFL Coffee Break - Ramsey
2026-06-13 10:00 - 12:00 | Coborn’s Eating Area, 7900 Sunwood Dr NW, Ramsey, MN, 55303, United States
The DFL Neighborhood Network hosts a coffee break on the second and fourth Saturday of the month at the eating area inside Coborn’s in Ramsey from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm for DFLers looking for politically compatible company. We just get together, talk over events, relax, and get re-energized to face the world for another week. Drop in, stay as long as you like, and see what we are all about. Betty is usually there.

Local Leaders Network
2026-05-28 18:15 - 19:15 | Minnesota
Connect with your community, learn how to get involved, and be part of the movement for local change.

Community involvement in our local, state, and national politics is more important now than ever. We are the future; we must engage and take charge to ensure it is the type of future we want to see for ourselves, our loved ones, and future generations.

Real change begins at the local level. It may not always feel urgent, but getting involved in your city, county, and school board elections is essential to shaping the future of our communities.

The Neighborhood Network is excited to welcome new and younger leaders to get involved, on their own terms. Whether you’re ready to dive in or just curious to learn more, we invite you to join our monthly virtual calls where we’ll share who we are, what we’re working toward, and how you can take part in ways that feel right for you.

Monthly Calls

Whether you’re just curious or ready to jump in, we’d love to connect!

Join us on Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/jvq-yjef-wug

New Date: Thursday, May 28 at 6:15 pm.

Candidate Meet & Greet
2026-05-27 18:30 - 20:00 | Pappy’s Cafe, 13827 Round Lake Boulevard, Andover, Minnesota, 55304
Join the Neighborhood Networkers for a fun evening of great conversations and appetizers. This is a great opportunity to meet your local candidates – Jenny Geisler for Anoka County Commissioner District 4 and Senate District 31 hopeful Gadisa Berkessa. Come and share your thoughts!

Neighborhood Network Coordinators Meeting
2026-04-24 18:00 - 21:00 | 10K Brewing, 2005 2nd Ave, Anoka, MN 55303, USA, 2005 2nd Ave, Anoka, Minnesota, 55303, United States
All our Neighborhood Networkers are gathering to celebrate the end of Winter and kick off the Summer election season. We will be hearing from Doug Chapin for Congress and other Senate District 31 DFL VIP’s. Seating is limited. Check in with your Neighborhood Network Leader to reserve a seat.

Ham Lake Happy Hour
2026-04-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota

Republicans Are Closing Your Clinic: Rally to Fight Back
2025-11-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Mercy Park, 3950 115th Avenue NW, Coon Rapids, Minnesota, 55433, United States
Join us for a rally to let our community know we will not sit idly by While Congress drives up health insurance premiums. We will meet on the sidewalk outside Mercy Hospital.

Bring your own signs to show how harmful Republican votes in Congress are to our community. Also bring your friends and family!

We’ll follow up with more specific details about where to park and where to meet.

All participants are expected to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree.

ELECTION DAY - VOTE!
2025-11-04 08:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota
Where to vote: Pollfinder.sos.mn.gov

Emergency Protest Tonight at the Coon Rapids Civic Center
2025-10-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota
EMERGENCY POP-UP PROTEST TONIGHT – Tuesday, 10/28

WHAT: protest AGAINST dark money/FOR social studies as a necessity in education

WHERE: Coon Rapids Civic Center, 1387 111th Ave NW, Coon Rapids, MN

WHEN: Please plan on being there by 6:15 PM with the protest starting at 6:30 PM

PARKING: Park in the Civic Center parking lot & look for the people with signs!

Background:

The Parents Alliance, the group backing A-H school board candidates Audette, Strabala, and Coan have received an large donation of $157,000. This money has been traced back to the Center for the American Experiment, the Heritage Foundation, and ALEC, whose written mission statement is to destroy public education and replace it with voucher systems for private schools.

The Parents Alliance and their backers are having a speaker at the Coon Rapids Civic Center tonight at 7PM. The speaker is employed by the Center for the American Experiment and formerly by the Heritage Foundation, which are extreme right wing think tanks/lobbyists. This speaker will be speaking AGAINST social studies/ethnic studies in Anoka Hennepin schools!

Background – AH Board members Audette, Arco, and Hoekman have blocked the adoption of new social studies as required by the MN state curriculum standards. This raises the concern about Anoka Hennepin students being able to graduate as they would not meet the MN graduation standards.

This donation of $157K is a blatant attempt to buy the largest school district in MN. We cannot let them win!

The media will be there so it’s important to have a large group protesting!

Sign Ideas:

OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT FOR SALE

DON’T WHITEWASH HISTORY

A-H BOARD MUST FOLLOW STATE GUIDELINES

SOCIAL STUDIES ARE IMPORTANT

Public Schools are for the Public Good

Public Schools serve ALL students

ALL STUDENTS WELCOME

ETHNIC STUDIES ARE AMERICAN STUDIES

FUND OUR SCHOOLS

KEEP PUBLIC SCHOOLS PUBLIC

We are the Grassroots!

Keep school board funding local!

New Leaders Meeting
2025-10-28 17:30 - 19:00 | Minnesota
Connect with your community, learn how to get involved, and be part of the movement for local change.

Community involvement in our local, state, and national politics is more important now than ever. We are the future; we must engage and take charge to ensure it is the type of future we want to see for ourselves, our loved ones, and future generations.

Real change begins at the local level. It may not always feel urgent, but getting involved in your city, county, and school board elections is essential to shaping the future of our communities.

The Neighborhood Network is excited to welcome new and younger leaders to get involved, on their own terms. Whether you’re ready to dive in or just curious to learn more, we invite you to join our monthly virtual calls where we’ll share who we are, what we’re working toward, and how you can take part in ways that feel right for you.

Monthly Calls

Whether you’re just curious or ready to jump in, we’d love to connect!

—> October 28 we will have an in-person meeting instead of virtual. The meeting will be at the Acapulco Restaurant, 7988 Sunwood Dr NW, Ramsey, MN. We meet at 5:30 and at 7pm for those who are interested we will go down the street and attend the City Council meeting. We are just attending and observing no formal questions as of yet. <—

Every fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 PM. Join us on Google Meet: https://calendar.app.google/MoSWL117TZgmGm4n9

‘NO KINGS’ RALLY - ANOKA
2025-10-18 10:30 - 12:00 | Minnesota
About this event

In America, we don’t put up with would-be kings.

Our peaceful movement is only getting bigger and stronger. “NO KINGS” is more than just a slogan—it’s the foundation our nation was built upon. Born in the streets, carried by millions in chants and on posters, it echoes from city blocks to rural town squares, uniting people across this country to fight dictatorship together.

The president thinks his rule is absolute. But in America, we don’t have kings, and we won’t back down against chaos, corruption, and cruelty. Grow our movement and join us.

A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events.

Location: Main Street Anoka, 325 East Main St. Anoka, Minnesota 55303

Abbey Payeur Book Fair
2025-09-28 12:00 - 18:00 | Book Fair, 12261 Isanti Ct. NE, Blaine, Minnesota, 55449, United States
Meet Abbey and choose from hundreds of free, gently used books for kids and adults. Then make an optional donation to Abbey Payeur for Anoka-Hennepin School Board.

Book donations accepted at DFL Saturday Morning Coffee every Saturday from 8:30am to 11:00am at Starbucks inside Andover’s Target. Donated books are also accepted at 16381 Inca St. NW, Andover. (Leave them on the porch if no one is home.)

Donated books can also be dropped at 12261 Isanti Ct. NE, Blaine where the Book Fair will be held.

Join Us @ 2025 Ramsey Happy Days!
2025-09-06 09:00 - 12:00 | Ramsey Happy Days, 7555 Sunwood Dr NW, Ramsey, Minnesota, 55303
Want to meet others AND have a good time? Summer is a time for fairs and community days and SD31 is looking for interested persons to participate. Here is your chance to meet neighbors and make new friends. Do your part to build a joyful, strong community where all belong!

Volunteers are needed to staff our booth and/or march in the parade on September 6th. Bring a friend (or two) to join in on the fun!

Parade line up starts @ 10:00 am but please be there by 10:30 for 11:00 am parade start. Please come; would like as many marchers as possible!

Sign up HERE today for volunteering at our booth and/or the parade.

More festival information can be found on the Ramsey Happy Days website.

Children's Book Fundraiser for Abbey!
2025-08-24 15:00 - 19:00 | Minnesota

Ice Cream Social with Lawn Games
2025-08-17 17:30 - 19:30 | Minnesota

DFL North Metro Regional Picnic & Auction
2025-08-12 17:00 - 19:00 | Long Lake Regional Park, 1500 Old Highway 8, New Brighton, 55112
Come to Long Lake Regional Park and enjoy a fun evening of food, beverages, a large silent auction and great speakers, not to mention hanging out with the best DFL activists in the state! You are sure to enjoy this family-friendly event!

Tonight: Anoka Hennepin School Board Work Session
2025-08-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Sandburg Educational Center, 1902 2nd Ave, Anoka, Minnesota
Topic: Curriculum Development

Several teacher union members will be presenting at the school board work session. These teachers will be presenting about the curriculum development work they have done this summer.Over the last year, several school board members have questioned the work and expertise of teachers developing curriculum to support student learning under Minnesota’s academic standards. At this time, it is uncertain the type of questioning our fellow educators will face from board members about their work. Ultimately, the work of interpreting state standards that writing teams complete impacts teachers and students across the district. This work is best completed by those most directly responsible for instruction with students.

This is a work session, so there will not be a time for public comment. Attendees would be audience members and observers.

Please consider attending the work session if you are able.

Abbey Payeur Reading Book Fundraiser
2025-07-30 09:00 - 18:00 | Reading Book Fundraiser, 14001 Silverod St NW, Andover, MN, 55304, United States
Meet Abbey and choose from hundreds of free, gently used books for kids and adults. Then make an optional donation to Abbey Payeur for Anoka-Hennepin School Board.

Book donations accepted at DFL Saturday Morning Coffee every Saturday from 8:30am to 11:00am at Starbucks inside Andover’s Target. Donated books are also accepted at 16381 Inca St. NW, Andover. (Leave them on the porch if no one is home.)

Event Location

Join Us @ the 2025 Isanti County Fair!
2025-07-20 10:00 - 19:00 | Isanti County Fairgrounds, 3101 MN-95, Cambridge, Minnesota, 55008
Want to meet others AND have a good time? SD31 is partnering with SD28 to work their booth on the last day of the fair. Here is your chance to meet neighbors and make new friends! Help do your part to build a joyful, strong community where all belong.

Volunteer and bring a friend if you like! Don’t miss out on a chance to make a difference in your community. Sign up HERE today!

More information can be found on the Isanti County Fair website.

Join Us @ the 2025 East Bethel Booster Day!
2025-07-19 10:00 - 17:00 | Booster Park West, 22266 Palisade St. NE, East Bethel, Minnesota, 55011
Bring a friend (or two) and march with us! Sign up HERE to join in the fun! Parade line up starts @ 3:00 pm but please be there by 3:30 pm for 4:00 pm parade start. Bring a friend (or two) to join in on the fun!

Volunteers are needed to staff our booth also.

Don’t miss out on a chance to meet new friends and give back to your community.

More information can be found on the East Bethel Booster Days website.

Join Us @ the 2025 Andover Family Fun Fest!
2025-07-11 12:00 - 2025-07-12 12:00 | Andover MN City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Blvd NW, Andover, Minnesota, 55304
July 11 – 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm & July 12 – 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm

SD31 is looking for interested persons to staff a fair booth. What a great opportunity to meet neighbors and make new friends! Do your part to build a joyful, strong community where all belong.

Volunteer and bring a friend if you like! Don’t miss out on a chance to make a difference in your community. Sign up HERE today to help staff the booth on either July 11 and/or July 12th!

More information about the event can be found on the City of Andover website.

Join Us @ the 2025 Coon Rapids Parade!
2025-07-02 17:30 - 19:30 | Venue to be determined
The Coon Rapids 4th of July Celebration includes a parade on July 2nd. SD31 is partnering with our friends in SD35 to march in the parade.

Line up starts @ 4:00 pm but please be there by 5:30 pm for 6:00 pm parade start.

Volunteer to march; bring a friend if you like! Don’t miss out on a chance to make a difference in your community. Sign up HERE today!

A map will be sent to volunteers prior to the event to help with parking and line up info.

More celebration information can be found on the City of Coon Rapids website.

Volunteer @ 2025 Ham Lake Freedom Festival!
2025-06-28 15:00 - 23:00 | Ham Lake Lions Park, 1220 157th Ave NE, Ham Lake, Minnesota
Want to meet others AND have a good time? Summer is a time for fairs and community days and SD31 is looking for interested persons to participate. Here is your chance to meet neighbors and make new friends. Do your part to build a joyful, strong community where all belong.

SD31 is sponsoring a booth at the Ham Lake Freedom Festival. Volunteer to pick up a shift (or two?) at the event; bring a friend if you like!

Don’t miss out on a chance to make a difference in your community. Sign up HERE for a shift today!

Neighborhood Coordinators Meeting
2025-06-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota
This is a Neighborhood Network Coordinators meeting for Andover 31B and Ham Lake. That’s Andover P-,6,7 and 8. and Ham Lake P-1, 3. Contact your Precinct Leader or Community Leader for the location or refer to your emailed invitation.

Neighborhood Coordinators Meeting
2025-06-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Minnesota
This is a Neighborhood Network Coordinators meeting for Andover 31A. That’s Andover P-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Contact your Precinct Leader or Community Leader for the location or refer to your emailed invitation.

A-H School Board Show Up (Work Session)
2025-06-09 17:30 - 20:30 | Educational Services Center, 2727 North Ferry St., Anoka, Minnesota, 55303
The students and faculty of our school districts need our continued support as the right-wing faction seeks to undo years of progress and stop anything related to equity or teaching history honestly without whitewashing.

Work Sessions allow for observation only – but we need people to watch what is happening! Major decisions are often made in these meetings without a written record.

Work Sessions are not in the same location as regular School Board meetings.

A-H School Board Show Up
2025-05-26 18:30 - 21:00 | Sandburg Educational Center, 1902 2nd Ave, Anoka, Minnesota
There is an urgent need for people to attend the next few A-H School Board Meetings, because crucial curriculum decisions are being made, and public input is needed. Otherwise the 3 radical right board members will derail years of good work and place major burdens on teachers and admin– to try to take our schools “back” to a time before we cared about diversity or equity or inclusion. And before we knew the power of hands-on learning. Below is info about upcoming meetings, and then more background about what is happening. Please try to show up to be in the room to let the board know people do not support the radical right program to undermine our schools!

Please add the 3 upcoming public school board meetings to your calendar. Sign up at the start of the meeting if you want to speak. Written comments are very welcome as well. We need representation in the room as well as public comments:

Here is a link for communicating with the school board— even if you cannot attend, send a message to the Board.

Ideas to speak about:

Ask the board to listen to the experts in the room (teachers and curriculum experts) to adopt critical high school curricula and text.

Point out research papers that show direct instruction on its own without hands on application does not stimulate critical thinking skills.

Express your concern that this will disadvantage our students when they take ACTs/SAT and in college education.

Express concern that we will lose staff due to this chaos created by these demands

What is at stake:

At the last work session they decided not to move forward with key curriculum pieces including an update to very outdated physics curriculum because they felt the new curriculum had too much hands-on experiential learning and not enough direct instruction (teachers standing in the front talking at students)!

Experiential learning is research-based as to how students learn best. The reasons for not adopting new social studies/history curriculum is probably obvious- they think it’s too “DEI”. Not adopting a new curriculum is one thing– but they are also ending the social skills curriculum that the district has been using for years called Character Strong. Instead they want the district to create their own (a social skills curriculum is required by state law or they would likely select none). The current curriculum has been embraced by students & staff alike. It’s easy to understand and it works. To ask the district during a time of deep budget cuts to create, train, and implement a whole new curriculum when we have a great one is fiscally irresponsible. The radical right board members seem to think (despite proof to the contrary) that the current curriculum has parts that relate to “equity” (thay have made caring for others a dirty word now!). The CEO of the company that created it wrote a letter saying that DEI is not even a focus of the curriculum.

Here’s what the K-5 curriculum is- Courage, Respect, Perseverance, Gratitude, Empathy, Responsibility, Honesty, Cooperation, Creativity. Each month of the school year focuses on one of these 9 words. How are these bad things to be teaching our kids? In our schools, kids are getting it & using these words on their own unprompted. Teachers report hearing 2nd grade students compliment each other on having good perseverance during a gym game or suggest using their creativity to solve a problem. But the radical right members seem to want to throw this all out in the name of going back to some fabled past– and maybe also in subservience to a national political ethic that represents the opposite of all of these values…

More Background…

Teachers and curriculum specialists spent significant hours and months working hard to research and pilot curricula for ELA (elementary), Science (Biology, Physics, AP Psychology), Social Studies, and SEL. 3 of the 6 school board members (Arco, Audette, Hoekman) did not accept the expert (teacher and curriculum review committee’s) recommendations for Social Studies, Biology, Physics, and Social Studies. Their rationale for refusing the recommendation was based on their personal ideology (for Social Studies) and the belief that direct teaching is better over phenomenon based teaching materials (for Science). They want our already burdened teachers to go back and re-review additional materials and pull this off in a short time.This comes at a time when the district is short of $ 6M funds and teachers lack support due to staffing cuts. These 3 board members do not want to compromise based on their statements made in the April 14 work session (not recorded) and additional meetings held with teachers later that week, instead blaming the other members who are standing firmly to promote critical thinking and competitive advantage for our students.

Thanks for any effort you can make to help protect our schools!
