This week at Rotary
Thursday, November 6, 2025
Lunch Buffet
Doors Open 11:30AM
12:00 PM START
At
Kitchi Gammi Club
This week’s speaker
Nathan Bentley
Founder of Bentlyville
Bentleyville: 22 years and going strong!
The 2025 season marks the 22nd year of Bentleyville “Tour of Lights”. 17 years have been located Bayfront Festival Park, and the first 5 years were at Mr. Bentley’s homes in Esko and Cloquet, MN. Bentleyville has grown from a two-month hobby into a year-round operation, becoming one of Minnesota’s largest events. Nathan Bentley is involved in every decision, working setup days, attending meetings, and being present every night from lights on to lights off. You’ll often spot him strolling the park in his red staff coat and ‘Mayor Bentley’ cap
Bentley’s is from Esko and Cloquet, MN.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
Duluth Life House Thanksgiving Dinner
Volunteers are still needed for food donations, serving and clean up on Tuesday, November 25
Contact Dan Dock to volunteer – dandockdc@aol.com or 218-724-7801
Salvation Army Bell Ringing
December 5 and December 19 from 11:00am – 1:00pm
Bell ringing will take place at five Super One Stores, Lakeside, Plaza, Kenwood, Miller Mall and West Duluth.
Contact Jerry Pelofske to volunteer – pelof@aol.com or 218-879-7416
Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
By Darlene Anderson
With a ring of the Rotary bell President Zach Walters gained the attention of Rotarians and guests for our weekly meeting with the theme of honoring our Veterans. Appropriately, he asked all to stand to recite the “Pledge of Allegiance” and “Four Way Test”.
The Reflection for the Day was brought by Past-President Al Makynen who had attended the Rotary International Convention in Bangkok in 2012. It was there that he heard a presentation on Rotary's Area of Focus – Peace and Conflict Resolution – and the work of Peace Scholars. The convention speaker described the desperate situation in a huge refugee camp that was out of control. No countries or organizations were allowed to mediate between the factions except for Rotary International. It was then that Al realized that Rotary was something much bigger than he ever imagined. Hopefully, someday with the assistance of Rotary Peace Scholars, we no longer use the words: Conflict, Police Action, Civil War or World War.
Past President and Globetrotter Al Makynen with President Zach Walters nearby
President Zach Walters introduced today's guests and then asked for Self-Reports. Kicking the Golden Can was Bob Reichert, whose cousin won the election for Governor of New Jersey. Confessing to a mistake made on Wednesday as he helped at Second Harvest was Jack Seiler. He noted that he had left when the clock said 2:55 PM to make an appointment. However, their clocks had not been changed to Central Standard Time - so he left an hour early. Oops!
Jack Seiler (The Times They Are A-Changin') with President Zach Walters nearby
Congratulations to our Past-President Michelle Buria, who was the speaker for a nationwide webinar for Accounting Today (a premier resource for tax professionals). Her presentation was “How CPAs and Wealth Advisors Can Work Together” to prepare and transition clients into and through widowhood.
Past-President Michelle Buria
Christmas season is approaching and with-it Salvation Army Bell Ringing. Jerry Pelofske asked for volunteers for 2 Fridays: December 5 and 19 from 11:00-1:00 at the Super One Stores. Signup sheets were on the tables or contact him with your availability.
Jerry Pelofske
Chair of the Day Past President Bob Bennett introduced Sarah Herrick-Smisek who serves as the Communication and Synergy Manager for 23rd Veteran. Sarah was born and raised in Duluth and has a life-long passion for serving with non-profit organizations. Today her presentation was entitled “A Civilian's Journey with 23rd Veteran”. The organization was started 10 years ago when a Marine vet - Mike Waldron - had experienced a lot of mental and physical problems from combat while serving our country. Mike made it his mission to rediscover hope after service.
Chair of the Day Past President Bob Bennett
Speaker Sarah Herrick-Smisek
Sarah shared that today the program works to bring together veterans, first responders and civilians to heal, grow and reconnect through shared experiences and build a community.
One of the tools they use is the 23V Recon Program which is 14 weeks in length. It begins with one week of wilderness outing and Sarah's week was spent in Alaska with a group of veterans. It is a time of hard, honest work, connecting with others within a small group of 10-12 participants. Then they come back home and over the next weeks they spend time together in the gym working out, share the opportunity of growing and living with gratitude. To join this program, each participant must commit to 100 days of showing up for each other, no complaining, and no alcohol.
Now that the program has been active for 10 years, they have found that after 1-6 years the majority of those who have completed the program have made positive changes in their lives. And if they are having struggles they are invited to come back and participate again. Today the program reaches out to veterans in the Twin Cities, Iron Range as well as Duluth.
Sarah then invited us to join them for their Winter Gala on December 5 at Greysolon Ballroom. This will be their second year for the fundraiser, and you will hear more stories about the program's impact on our veterans.
Past President Bob Bennet with speaker Sarah Herrick-Smisek and President Zach Walters
We welcome our November Junior Rotarians
Rotarians Serving Our Community
Second Harvest
(L to R) Bill Lundberg, Past President Elizabeth Simonson, Megan Maki, Past President Bill Gravelle, Jerry Pelofske, and former club member Dick Pelinka. Not pictured: Jack Seiler
President Elect Dan Maki with his wife Megan
Bill Lundberg
Past President Bill Gravelle
Service Above Self
Duluth, MN 55802
United States of America