By Dick Carlson
There is only one word to describe this meeting:
Awesome!
Everything about our gathering on Thursday was outstanding. Beth Storaasli’s invocation was so “right on” that it was applauded. That rarely happens. To enable future readers to be as inspired as we were, her invocation is reproduced below:
We are surrounded with the celebration of Halloween. Its origins are in All Saints Day, that time when we remember those who have touched our lives and passed before us.
Today, I’ll ask you to remember your Rotary sponsor. Although some of you have living Rotary sponsors, I’m guessing that looking at the gray and white hair in the room, for many of us our sponsors have died. Many of them were consummate Rotarians, living lives that not only passed the four-way test, but who loved this club and gave time and energy to help it grow and remain a premium organization in our community.
My sponsor was Leo McDonnell. Leo came from simple roots in Morgan Park, and after military service and law school, Leo returned to live here his whole life. He was a Lawyer’s lawyer, where truth was an absolute and respect for every person he encountered was also absolute. Leo was active in the community, including on the City Council and creation of Spirit Mountain, but his true loves were his trains and Rotary.
Whenever I wonder about whether I should be involved in an upcoming Rotary activity, if I think of Leo, I know I should.
Who was your sponsor? Say the name out loud! Think of the person’s commitment to Rotary. Are you meeting their challenge?
Please join me in an attitude of prayer.
We are thankful for the many Rotarians who went before us, sponsored us, and made this Club what it is for us to carry on. We want to meet their challenge in our own time and generation. Bless this food to our use and us to service. Keep us ever mindful of the needs of others. Amen.
Gary Bubalo’s Fellowship report, delivered as only Gary can do it, captured our attention as he reported on the “breaking news” about Club 25ers who were in the spotlight this week. To wit: prompted by Beth Storaasli’s invocation, Past President Tom Bell made an impromptu tribute to Past President Leo McDonell. Two visiting Rotarians, PDG Deb Warner and Brad Jenson from Harbortown were introduced. Other guests: Anna Cherinii from the Ukraine, a past-youth exchange student who is in Duluth visiting Earl and Judy Rogers. Twelve years have passed since Anna was last in Duluth. Other guests: Jeff Frey and Janelle Soderline, guests of Steve Yorde; Michelle Johnson from the Enbridge Company, a guest of speaker Andy Wells; and Elizabeth Simonson, guest of Catherine Carter Huber. Gary began the Golden Can bit by his own contribution in recognition for his work on The Gary-New Duluth Alliance. Jon Ohman pitched in seven dollars to celebrate the successful accomplishments of the Viking’s wide receiver Andy Thielen and his record-setting pass receptions of over one hundred yards for seven weeks in a row. Gary suggested that those who took a chance on this week’s national lottery ($1.6B) might have been wiser by paying attention to the odds (1 in 300 million) and that, perhaps, putting a dollar on the table might make amends for that decision.
President-elect Michelle Buria provided club members with a report of the Strategic Planning Committee’s recommendations regarding RI’s International Vision Statement and the committee’s draft of a Values Statement for Duluth Rotary Club #25. These two statements have been approved by our Board of Directors and are as follows:
Rotary International Vision Statement: Together, we see a world where people unite and act to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.
Duluth Rotary Club #25 Values Statement: We are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. We experience the reward of paying it forward. We create opportunities for youth. We enhance the connections of members in the spirit of friendship, fellowship and fun. We are Rotary.
President Steve gave several announcements, and then Chair of the Day Phil Strom came forward to introduce our speaker, Andy Wells of Wells Technology of Bemidji.
It was clear from the very beginning that Andy Wells’ story was going to capture the attention of Club 25 Rotarians. Using a twenty dollar bill, speaker Wells asked the audience if this bill had been dropped in the mud, stepped on by many and then discovered by a passer-by, what would the finder say about this tattered old twenty dollar bill? Bill Himango answered the question: “It still has value!” Exactly, and with that, speaker Wells went on connect his effort to help individuals who have been through great difficulty by employing them at Wells Technology because “they have value.”
Space limitations will not permit this reporter to summarize adequately the impact of the story that Andy told on Thursday. One just had to be in the audience to hear how his life unfolded from a 12x20 foot white house on the Red Lake Reservation to a celebratory occasion at the White House in Washington D.C. where President Barak Obama honored him for his many accomplishments in the business world.
Andy Wells coordinated his rise from extreme poverty to his present status as the founder of Wells Technology using his own version of a leadership philosophy that is mindful of helping untrained, down-and-out individuals – many, perhaps most, from Native American backgrounds – become skilled technicians and contributors to his company’s success. Along the way, many leadership principles held sway with him: leadership of self, character development, trust and a humble disposition – one that will ask for help when it is needed.
Inventiveness was a quality that came front and center as Andy told of the development of many ideas that were unthought of by others.
He cited his work with the Polaris Company and of his after-hours development of a special snow vehicle that sold 3,000 units when it was accepted and marketed by the company.
Along the way, Andy acquired a college degree from Bemidji State and taught for twenty years in both high school and college settings. But his urge to create new opportunities was greater than his urge to continue a teaching career, and in 1989, with capital totaling $1,300, he launched himself into the business world by creating device after device that no one had ever thought of. When he needed employees, he sought them among the Native population. These were persons who had public records that interfered with their ability to gain employment. Andy Wells’ philosophy kicked in: “They have value!”
Phrase after phrase punctuated his presentation including: Inclusive Employment, Leadership for humanity, Help to overcome challenges, Vision, Experiment, Live for something bigger than yourself.
Andy closed his presentation with a quote from Sitting Bull: “Let us put our minds together to see what we can do for our children.”
It was a fitting way to end a presentation that was applauded by Club 25 members with a standing ovation.
Past President and Chair of the Day Phil Strom with Past District Governor Deb Warner, Speaker Andy Wells and President Steve
