This week at Rotary
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Lunch Buffet
Judy’s Delicious Cookies
Doors Open 11:30AM, come early to enjoy some social time
12:00 PM START
At
Kitchi Gammi Club
This week’s speaker
Elaine Hansen
Past District Governor
District 5580 year in Review
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
September 12, 2026, from 10:00 am - 4:00pm
The annual Lake Superior Harvest Festival will kick-off at Bayfront Festival Park!
Rotarians are needed to help!
Contact Geiger Yount to volunteer.
geigman@aol.com
Twin Ports Rotary Interclub Council Opportunities
Twin Ports Rotary Pickleball Players: Starting in September
We’ll organize it as a men’s & women’s mixed doubles league. We’ll play twice/month on a flexible schedule. We won’t be keeping track of wins and losses. We’re just playing for pure fun. To sign up or for more information contact Brad Jenson (past president of Harbortown) at 218-349-7566 or bradley.jenson1956@gmailcom.
We’ll organize it as a men’s & women’s mixed doubles league. We’ll play twice/month on a flexible schedule. We won’t be keeping track of wins and losses. We’re just playing for pure fun. To sign up or for more information contact Brad Jenson (past president of Harbortown) at 218-349-7566 or bradley.jenson1956@gmailcom.
Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
By Renee Burns
August 27 meeting was called to order by President Dan Maki who asked for the assembled group to start with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Four-Way Test, a copy of which is now on the tables so guests can also participate.
President Dan Maki opening the meeting
The Reflection by Natalie Junk spoke to friendships, old and new. Comparing her lifelong friendships with those she’s build at Rotary Club #25 since joining just over a year ago. Friendships that are intentional and similar to the Four-Way Test, particularly number three: Will it build goodwill and better friendships? When we welcome a new member, support a project, mentor a student, or simply greet someone with genuine warmth, we’re answering that questions with a YES. When we choose connection over convenience, service over comfort or community over isolation, we’re building something that lasts. Today’s call to action is simple, choose friendship, even when it’s not easy. Friendship builds goodwill and strengthens community.
Natalie Junk with a Reflection about friendship, and the art of running in the rain. (Did you get the reference??)
President Dan Maki welcomed our guests, Judy Sage, guest of Allen Anway and Jenna Pogorels, our speaker and guest of the club.
It was a good day for Golden Can announcements. Past President Al Makynen missed us last week but had a very good excuse for being gone. He was at Lake Vermilion celebrating his 37th wedding anniversary!
Past President Al Makynen announcing a recent anniversary.
Past President Barb Perrella announced the birth of her first grandchild, Leo Anthony Perrella on August 10. She’s off to visit that little guy again very soon!
Rob Hofmann had a work zone announcement. Producing his One -Woman Show featuring Katie Chin, daughter of celebrated restauranteur Leeann Chin, is being held on Saturday, August 28 at Teatro Zuccone. Local news anchor Laura Lee will be making a guest appearance as well.
Geiger Yount noted it’s almost back to school for UMD students and one of our Junior Rotarians from Harbor City, Waylan, who graduated as the valedictorian, will be attending UMD this year.
President Dan Maki then moved on to swearing-in two new board members, Past President Barb Perrella as the Director of Community and International Service and Angel Saczko, Director of Fundraising. They took their oath in unison, not missing a beat. Thank you for your service.
Following her swearing in, Angel moved into her role as Chair of the Day, introducing our speaker, Jenna Pogorels, Assistant of Community Services for the Alzheimer's Association.
Angel Saczko introducing the speaker and talking about the Walk to End Alzheimer's which she’s involved with.
Speaker of the Day, Jenna Pogorels with the Alzheimer's Association
Jenna has been with the association since 2013 and was truly a wealth of information and inspiration. The Alzheimer’s Association vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia.
There are 102,000 people living with Alzheimer's in Minnesota and 168,000 caregivers of those individuals, most of whom are informal caregivers tending to them in their homes.
An often-asked question is “dementia, Alzheimer's, what is the difference”? They are often used as though they mean the same thing, and while they are related, there are important differences between the two. Dementia is a broad “umbrella” term for an individual’s changes in memory, thinking or reasoning. There are many causes of dementia, including Alzheimer's.
There are types of dementia:
- Alzheimer's
- Vascular
- Lewy Body
- Frontotemporal
- Other, including Huntington’s Disease
- Mixed Dementia: dementia from more than one cause
However, Alzheimer's is the number one form of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death in the US. Alzheimer’s is fatal but you can live in the early stages for some time.
Some populations are at higher risk of developing the disease:
- Blacks are two times more likely
- Hispanic are one and a half times more likely
- Indigenous people are more likely
- Two thirds of all those affected are women
There are 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Decreased or poor judgment
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
- Changes in mood or personality
Early detection is important. If you see changes, take action. There is no cure for Alzheimer's but there are treatments that can slow the progression of the disease. Alzheimer's is caused by two abnormal brain structures called plaques and tangles which scientists believe damage and kill nerve cells and cause the brain to lose tissue and lose functioning communication between cells.
You can lower your risk by avoiding blows to the head, getting physical and cognitive exercise, eating a healthy diet and by monitoring your health.
If you are interested in volunteering for the Alzheimer's Association, visit ALZ.ORG for more information.
Angel Saczko and Jenna Pogorels
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This Thursday Bonita Nelson will be honored as the first woman admitted to Club 25 thirty-nine years ago this week.
By Jerry Thoreson
Last week we shared that 100 years ago, Club 25 was preparing for “Ladies’ Night,” when Rotarians were encouraged to bring their “Rotary Annes.”
That prompted a look back at the history of women in Rotary, and specifically here in Duluth.
One of the most fascinating discoveries was that a women’s Rotary club was formed in Duluth in 1911, the same year the Rotary Club of Duluth was chartered. In 1912, the first international Rotary convention was held in Duluth. The leaders of Duluth Women’s Rotary made a formal appeal for recognition from Rotary. Their request was soundly rejected.
It would take another 75 years before a woman would officially become a Rotarian in Club 25. Bonita Nelson became the first when she joined 39 years ago, on September 1, 1987. Just four months earlier, the Supreme Court had unanimously ruled that Rotary International’s men-only policy was unconstitutional.
This Thursday, we will honor and celebrate Bonita Nelson’s 39th anniversary of joining the Rotary Club of Duluth. She will share her experiences as the first woman allowed to join Club 25.
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