Notes from the Meeting November 22, 2017

Gary Madison, President of the Kiwanis Club of Friendly Duluth, with Rotary Club President Tricia Bunten looking on, opened the 65th joint Thanksgiving meeting.  Deacon Dennis Anderson (of WDIO and Kiwanis Auction fame) provided the invocation to remind us to be thankful this day and every day.

After the introduction of the head table and visitors, the Kiwanians regaled us with their famous Welcome Song.  As always the song ended with the perfectly synchronized clinking of the water glasses.  

The business meeting included two highlights.  The first was the reading of a Mayoral Proclamation in recognition of a century of service by Kiwanis.  Founded on January 30, 1917 as the 39^th club in the world, the Kiwanis Club of Friendly Duluth was recognized for their service to youth. The second highlight was the 25^th Annual Kiwanis and Rotary Food Drive. Past President John Baumgarten proclaimed that Rotarians this year again exceeded the $7,000 goal needed to provide the dry goods for 1,750 Salvation Army Christmas Food Baskets.  The effort was assisted by a guest and by a Junior Rotarian who both wanted to make a difference.  There were words of appreciation for Bruce Anderson of Miners Foods.  Miner Foods and their Vendors each match the funds raised to provide a total of $28,000 in food. Robert Swor of Kiwanis reported that over the past 25 years their club has provided $920,000 pounds of food plus $33,000 in cash.  The combined effort of the two Clubs is efficient and provides exactly what the area Food Shelf and the Salvation Army need. 

 

Bill Gronseth introduced the speaker Daniel Lew who is the Chief Public Defender of the Sixth Judicial District and a board member of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.  Dan Lew introduced us to a new initiative in the Twin Ports called “Opportunity Rising”.  The challenge is to reduce the opportunity gap experienced by low income children living in poverty.  An underlying societal change contributing to the opportunity gap is a reduced focus on seeing all children in the community as being, collectively, our children.   When there is a separation between ours and someone else’s, the gap widens.  To address this gap, nine non-profit organizations and the two school districts are receiving funding to reduce barriers, reduce the gap in opportunity, and to start a conversation in the community seeking greater engagement by adults in the lives of our children as mentors, tutors, and role models.   It is not about money.  It is about choosing to volunteer and make a difference, one life at a time.  We were challenged to take the pledge to empower all children.  Specifically we were asked to spend time sitting at the little desks in schools and elsewhere, engaged with our children.