This Week at Rotary
We Meet at Noon
on
THURSDAY
December 9, 2021
HOLIDAY INN and SUITES DOWNTOWN
(Also Via Zoom)
Plated Meal Served
(Zoom Meeting Opens at 11:45)
Natalie Zeleznikar
Licensed Nursing Home Administrator
The Scars You Can’t See
Physical scars are only the surface of who we are. We all have scars in life, and once we rip the band-aid off, the real healing begins. When the scars of life happen, our circle of family and friends becomes critical. This journey of writing a book helped the healing process and serves as a caution to everyone to watch their own care.
Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
by Rob Hofmann
Rotarians! Note the top of your Gimlet today: Volume 107 #23! That’s 107 volumes and 23 issues of Rotary Club #25 history recorded in slightly over 110 years!! On this first Thursday of December 2021, we gained some insight into just how impressive these past 110 years of Rotary Club #25’s has been.
President Chana Stocke rang the Rotary Bell and Rotarian’s heartily sang our National Anthem, accompanied once again by Past President John Baumgarten. Following a recitation of Rotary’s Four-Way Test, Sheryl Homan provided today’s Reflection: Why do we study history? A study of the past allows us to reflect on what works – and what doesn’t - how to do things better now, and into the future, while avoiding the mistakes of the past. Knowing one’s personal history contributes to a sense of self, of belonging, and where one is on the journey of life. Knowing one’s institutional history can contribute to its moral grounding, group identity, and provide a path for a better tomorrow.
Sheryl Homan
Thank you, dear Rotarians! Past Assistant Governor Phil Strom shared heartfelt thanks to Rotarians who memorialized the passing of Past President Dick Carlson from his wife Barb Carlson and family. Past President Dick Carlson served this club from 1979 to 1980.
Celebrate the Holidays!
Mary Niemeyer invited Rotarians, spouses and friends to join in a
Club #25 Holiday Happy Hour at Boat Club Restaurant on Wednesday, December 15
th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Enjoy delicious appetizers, cash bar and an abundance of FUN! Sing along Christmas songs with the Rotary Singers! Wear that
Ugly Holiday Sweater! All for $30.00 if you RESERVE BY DECEMBER 9
th! RSVP now -
Mary.Niemeyer@townsquaremedia.com
Reflecting on why history matters - Long-time Food Drive co-chair (since 1993!), Past President John Baumgarten announced this year’s food drive benefitting the Salvation Army. John Baumgarten thanked Patrick Miner, the Miner family, and their Super One stores for their generosity. This year’s goal is to exceed $5,000 that will receive a 3X Match in value by Miner’s Inc! That equates to a $100 cash donation delivering $300 of food to the Salvation Army this holiday season!! Rotarians are encouraged to contribute. With Miner’s Super One stores providing a triple match for all cash contributions, Rotarians are encouraged to solicit donations from family and friends too. Checks are to be made payable Rotary Club of Duluth Foundation (memo Food Drive).
Jim Schwartz reminded us that we have a few additional Fridays for Club #25’s Salvation Army Bell Ringing campaign.
Can you help?
Club # 25 welcomes its newest member Kevin Hagen as he was introduced by Tom Young. Kevin works with President Chana Stocke at North Shore Bank. Kevin holds the United States Coast Guard Master’s License and looks forward to sailing once again on Lake Superior.
(L to R) Tom Young and Kevin Hagen
Chair of the Day Allen Anway introduced a very familiar face to many Rotarians of Club #25 – Rachel Martin, our past Club # 25 historian! Ms. Martin brought us back to our origination as a club in 1911. Club #25 was “sponsored” by Rotary Club of St. Paul, MN (Club # 10) and Rotary Club of Minneapolis, MN (Club #9), yet it wasn’t long before Duluthians made their presence known. In 1912, Club #25 and St. Paul’s Club #10 help to organize a club in Winnipeg, CA which made Rotary an internal organization and why we state on our blue banner Club #25 – Where Rotary became International.
The Gimlet has evolved over the years. What initially was called
The Spokesman, a reflection of the wagon wheel spokes of an earlier Rotary logo, was renamed
The Gimlet in 1920 to compliment the newly designed gear-wheel Rotary logo (inspired by a Rotarian working at Clyde Ironworks). Because
a gimlet is a small boring/drilling tool, the name reflects the desire to drill-down for the truth of a matter!
We learned a bit of the tale of The Outlaw Bridge. Rachel Martin tells us that credit for the bridge construction goes to the Rotary Clubs of Duluth and Port Arthur and Fort William (now known as Thunder Bay), along with Canadian lumberman William Scott (owner of the Pigeon River Timber Company) who spearheaded the entire project and donated the timbers used to construct the bridge. Why it has such a dubious moniker is due to the fact that Rotarians are not known for waiting around to get a job done! While government bureaucrats in the US and Canada worked at a snail’s pace to “officially approve” the construction, Rotarians from Duluth and Port Arthur and Fort William Ontario adopted a Build Now – Seek Forgiveness Later strategy and built the first international bridge connecting the US and Canada.
The Outlaw Bridge.
Tree Decorating for Boys & Girls Club
By Dan Dock
Rotarians from Club 25 and Skyline Rotary decorated the Christmas Tree at the Boys and Girls Club. The Rotarians had a great time. The children enjoyed cookies.
These are wonderful kids, and they have great pride in their club. It is a treat to serve these kids.
Thank you to Geiger Yount, Jim Schwartz, Jerry Pelofske, Earl Rogers and Judy Rogers- Skyline Rotary, Mark Leutgeb- Skyline Rotary, Tom Meyer-Skyline Rotary, Bob Sherman-Skyline Rotary, and Dan Dock and Karen Dock, Suzanne Anderson-Skyline Rotary, for making this a successful event!
(L to R) Suzanne Anderson-Skyline Rotary, Jerry Pelofske, Dan Dock, Jim Schwartz, and Bob Sherman-Skyline Rotary