By Rob Hofmann

As our program tells the story of Duluth’s (ne Esko’s) Christmas Light phenomenon Bentleyville, your humble Gimlet Reporter climbed the heights of Spirit Mountain to seek the sage knowledge of the all-knowing Wikipedia to learn the history of holiday decorative lights. According to Wikipedia, the idea of the outdoor decorative lights we see in our neighborhoods strung upon houses, trees, and assorted exotic mechanical contraptions and inflatables is a recent occurrence.  Although candles on trees and in windows were followed by incandescent lights on trees, hanging such light strings upon houses began in the suburban tract houses of the 1960s. Perhaps our Greatest Generation Rotarians can clarify this history.

President Michelle Buria called us to order and we began with Rotary’s Four-Way Test followed by Past President Bob Bennett providing the Rotary Reflection which helped to draw our focus on what one inspired individual can do to brighten our lives. Quoting the late great Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi: “The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have”.  

Dave Holappa offered up the Rotary Fellowship Report. From the floor we recognized our newest member Jerry Thoreson, who will be formally introduced soon.  We also had a guest, Chris McMahon, who just before the meeting submitted his application for membership!  Mike Orman was pleased to host a member of his newly merged law firm welcoming Paul Wojciak. President Elect Dean Casperson brought prospective member Katrina Pierson to today’s gathering.  Allen Amway deposited three fines in the Golden Can, the first two in recognition of January Junior Rotarian from Denfeld Emma Natale’s decision to attend his Alma Mater the University of Chicago and the third fine was in honor of the absent Dr. Jim Monge also a graduate of the University of Chicago who has an 18^th century ancestor who developed a concept for differential geometry: “Monge’s Theorem”.  Bill Gronseth also honored Emma with his own tip ‘o the can for Emma’s service to the Duluth District as the student representative to the school board! Congratulations Emma Natale – you are a great example of a superb Junior Rotarian! Paul Helstrom self-reported on his airtime during a demonstration of a new electric school bus. Jon Ohman honored two grandsons who continue to do well as wrestlers in Arkansas.

New Generations Chair Eric Dott took the podium to call up our out-going January Junior Rotarians and our incoming February cohort.

Junior Rotarians Thanking Club #25

 

February Junior Rotarians

Back: Eric Dott, Logan Berquist, Megan Bechthold

Front: Matt Schiber, Elena Davidson, Anna Huber

 

Club Secretary Jeff Bradt shared a powerful letter of gratitude from Shaye Morris, Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank, in which Club #25 was thanked for providing 135 hours of volunteering that resulted in a record 5.1 million meals for families, children and seniors! A shining example of Rotary at work!  RYLA co-chair Rob Hofmann encouraged the Junior Rotarians present to start applying for Camp RYLA – a life changing week for our next generation of leaders!   Our own Rotary Club of Duluth Foundation provides seven full scholarships to Camp RYLA. Please let all high school juniors and sophomores know they may apply online at http://district5580ryla.org/application/ and, tell them to select Duluth 25 as their sponsoring Rotary Club.

Chair of the Day President Elect Dean Casperson provided a bit of background on our speaker, Nathan Bentley. A native of Hibbing, MN, Nathan has been married to his wife Tricia for 29 years. When he was 18 years old he started Advantage Emblem, a great community partner which provides, among many items, the merit badges worn by our local Boy and Girl Scouts. What Nathan Bentley started in Esko, MN in 2003 as a response to neighborhood holiday tradition – shall we say competition? – became what Mr. Bentley describes as “A hobby that got out of control!”  Year by year his light-filled menagerie grew well beyond what his neighbors could endure. Then came an invitation from former Duluth Mayor Don Ness to move Bentleyville, so named in jest by one of his employees, to Bayfront Park. To manage this new opportunity, Mr. Bentley established a nonprofit entity and built a board of directors who oversee, along with two paid staff, the fundraising required to grow Bentleyville into what is now a nationally recognized holiday attraction. $750,000 is needed each year to produce the event that runs from November to Christmas.  Funds come from a number of creative sources including candy bar sales, online merchandise, sponsorships, and donations. The electric bill of $10,000 is paid by tourism tax dollars. Each year between 250,000 and 350,000 people enjoy what Mr. Bentley has built. He cautions locals to come early in the week for best viewing and to avoid the weekend crowds. A call for volunteers was made to all Rotarians with the knowledge that a promise has been made – a promise to keep Bentleyville FREE!

Nathan Bentley, Dean Casperson, Michelle Buria