This Week at Rotary
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Lunch Buffet
Doors Open 11:30 AM
12:00 PM START
At
Kitchi Gammi Club
Mark Boben
GND Development Alliance
The Gary-New Duluth Recreation Area was shut down by the City in 2009 due to budget shortfalls. The GND Development Alliance was created in 2013 to revitalize and transform the city into a true community center and recreation area. The initial vision and much more has been accomplished. The GND REC is a true, regional destination.
Mark Boben grew up in the far west community of Gary-New Duluth. Upon graduating from college, Mark went to work for Phillips Petroleum Company. He worked around the world including 15 years in Norway and China. His career focused on major capital projects, government relations, Health, Safety & Environment, training and QAQC. Mark and his wife, Linda, moved back to Duluth in 2009 after taking early retirement. Mark wanted to give back to his community and began with enhancing the GND Veterans Memorial and reinstituting Memorial Day ceremonies before establishing an all-volunteer non-profit organization, to revitalize and transform the GND REC.
Kitchi Gammi Club • May 8 • 5:00 p.m.
Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
By Al Makynen
With a single strike of the bell by President Elizabeth Simonson, and a Rotary Reflection given by Vinod Gupta on the power of traditions, a diverse group of busy people were transformed into Rotarians gathered for fellowship, a program of interest, and to take care of business to better serve their community.
Dan Maki provided information on the
St. Louis River Experience. The Club is and has been a sponsor since its inception in 2015 to provide seniors and veterans an outdoor life experience by bringing them out onto the Duluth Superior Harbor and St. Louis River. Several past and current members assist with the volunteer crew of a captain and two mates to handle the pontoon. For the 100 scheduled trips each season (late June through early September), over 60 volunteers are needed. An “All Hands-on Deck” informational meeting for those who wish to volunteer will be held on Tuesday, April 22 at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1325 North 45
th Avenue East. Come and be a part of this Club sponsored project.
Dan Maki inviting Rotarians to volunteer for the St. Louis River Experience
Assistant District Governor,
Dean Casperson described how each member of the Club can participate in the upcoming
Rotary Gala & Auction Fundraiser. The event is scheduled for Thursday, May 8
th in the Great Hall of the Kitchi Gammi Club. The best way to participate is to
register. Remember to invite friends and family. If you are unable to attend, you can donate in several ways. You can help offset the expenses and provide funds for
Renee Burns (Live Auction) or Past President
Chana Stocke (Basket/Raffle) to acquire items. And as always at the end of the Live Auction is the “Paddles Up” for two special causes. If you wish to make a difference internationally there is “
Polio Plus”. And if you wish to make a difference locally there is “Youth Mental Health”. And of course, the ever-popular option of supporting both!
Past President and Assistant District Governor Dean Casperson making sure everyone participates in the Rotary Gala & Auction Fundraiser
Our newest member is John Jenkins. As part of his introduction, he provided a “Rotarian Profile” so that all of us could know him better. He grew up in southern California before embarking on a life journey that had him living in six states before settling in Duluth in 2014 with his wife Giselle. They traded palm trees for sub-zero temperatures. Upon arrival he was a Construction Safety Specialist with Enbridge. Now he has shifted his focus to real estate investment. They both love the adventure of the great outdoors. Their two young children, ages 5 and 3 keep them on their toes.
Our newest member John Jenkins
Dan Maki as Chair of the Day introduced Doug Jensen who is an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Planner with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Today’s presentation was focused on Lake Superior with its 3 quadrillion (that is a number with 15 zeros) gallons of water, representing 10% of all the fresh water on the planet. Doug Jensen has spent over 30 years chasing down these pests and has worked with most (83) of the counties in the State. Of all the invasive species in the lake, 40% come from ships discharging ballast water. Even with the invasive species, the overall quality of the ecosystem is classified as “good” with the number of new invasive species being introduced on the decline or stable.
Doug Jensen from the Department of Natural Resources
As a result of the prevention work done, Lake Superior is an exception to many of the water bodies in the state and nation. There are challenges that remain. Since 1980 the average temperature of the lake water has increased by 4.5 degrees. In 2012 there was a major algae bloom. Smelt are a non-native (not classified as invasive) species introduced into the Lake in the 1930’s. The smelt population crashed in 1979 (the last of the great smelt runs). Approximately 97 non-native species have been introduced into the waters. Of those approximately 10% are considered invasive (harmful to the ecosystem). Zebra mussels were discovered in 1989.
What can be done? What can you do? With 825,000 registered boats; with 11,842 lakes greater than 10 acres in size; with 33 Million tourists of which 36% are anglers, there is pressure on our water. Public education is key. Compliance with basic protocols is required. (1) Use native plants. (2) Do not release pet fish. (3) Volunteer to help remove invasive aquatic plants. (4) Monitor and report to the DNR any suspicious species. (5) Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat every time you leave a water body.
Speaker Doug Jensen with President Elizabeth Simonson
Golden Nuggets of Club 25 History
Rotary Club of Duluth – Chartered July 17, 1911
By Rachael Martin and Jerry Thoreson
Charter Member Clyde Wetmore Kelly was the architect of Morgan Park School and served in WW1
Clyde Wetmore Kelly
When the Rotary Club of Duluth was founded in 1911, 31-year-old architect Clyde Wetmore Kelly was living at 4 Chatham Flats. At the time, he shared an office with partner A. Werner Lignell in suites 700–703 of the Lonsdale Building. Kelly had already begun establishing his reputation in Duluth, designing public and semi-public buildings, including the Morgan Park School. He also designed the 1912 Carlton County Courthouse and the 1920 Shaw Memorial Library, home of the Carlton County History Museum since 1987, according Zenith City Press. Both Cloquet buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Morgan Park School, designed by architect Clyde Wetmore Kelly, was built in 1916 and demolished in 2017.
Morgan Park School auditorium before its demolition. Duluth News Tribune story September 12, 2015 Photo by Clint Austin, Duluth News Tribune
Born in Chicago in 1880, Kelly’s family moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he attended public schools. He later moved to Washington, D.C., and worked as a draftsman for the Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department. While working during the day, he studied architecture at night at George Washington University.
His next step took him to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, where he worked in the architecture department. In 1905, he relocated to Winnipeg, and soon after, to Duluth. There, he worked with local architects John Wagenstine and the firm of German & Lignell before starting his own practice in 1907. Over time, he partnered with others, including O. J. Williams and Thomas J. Shefchik.
In addition to his architectural career, Kelly served in the Naval Militia. During World War I, he was called into active duty and commanded the U.S.S. Massachusetts from 1918 to 1919. He held a master’s license that allowed him to captain steam vessels of any tonnage on any ocean—an impressive credential.
Outside of work and service, Kelly was active in civic life. He was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and served on the board of the Ridgeview Golf Club, contributing to Duluth’s growing professional and social circles.
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