September 14, 2023

For Those Attending in Person

Buffet

(Zoom Meeting Opens at 11:45)

(Link Sent Thursday Morning)

At

 

 

Dave Long has been a member of the Detroit Lakes Noon Rotary Club since 2014 and has served in numerous club and District leadership roles.  He has been the Rotary International Convention Promotion Chair for District 5580 for 7 years and has attended 8 International Conventions in 5 different countries.  Dave served as Assistant Governor for Area 7, which included 5 vibrant clubs in West Central MN.  He has participated on the District Grants Committee for 8 years and was the Grant Sub-Committee chair 2018-2020.

 

 

Welcoming Rotarians and guests President Gary Melander invited all to join him in singing our National Anthem and reciting the Rotary Four-Way Test. Past-President Phil Strom reflected on the story of Rotary as we are Club #25 of the 35,000 Rotary Clubs worldwide. Our core values guide Rotarians in all that we do. Service is the key principal that powers programs and activities. The Fellowship of Rotary has its own rewards as it multiplies our impact locally and internationally, and our combined efforts know no limitation. We encourage Diversity in all we do, including growing membership, various vocations and professions. We value Integrity and are committed to transparent accountability.

 

President Gary Melander (note the Rose Button!)

 

Past-President Barb Perrella (she has her button too!)

 

 

 

It is the time of the year at Club #25 known as “The Rose Sale”. Past-President Barb Perrella announced that the tickets are available now - and if you need more, please contact her. Also, the website for the 38^th Annual Rose Sale has been updated and is easy for people to use. You can email your friends or share the Facebook post encouraging people to place their order on the website: www.rotaryroses.com  Roses will be distributed on October 13 and 14, but the order must be placed on September 26, so we need to have a good estimate of sales by then. Jennifer Smith will be collecting the money and ticket stubs at each meeting. Also, if you would instead donate to the Duluth Rotary Club Foundation, you can. $10 donation is equal to a dozen roses sold.

 

Speaking of the Rose Sale, Grant Chair Jack Seiler highlighted some of the organizations and projects that receive funds from the Rose Sale: Chester Bowl Improvement Fund, Star of the North Maternity Home, Northern Expressions Arts Collective, YWCA Young Mothers Program, and Damiano Center. There is one theme that connects the grants: “KIDS” – we feed them, we nurture them, and we teach them.

 

Grant Chair Jack Seiler

 

Chair of the Day Ruth Westra shared that when she retired in 2019 she became a “Dog Buddy Level 2” at Animal Allies. She enjoyed walking the dogs and soon found herself on the board and then chair of the board. Today she introduced our speaker Julie Waltenburg, the Executive Director of Animal Allies Humane Center.

 

Chair of the Day Ruth Westra

 

 

 

Animal Allies began in Duluth in 1957 with no facility for their first 40 years, as care for the animals was provided by foster caregivers in their homes. In 1998, the city of Duluth offered to share their shelter and that was the arrangement for the next 10 years. However, as the needs grew, a capital campaign began, resulting in the current facility on Airport Road.

 

Julie Waltenburg

Executive Director

 

Now they receive more than 1500 animals each year and are able to find adoptive homes for about 1300. For the past 9 months the facility has been at full capacity. Thus, they are recruiting additional volunteers to help by being a dog or cat buddy, feeding the animals, cleaning, or assisting at the front desk. There is also an ongoing need for foster homes for short stays of a week or a month.

 

A couple of exciting youth activities that Julie highlighted included the “Birthday Party at Animal Allies.” This is a three-hour party complete with cake and ice cream, along with interaction with the animals. In the summertime, they conduct 10 one-week “Camps for Kids”. Each week the camp has a different theme, and kids can interact with the animals and experience what it is like at the adoption center.

 

(L to R) President Gary Melander with Julie Waltenburg, Animal Allies board members including Chair of the Day Ruth Westra

 

And the meeting concluded with the 50/50 drawing and after everyone checked their tickets for the winning number, it was President Gary Melander holding the prized ticket.

 

Will President-Elect Elizabeth Simonson beat President Gary Melander in 50/50 (with an assist from Grant Chair Jack Seiler)?

NOPE – Try again next week, Elizabeth!

 

Rob Hofmann at Marshall School talking about the Junior Rotary program

 

Wow – so many potential Junior Rotarians!