This week at Rotary
Club 25's Weekly Meeting
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Lunch Buffet Menu
House Salad
Meatballs w/ Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Seasonal Veg
Dinner Rolls
Doors Open 11:30AM
12:00 PM START
At
Kitchi Gammi Club
This week’s speakers
Linnea Smith
Medical Director, Clinica Yanamono - The Amazon
Medical Practice in the Amazon Rainforest
The story of a small medical clinic in the Peruvian Amazon, built by Rotary Club of Duluth
Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
by Darlene Anderson
Rotarians were able to gather once again at the Kitchi Gammi Club of Duluth after missing last week's meeting due to the blizzard. All were warmly welcomed by President Zach Walters as he noted that Thursday is his favorite day of the week because we meet together. He also took a moment to thank President-Elect Dan Maki for filling in for him for a couple of weeks as he recovered from his broken shoulder.
President Zach Walters
The Reflection for the Day was by Vinod Gupta, focusing our attention on the importance of giving. We have opportunities each day to volunteer our time, share advice, sympathize with another, encourage or share knowledge. Take advantage of each one – you never know what light you might shine on another's life.
Vinod Gupta
President Zach Walters asked club members to help with a “Closing Office Party”. The office is no longer being used as it was in the past and so the board has decided that a committee should be formed to plan for its closure. A controlled climate storage unit has been located but help is needed to sort through the years' worth of records and materials. If you would like to assist in this project, please let him know.
This fall, our club will be welcoming a youth exchange student, and Andy Thielen, as our Youth Exchange Officer, is looking for host families. He has had interest from a couple of families, but it is best if three families in the same school district host the student for three months each. To date, there is one family from Hermantown and one from East who would participate. If you are willing to host or know someone who would, let Andy Thielen know. That will greatly assist him in deciding which high school to enroll the exchange student in and in coordinating scheduling for the host families.
Club 25 Youth Exchange Officer Andy Thielen
Kicking the Golden Can: Allen Anway congratulated President-Elect Dan Maki on completing the Birkebeiner ski race. Sheryl Homan added $100 to the can as she thanked her clients who helped her win a sales award from Edina Realty. She also noted that she spent time last week with a young man from Amsterdam who she knows through the Rotary Youth Exchange Program and that being an exchange student herself has greatly impacted her life.
Allen Anway
Sheryl Homan
Chair of the Day, President Elect Dan Maki, introduced two Denfeld High School students who participate in the Denfeld Robotic team DNA4009 (Denfeld Nation Automation 4009). Piper Hamilton is the Team Captain, and Trevor Engstrom is the Business Captain. The first Robotic Team at Denfeld was organized in 1989, and now they have programs at three levels. The Lego League is for elementary students. Tech Challenge focuses on small robotics and is for grades 7-12. DNA4009 is a varsity-level FIRST Robotics Competition team with large robots.
Our guest speakers: (R to L) Piper Hamilton, Team Captain and Trevor Engstrom, Business Captain.
The 2026 season kicked off in early January with a 6-week period in which they design, build and practice with their robot before the competition season begins in March. They work in sub-teams with each smaller group focusing on a certain area of the build such as the design team or the business team. Competition begins with the Lake Superior Regional on March 4-7 at the DECC. There they work in cooperation with other teams as well as competing against those same teams. They also seek to qualify for higher levels of competition including 10,000 Lakes Regional Meet in Minneapolis March 25-29 and perhaps even the national competition or world competition to be held in Houston, Texas this year.
As they work together and compete, they seek to educate and inspire students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). They also seek to build confidence and leadership skills and project management skills. This year there are 32 members supported by their adult mentors.
To learn more about the program: denfeldrobotics4009.org or on Facebook Denfeld Nation Automation 4009.
Rotary of Duluth History
By Jerry Thoreson
Friday, February 27, was Rotary's 121st Birthday! Below is the Facebook post from Club 25's page on Friday. Follow Club 25 on Facebook and Instagram @duluthrotary
