Events

The Depot Great Hall

Join fellow Rotarians for a hard hat tour of Second Harvest Northland at their new facility located at 2302 Commonwealth Avenue.  Shaye Moris, President/CEO will provide us with insights on hunger in our region and how we, as Rotarians, can play a role in their new facility and the fight to end hunger in NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin.

Lunch will be provided on site prior to the tour.  

Zenith City Press founder Tony Dierckins—a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Duluth resident since 1984—has written more than two dozen books, from the fun and fascinating Duct Tape and WD-40 books to critically acclaimed illustrated histories celebrating the history of Duluth, Minnesota, and the western Lake Superior region (listed below). Along the way Dierckins has written three Northeast Minnesota Book Award winners and two Minnesota Book Award finalists, and is a past recipient of the Duluth Depot Foundation’s Historic Preservation and Interpretation Award. He has also developed a reputation as an entertaining and engaging public speaker and has become an accomplished book designer, creating layouts for not only Zenith City Press books but also those produced by ZCP’s publishing partner, X-Presso Books.

Plan to attend the December Rotary Fellowship Breakfast on Friday, December 6 at 7:30am at the Kitchi Gammi Club - Marine Room.

These breakfasts are wonderful ways to catch up with fellow Rotarians in a relaxed setting with no agenda, just fellowship.

If you feel like you don't get a chance to talk to members before a meeting starts, this is your opportunity to do meet some new folks and learn more about each other.

Join your fellow Rotarians and guests on MONDAY, DECEMBER 9 at Northland Country Club for a festive evening of music, heavy hors d'oeuvres and cash bar.

DJ Nick Hyde will entertain us with with his violin music and DJ skills, bring your dancing shoes and hit the floor!

The party starts at 5pm, don't miss this annual evening of fun and fellowship to kick off the season.

Vision for UMD and what is exciting for the campus’s future.

Charles Nies is the 10th chancellor of the University of Minnesota Duluth. Nies brings over 25 years of experience in higher education, most recently serving as vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of California, Merced.

Nies holds two degrees from Washington State University — a doctorate in education administration and leadership and a master’s in counseling psychology. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He grew up in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

Richard Howell was released from Moose Lake Correctional in 2009.
He struggled to find a place to live with a felony background. This led to difficulty having a job, paying child support,
reuniting with family, and being successful in any other aspect of transitioning back to community. Richard didn't want
others to struggle like he did, so he started Vita Nova to provide housing to people with felony backgrounds. Vita Nova
purchased a triplex in 2023 and is providing transitional housing to its first residents.

This program will provide an update of state transportation work happening in and around the Duluth area. Upcoming projects including the Blatnik Bridge and general information about MnDOT District 1 will also be highlighted.

Margie Nelson has been with MnDOT since March 2020 working in communications. Prior to that she worked at Life House for 4 years in marketing and fundraising. She has an undergraduate degree from the College of St. Scholastica and a Masters of Advocacy and Political Leadership from UMD. She serves on several boards and committees in the Duluth area and is an avid birder in her free time.

Doug Jensen is an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Planner for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources who provides technical support to local governments as they develop, implement, and assess AIS Prevention Aid plans and activities within their counties. For over three decades, he has used science-based education strategies to change people’s behavior aimed at preventing AIS spread via his leadership supporting from national to local programs. He has authored dozens of scientific papers and education resources and received dozens of national and regional awards for his work. Regionally, Doug is the Outreach Committee Chair for the Great Lakes Panel on ANS and contributes leadership as a member of the Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Committee and co-facilitates the DNR’s Statewide Aquatic Invasive Species Advisory Committee. Last fall, he was honored to co-chair the 2024 Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference at the DECC, which has grown to be the largest invasive species event on the planet! Locally, he serves as a long-time member of the Board of Directors for the Great Lakes Aquarium and for River Quest, a local youth education program for 6th graders. He has an MS in Education and a BS in Biology from the University of Minnesota Duluth. GO BULLDOGS!