"We're doing community as best as we can."

ST PAUL, Minn. — Neighbors on a block in St. Paul are responsibly exercising their right to remain connected.

Standing in chalked circles, 10 feet apart, residents of the Mac Groveland neighborhood have been gathering for nightly calisthenics.

“Every day there are more and more neighbors, I don’t know where they’re coming from,” Momo Hayakawa Koenigs, who leads the exercises, says.

Momo grew up doing Japan’s legendary daily national exercises – and introduced the tradition to her neighbors.

The gatherings also give neighbors a change to bond over toilet paper and celebrate birthdays.

“We’re not created to be in isolation,” Kim Kokx said. “We’re created to be in community. So, we’re doing community as best we can.”

The state of Minnesota has set up a hotline for general questions about coronavirus at 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903, available 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.