Thursday, February 5, 2026

Lunch Buffet

House Salad

Pork Tenderloin

Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy

Seasonal Veg

 

Doors Open 11:30AM

At

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

By Darlene Anderson

 

With a ring of the Rotary bell President Zach Walters opened the weekly gathering of Rotarians and guests.

 

President Zach Walters

 

The Reflection of the day by Jerry Thorson who shared that it was 14 years ago that he helped launch Destination Duluth. In the past year the site had 86 million views on Facebook and Instagram which is an average of 235,000 views per day of the photographers’ photos. And the “golden ticket” is that every post is positive! However, with recent tragic events occurring in the Twin Cities, Jerry wondered how we could celebrate our anniversary. Then it dawned on Jerry that each photographer's post of the inherent beauty and wonder of a sunrise, sunset, ship, or shoreline is a little light of hope—millions of little lights of positive in the midst of relentless negative. So - “Don't be overcome by evil. Overcome evil with good.”

 

After welcoming our guests for the day, President Zach invited members to “Kick the Golden Can”. Past-President Barb Perrella announced she will become a Grandma in August and John Magas’ stepson was engaged this past weekend. Geiger Yount brought our Harbor City Junior Rotarian Dahlia Boberg to the podium so she could share that she has been accepted at several arts schools but has chosen to attend Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, CA. Also, the college has granted her an $80,000 scholarship. Congratulations, Dahlia.

 

Congratulations “Grandma” Barb Perrella

 

Soon to be “father-in-law” John Magas’

 

Harbor City Junior Rotarian Dahlia Boberg

 

Announcements for the Day: The Northeast Regional Science Fair will be held this Saturday and Jerry Pelofske invited club members to serve as judges for the fair and help select the four contestants who would be awarded the $25 gift certificates to Barnes and Noble.

 

Jerry Pelofske looking for judges

 

Andy Thielen has accepted the position as Rotary Youth Exchange Officer for our club. He is asking all members to help him find host families for incoming exchange students. It is a wonderful opportunity to share in the life of the youth as Judy Rogers knows as she and the late great Rotarian Earl Rogers have hosted 21 exchange students over the years.

Rotary Youth Exchange Officer Andy Thielen looking for host families

 

President-Elect Dan Maki noted that the service project of painting at St Anne's has been delayed until the end of February or March. Stay tuned for the new date.

 

President-Elect Dan then assumed the role of Chair of the Day and introduced today's speaker and fellow Rotarian (Duluth-Superior Eco Club) Emma Pardini who works with Resource Renew formerly known as WLSSD.

 

Our speaker Emma Pardini

 

Emma said that although the name of WLSSD has changed to Resource Renew the underlying goal of taking something no longer used and turning it into something usable remains the same. She then gave us a shortened Recycling 101 course with video clips of the process and machines used. The materials that are picked up in our area are taken to the Cities where they are sorted by machines as well as employees. Some tips to help us make the process go more efficiently were shared. For cardboard – is it flat so it can be sorted by size. For the glass breaker machine, no small items but at least 2” in size. Because of the rollers in the machines, no electrical cords, Christmas lights or plastic bags. These items wrap on the rollers and must be removed by hand – slowing down the process. Magnets pick out metal pieces that can be melted and then reused. Aluminum cans are handled separately as they are processed differently and can be back in use within 60 days.

 

Some of the newer equipment makes recycling plastics much easier. However, this is a more complicated process and so they ask that you recycle plastic jugs, jars, bottles and dairy tubs. But the crunchy plastics such as fruit containers or Styrofoam cups and food containers cannot be recycled at the facilities in Minnesota so do not put them into your recycling.

 

Emma was then able to have a short question and answer time where we learned that pizza boxes can be flattened and recycled as long as you do not leave a slice of pizza in the box. The envelopes with the plastic windows are recyclable. However, black plastic items are not. And batteries need to be disposed of at the household waste facility in west Duluth. Now to put into practice what we learned today...