Thursday, February 12, 2026

Lunch Buffet

Doors Open 11:30AM

At

 

Former Olympic Ski Jumper

 

Jim Denney, Olympic Ski Jumper - 1976

 

Jim Denney was born in Duluth in 1957. He is an American former ski jumper. He won the US ski jumping championship in 1976 and 1980 and competed in the 1976 and 1980 Winter Olympics. He participated in the 1978 World championships and won the World Cup normal hill event that year in Lahti, Finland. He was inducted into the American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame in 2008. His son, Jim Denney, was also born in Duluth, and represented the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics. The Denney family has a long history with the Duluth Ski Club and trained at the local Chester Bowl.

 

2302 Commonwealth Avenue

Duluth, MN 55808

 February 11, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

 

We have an opportunity to help fight hunger in our area! Our Rotary Club has partnered with Second Harvest Northland to assist them in their mission to create a hunger-free Northland at their new facility in West Duluth.  

For more information about Second Harvest Northland visit: https://secondharvestnorthland.org/

Or Contact :Daniel Maki

 

 

This past Thursday—the day before fans cheered the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan—

Winter sports played a prominent role in our own lunch meeting.

 

With snow visible through the windows, President-Elect Dan Maki announced that President Zach Walters is at home recovering; he recently received medical attention after a snowboarding incident but is in good spirits. Then Dan led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary 4-Way Test.

 

President-elect Dan Maki rings the opening bell

 

Rotarians say the Rotary 4-Way Test

 

In her Reflection, Natalie Junk expressed gratitude for community, service, and all that lies ahead for Club 25. “It’s a gift to step into a new chapter and feel supported every step of the way,” she said.

 

Natalie Junk expresses gratitude for her warm welcome by Club 25.

 

President Elect Dan then welcomed our guests: Jr. Rotarian Dahlia, from Harbor City International School; Bob MacLean of Harbortown Rotary; Kris Pelofske, wife of Jerry Pelofske; Lynn Reins, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of the Northland, who is considering joining the Club; and Judy Sage, wife of Allen Anway. President-elect Dan then invited people to self-report. Past President Michelle Buria announced she had been selected to serve on the Modern Widows Club Ambassador Council, her first time serving in a national position, and she had, for the second year in a row, been named to the Forbes/SHOOK Research Best-in-State Women Wealth Advisors list. President Elect Dan added that he, too, had been named by the Forbes/SHOOK Research as a Team Member—Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list. Jerry Thoreson said he delivered a speech about Destination Duluth at the annual Celebration of Photographers, where he was honored to be among 135 contributing photographers.

 

President Elect Dan then announced a volunteer opportunity next week at Second Harvest, on Wednesday, February 11, 1-3pm. (For more information, contact Daniel Maki.) Guest Harbortown Rotarian Bob MacLean announced that he had bags of coffee for sale for $15 each. Andy Thielen, our Club’s Rotary Youth Exchange Officer, asked Rotarians to consider hosting an international student. Would you consider doing so? Please reach out to Andy Thielen!

 

Bob MacLean of Harbortown Rotary: he’s got coffee!

 

Past President Elizabeth Simonson held up a beautiful flier, designed by Morgana Kolendra, copies of which were on each table. She invited everyone to register for our upcoming Rotary Gala Fundraiser & Auction, which will be held on Thursday, May 7, at 5pm, at the Kitchi Gammi Club. The gala will have a Kentucky Derby theme, so feel free to dress up!

 

It is hoped that everyone will attend. Giddy-up!

 

Finally, President-Elect Dan noted that Jr. Rotarian Dahlia invited us all to attend her grad party/art show, Sunday, June 7, 11am-3pm, 1308 E. 7^th Street, Duluth.

 

Now, President-Elect Dan morphed into Chair of the Day and, for the second time, mentioned a winter sport, the American Birkebeiner Ski Race. A video related the astonishing history behind the “Birkie”: In 1205, two palace guards from the court of Norwegian King Haakonson successfully spirited away the king’s illegitimate infant son during the Norwegian civil war. That son grew up to become Norway’s greatest monarch, unifying Norway. These days, racers wear a 10-lb. pack representing the baby prince. “Birkebeiner” refers to the birch leggings that skiers wore, particularly the two guards.

 

The Birkebeiner runs from Cable, WI, to Hayward, WI, covering 50 km (30 miles). It is part of a four-day celebration of snow sports that includes everything from youth ski events to adaptive ski events to elite sporting competitions. Each year 40,000 skiers participate, and 2,000 volunteers help. To prevent crowding, waves of skiers start 10 minutes apart.

 

President Elect Dan Maki’s 2026 racing bib.

 

The very first Birkebeiner was held in 1973, and 35 people completed it. Today, long-term participants are honored with a special “Birchlegger Spirit of 35” wave. They receive a special crimson bib that begins with the number 35. Allen received one.

 

Allen Anway has participated in 41 Birkies.

 

Allen said that in elementary school, his name was never called when choosing teams. Years later, he rode his bicycle daily from Superior to Duluth for work. A fellow worker, Mike Stevens, invited Allen to take part in the third Birkebeiner in 1975. He did. Allen participated again the following year and was featured in a human-interest story in Newsweek for donating his ski jacket to benefit a fellow skier with a broken femur.

 

Years of racing followed. But in 2005, three weeks after skiing the Birkie, Allen had a heart attack. He underwent bypass surgery. The cardiac ICU nurse who tended Allen the night after his surgery told him the next morning: “You will ski the Birkebeiner again.” And he did.

 

The last time Allen finished the race, he crossed the finish line at 5:47pm, 13 minutes before the race ended. In 2014, at age 78, he withdrew at the first medical station.

 

Allen Anway has ski-raced a cumulative 1,200 miles.

 

The medals were earned over 41 races.

 

A dazzling display.

 

Wow! “40 Year Skier”

 

Shorter skis for the skating course, longer skis for the classic (or striding) course.

 

President Elect Dan shared that he and his wife were not athletic until their early 30s. One winter, he felt restless. He pulled out his old cross-country skis. His father, Past President Sandy Hoff, had often told him, “If you don’t do things outside of your comfort zone, you won’t grow.” Soon, he had signed up for the Birkebeiner.

 

“It changed my and my family’s life,” Dan said. Now they all train year-round.

 

The presentation was followed by applause.

 

Who won the 50/50 drawing? One of our guests, Bob MacLean!

 

Bob MacLean, coffee, and two Past Presidents, Barb Perrella and Chana Stocke