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Volume 105 #32
This Week at Rotary
 
 
We Meet at Noon
Thursday, February 20, 2020
AAR Corp
4600 Stebner Road Duluth MN 55803
Facilities tour and walk through of Aircraft
 
AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 6,000 people in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include Parts Supply; OEM Solutions; Integrated Solutions; and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Services. AAR's Expeditionary Services include Mobility Systems and Composite Manufacturing operations. Additional information can be found at www.aarcorp.com.
 
Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
By Marc Seigar
On a sunny, yet brisk day in early February, Rotarians gathered in the Holiday Inn’s Lyric Conference Room. President Michelle Buria called the meeting to order with a recital of the Four-Way Test, and we began with the day’s reflection given by Greg Hansen. Greg spoke about the many road construction projects that will be underway this year in Duluth and how this is likely to result in chaos. He quoted the dictionary definition of chaos as “a total lack of organization or order.” He also stated that Rotarians “get it.” We address it, and hopefully make the world a better place in the process.
 
Past Assistant District Governor Phil Strom gave the Fellowship Report. He started by informing the club that on this day (February 13) in 1945, the allied forces bombed Dresden. The bombing of Dresden during World War II by the Allies is controversial. The city was of low strategic importance militarily, and the bombing may have been conducted in retaliation for the bombing of Coventry in the United Kingdom. The main reason for hitting the Golden Can at this meeting was the Hills new mental health facility of which several of our Rotarians are on the board, and they all paid up. Jeff Bradt also hit the Golden Can and reported that, since the Duck Pluck which provided a grant of $25,000 in support of mental health initiatives, the longest line at the Boys & Girls Club of the Northland is for kids waiting in line to reap the benefits from their trained, caring, professional staff. Phil introduced the one visitor we had today, Brian Folder, guest of Dave Folder.
 
This week’s podium announcements included Marc Seigar being awarded a Paul Harris Fellow pin by Phil Strom. President Michelle also welcomed a new member, Jerry Thoreson, who has already been working for Club 25 as he keeps our Twitter and Facebook sites regularly updated. Jerry works in the area of social media and networking, primarily for small business and nonprofit organizations. President Michelle gave an update on the 50/50 drawing, and what is happening to bring it in line with the Minnesota Statute for Gambling. The 50/50 drawing is likely to be a once-a-month raffle, with a limited number of tickets available, and a limited amount that someone can win. This concluded the podium announcements.
 
 
Marc Seigar receives his Paul Harris Fellow pin and certificate from Past District Assistant Governor Phil Strom
President Michelle Buria with new Club #25 member Jerry Thoreson.
 
Chair of the Day, Eric Dott, then introduced our speaker of the day, Pippi Mayfield. Pippi has been the Public Engagement and Communications Director at MnDOT, District 1 for almost one year. Her job is to get the public more engaged with MnDOT and see how the organization can better partner with other local entities - the earlier, the better. On her second week at MnDOT, she had to work the Home Show at the DECC and talk about the Twin Ports Interchange project (also known as the Can of Worms), something she knew absolutely nothing about. Since then, she has obviously learned quite a lot because the topic she spoke about was the Can of Works, as well as some other road construction projects. The project consists of three components, but due to budget shortfalls and mounting expenses, the second and third components have been deferred until another time. This year, they will work on the northbound and southbound lanes of I-35, all ramps to Highway 53 and I-535 and the replacement of the 27th Avenue West bridge, all around the Twin Ports Interchange. This summer, all southbound and northbound traffic will be restructured to one lane on the freeway. Then in the fall, southbound traffic will be diverted onto Lower Michigan Street for about four blocks. Work will also be done on improving the Lake Avenue bridge this summer. All of the work on the Twin Ports Interchange is being done for safety. All left exits will be turned into right exits, sight lines will be improved, and oversized/overweight freight will be allowed on the freeway (which is important for freight from the port – think wind turbine blades). Additional aging infrastructure will be replaced. The 34 bridges in the Twin Ports Interchange will be replaced by 17 bridges, and this will be more of a supported causeway structure which is better for handling large freight. The deferred parts of the project include replacing the Highway 53 bridges (component 2) and updates to the Garfield Avenue/I-535 interchange. With the Blatnik Bridge scheduled for replacement in 2027, the Garfield Avenue/I-535 interchange project is now likely to happen at the same time. So, it is pretty obvious why this is called a Can of Worms. As Greg Hansen said in his reflection, there may be CHAOS in Duluth.
Chair of the Day Eric Dott with
speaker Pippi Mayfield
Twin Ports Interchange Project
 
Nominations for 2021 Rotary Peace Fellowships
Nominations for 2021 Rotary Peace Fellowships
The 2021 Rotary Peace Fellowship application is now available for the next cohort of global peace and development leaders.

Members are encouraged to use their professional and social contacts to find potential candidates.   These resources are available to help you recruit candidates:
Candidates have until 31 May 2020 to submit applications to District 5580. The District has until 1 July to submit endorsed applications to The Rotary Foundation.

Send any questions to rotarypeacecenters@rotary.org.
This Week's Meeting
We meet Thursdays at 12:00 PM
Holiday Center
207 W. Superior St
Lyric Conference Room
Duluth, MN 55802
United States of America
VenueMap Venue Map
Speakers
Feb 20, 2020 12:00 PM
Aircraft Maintenance Facility
Feb 27, 2020
Hyperbaric Medicine in Radiation Treatment
View entire list
Upcoming Events
February Board Meeting
St Luke's Foundation Office
Feb 18, 2020
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
 
Rotaract Superior Craft Beer & Wine Fundraiser
UWS Yellowjacket Union
Feb 18, 2020
4:30 PM – 8:30 PM
 
Grants Committee
St. Luke's Foundation Conference Room
Feb 25, 2020
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
 
Rotary Fellowship Breakfast
Valentini's Restaurant
Feb 28, 2020
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
 
Volunteer: Rotaract Damiano Bread Delivery
Mar 07, 2020
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
 
Rotary Club of Duluth Foundation Board Meeting
Raymond James
Mar 10, 2020
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
 
Volunteer Opportunity: Community Food Distribution
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank
Mar 11, 2020
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM
 
March Board Meeting
St Luke's Foundation Office
Mar 17, 2020
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
 
Volunteer: Rotaract Damiano Bread Delivery
Mar 21, 2020
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
 
Chamber Club Photo
Duluth Chamber Office
Mar 24, 2020
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
 
View entire list
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Zach Walters
February 4
 
Renee Mattson
February 7
 
Geiger Yount
February 8
 
Justin Terch
February 12
 
Sheryl Homan
February 12
 
Stephen Hadley
February 16
 
Mike Murray
February 23
 
Join Date
Robert Kase
February 1, 2008
12 years
 
Elaine Hansen
February 3, 2000
20 years
 
Douglas Erickson
February 4, 1999
21 years
 
Zach Walters
February 4, 2019
1 year
 
Al Makynen
February 9, 1989
31 years
 
Branden Robinson
February 14, 2008
12 years
 
Dale Johnson
February 14, 1974
46 years
 
Jon Helstrom
February 16, 1984
36 years
 
Gary Bubalo
February 17, 2000
20 years
 
Kjell Knudsen
February 18, 1999
21 years
 
Darlene Anderson
February 21, 2008
12 years
 
Mary Niemeyer
February 22, 2018
2 years
 
Stacy Oltmanns
February 25, 2019
1 year
 
Dennis Cummings
February 26, 2015
5 years
 
Jim Schwartz
February 26, 2004
16 years
 
Official Publication of Rotary Club of Duluth 
207 W. Superior St.
Suite 201
Phone: 218-722-0451
Duluth, Minnesota 55802
 
Editor:  Al Makynen
218-343-2515
 
Rotary Office Hours
Monday 9 – 3
Wed. & Thur. 9 – 4
218-722-0451
Website: duluthrotary.org
Boys and Girls Club Spring Carnival will be in May
 
These are great events 
March 26.  Thursday.  3-5:30