banner
Speakers
Jul 12, 2018
Jul 19, 2018
Rotary Guatemala Project
Jul 26, 2018
Rotary Convention Toronto
Aug 02, 2018
Experience as producer of Channel 8's "Native Report"
Aug 09, 2018
Aug 16, 2018
Aug 23, 2018
Aug 30, 2018
View entire list
Stories
This Week's Meeting
 
We Meet at Noon on Thursday, July 5th, 2018
in the Lyric Conference Center at Holiday Inn
 
International Outlaws: The Rotary and the Pigeon River "Outlaw Bridge"
 
Speaker: Beverly Soloway
 
Fellowship Reporter
 
Darlene Anderson
 
 
 
 
Notes from a Meeting April 5, 2018
With the cold Winter season still hanging on, Rotarians and guests gathered in the warmth of the Holiday Inn’s Great Lakes Ballroom with hopes for a BULLDOG victory in its initial Frozen Four hockey game against Ohio State.   Sporting a UMD cap and matching sport coat and tie, Past President Phil Strom exemplified the BULLDOG can-do spirit!  It must have helped as the team scored a 2-1 victory in the afternoon game.  President-elect Steve Yorde called the meeting to order in President Tricia Bunten’s absence.  Tricia was hosting an alumni/donor event at the game in St. Paul.  Pianist and Past President John Baumgarten accompanied Rotarians in the singing of our National Anthem.  Then Past President Dan Bergeland followed with an invocation in sync with today’s program, a message that we each demonstrate the values of kindness, patience and hospitality during the upcoming Superior Street reconstruction project.  And let’s not forget “loyalty” to local businesses impacted by the project. 
Tom Young stepped to the mic to provide details on the upcoming April 19 “Rotary 25 Dinner and Auction” at Marshall School.  He reminded us of the importance of the $100 deal for 120 raffle tickets which was reinforced by Jon Ohman’s experience last year.  Even though Jon was unable to attend the event last year, he still purchased the 120 raffle tickets in advance and asked Past President Al Makynen to place them into the raffle items’ buckets he was interested in winning.  And of course, this “Finnish leprechaun” followed through as Jon requested…and Jon won twice!  Send Tom an email and inform him you want the same sort of good luck.  One hundred dollars buys 120 raffle tickets.  Your account will be charged and your tickets will await you when you check in that evening.  Membership co-chair Jena Evans then presented Perfect Attendance tabs to the following Rotarians:  Bill Abalan, 35 years; Tom McCabe, 22 years; Dave Nolle, 1 year; Roni Salo, 26 years; Jack Soetebier, 56 years; Chana Stocke, 1 year; Steve Yorde, 1 year.  By the way, that’s a total of 146 years of perfect attendance! 
Roni Salo, Chana Stocke, Geiger Yount, Tom McCabe, Dave Nolle, Jack Soetebier and Steve Yorde
 
Next up were the April birthdays:  Kjell Knudsen, Ruth Ann Eaton, Charley Korsch, Dick Fischer, Past President Ken Schoen, Tom Wheeler, Tim Mowbray, Past President Sandy Hoff, Past President Al Makynen and Brad Christiansen
Sandy Hoff, Charley Korsch, Tim Mowbray and Al Makynen
 
Chair of the Day Barb Perrella then introduced City engineer Duncan Schwensohn and the Greater Downtown Council’s president and CEO Kristi Stokes for today’s program.  As we all have heard, Superior Street will be reconstructed beginning April 16.  This will be a three-year project to minimize parking problems, disruption of traffic, pedestrian confusion and potential loss of revenue by downtown businesses.  The businesses located in the respective construction zone will be impacted one year (of the three-year project).   As the Lead Project Engineer, Duncan noted that the “famous” bricks on downtown streets since 1985 are all “going away” and will be replaced by multi-colored concrete shaded to differentiate motorized traffic lanes from areas designated for pedestrians.  There will be new signage, water mains and storm sewers, and some of the steam system infrastructure (in place since 1890) will be replaced.  All sidewalks will be ADA-compliant and “amenity zones” with benches, planters for new trees and dark-sky compliant street lights will be part of the plan.  Phase One (Seventh Avenue West to Third Avenue West) begins April 16 and will be concluded by the end of October.  A benefit of the three-year approach is that businesses are disrupted once during their construction zone schedule.   Once the first phase is completed, the positive changes promised will be evidence for what’s coming for the remaining two phases.  This will likely generate enthusiasm for the project as it moves forward toward completion in October, 2020.  The “Love Downtown Duluth” media campaign will feature positive stories from tourists and residents alike on how much they appreciate coming downtown to shop and work.  The overall goal is to make trips to downtown easy and comfortable, not to mention the long term objective of making downtown stronger and better to such a degree that it could even be a catalyst for attracting new downtown businesses.  The website “superiorstreet.org” will communicate progress and help answer questions, as will the “Clean and Safe Team” members who are “hired for personality and trained for skills.”  These are the Greater Downtown Council’s ambassadors and “construction navigators.”  And while there will be no on-street parking allowed in the zone under construction, several public and private ramps will allow “first hour free” parking to encourage support of local business.  Having the Skywalk is a real plus during the project, as well.  Rotarians asked about interstate highway signs, billboards, television and radio outlets to communicate updates; MnDOT’s anticipated re-do of the Mesaba Avenue/Superior Street interchange; and while bike lanes are not planned, bikes will be allowed in finished parts of the project; and yes, there will be space for artwork once the project is completed.  Given the project’s commitment to excellence, it is anticipated that its life span could be up to 100 years. 
Chair of the Day Barb Perrella with Speakers Duncan Schwensohn and Kristi Stokes
 
Club 25 Making a Difference
Club 25ers had a busy week of volunteering. On Wednesday, Corey Collier, Tom McCabe, Mary Niemeyer, Mike Niemeyer , Jim Schwartz, Phil Strom, Geiger Yount and Steve Yorde served ice cream sundaes to the youth at Woodland Hills.
Left to Right: Tom McCabe, Jim Schwartz, Phil Strom, Mary Niemeyer, Geiger Yount, Corey Collier and Mike Niemeyer
Back: Mike Theismann, Recreation Manager of Woodland Hills
 
On Friday, Bill Abalan, Dan Bergeland, Tom McCabe, Tim Mowbray, Dick Pelinka, Jerry Pelofske, Jim Schwartz, Steve Yorde and Bill Zimbinski packed bags with food at Second Harvest Food Bank. The bags will be placed in the backpacks of local school children who do not have access to food on the weekend.
Bill Zimbinski, Jim Schwartz, Bill Abalan and Dan Bergeland
 
Dick Pelinka
 
Jerry Pelofske
 
Tim Mowbray and Tom McCabe
 
Dietary Restrictions
If you or a guest have a dietary restriction, please contact the Rotary Office, prior to the meeting, to have a meal prepared to meet your needs. The Holiday Inn and Kitchi Gammi Club (our backup location), with at least 24 hour notice, can accommodate the needs of our group.
This Week's Meeting
We meet Thursdays at 12:00 PM
Holiday Inn
200 W. Superior St.
Duluth, MN  55802
United States
VenueMap Venue Map
Upcoming Events
Volunteer Opportunity: Community Food Distribution
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank
Jul 11, 2018
 
Personnel Committee
Center for Economic Development
Jul 11, 2018
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
 
Board Meeting
Kitchi Gammi Club
Jul 17, 2018 8:00 AM
 
July Board Meeting (Marine Room)
Kitchi Gammi Club- Marine Room
Jul 17, 2018
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
 
Rose Sale Committee Meeting - Lyric Kitchen
Lyric Kitchen
Jul 17, 2018
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
 
Rotary Foundation Committee Meeting
Lyric Kitchen- Holiday Inn
Jul 24, 2018
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
 
Fellowship Breakfast
Valentini's
Jul 27, 2018
7:30 AM – 9:07 AM
 
Volunteer Opportunity: Project Joy Backpack Program
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank
Aug 03, 2018
 
Volunteer Opportunity: Community Food Distribution
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank
Aug 08, 2018
 
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Jon Helstrom
July 7
 
David Allison
July 11
 
Traci Marciniak
July 11
 
Eric Dott
July 12
 
Jim Jarosz
July 16
 
Skeeter Moore
July 16
 
Todd Fedora
July 16
 
John Hawley
July 17
 
Bruce Anderson
July 18
 
Dick Carlson
July 21
 
Dennis Cummings
July 22
 
Jenny Peterson
July 23
 
Wally Holt
July 27
 
Dan Mundt
July 28