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The Gimlet
Volume 107 #31
 
This Week at Rotary
We Meet at Noon on Thursday
February 3, 2022
IN PERSON & ZOOM
For Those Attending in Person
Plated Meal
(Zoom Meeting Opens at 11:45)
(Link Sent Thursday Morning)
At
The Lyric Conference Room
Holiday Inn Downtown
 
Cathy Jordan
Director of Leadership & Education
University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment
 
COP26 Take-Aways
(United Nations 26th Conference of the Parties)
 
The world had high hopes for the United Nations 26th Conference of the Parties in Glasgow, Scotland last November. What were the goals of COP26? What were the outcomes? What can we be happy about and what should we feel frustrated about? What can we expect going into COP27?  Join Cathy Jordan from the U of M Twin Cities Campus who led a delegation of faculty, staff and students to Glasgow. After hearing her observations, we will engage in dialogue about what we can do to encourage progress on addressing climate change.
 
Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
 
By Traci Marciniak
 
A small group of Rotarians met at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, located in the lovely and historic Depot. The meeting kicked off with the day’s speaker, Ken Buehler, ringing the bell from one of the many locomotives on display at the museum. President Chana Stocke called the meeting to order and led the Rotarians through the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary 4-way Test.
 
Past Assistant Governor Al Makynen offered a reflection about how lucky we Rotarians are to live in a first-class city that offers a first-class railroad museum for residents and tourists to explore and enjoy. He also called to mind how we should make a point of being mindful of others’ needs. A good reminder for all of us.
 
Past Assistant Governor Al Makynen
 
President Chana introduced guest Kris Pelofske, the lovely wife of Jerry Pelofske.  There were no visiting Rotarians.
 
(L to R Kris Pelofske, Allen Anway, Jerry Pelofske and Past President Bonita Nelson
 
Chair of the Day, Rob Hofmann, introduced the speaker and former Club 25 Rotarian, Ken Buehler. Ken is a long-time fixture, a true legend in the Duluth arts and cultural community. Ken is the Executive Director of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and driving force behind the Northern Lights Express Passenger Rail project, or NLX.
 
Ken Buehler
 
Ken shared a bit of history regarding how the Depot evolved to become the stellar arts and cultural center that it is today. Did you know that the Depot was highlighted on the cover of Time Magazine many years ago as an example of how to repurpose old train depots?  In addition to the effort and hard work Ken has put in to ensure the Lake Superior Railroad Museum is one of Duluth’s top attractions, he has been working diligently to create a passenger rail option from Duluth/Superior to the Twin Cities area. With the passing of the recent federal infrastructure bill, the Northern Lights Express is on “the fast track”! After 20 years of intense planning and hundreds of conversations, the Northern Lights Express is at the cusp of becoming a reality for the tens of thousands of potential passengers. All that is needed is additional “matching dollars” from the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The total cost of the Northern Lights Express is estimated to be $400 million dollars. While Governor Walz did earmark $16.1 million dollars to the project in the upcoming bonding bill, that is not enough to make the project a “go” as a 20% local match must be secured in order for the federal funding to kick in and complete the project. Therefore, Ken and his team have requested $85 million dollars from Minnesota’s surplus and/or rainy day funds, which both hold substantial balances. Since Wisconsin hosts 17% of the track as part of the route, they will come up 17% of the cost, which is approximately $10 – 15 million dollars.
 
 
NLX corridor map showing proposed stops in Minneapolis, Coon Rapids-Foley, Cambridge, Hinckley, Superior, WI and Duluth.
 
Northern Lights Express details:
Four round trips per day
$25 - $35 per ticket, one way
Speeds from 60 – 90 miles per hour
Length of time from Duluth to Minneapolis on the train: 2.5 hours
Trains have the lowest carbon footprint of any mass transit system
Partners: Amtrak and BNSF
Passengers: Business/government employees, students, travelers, medical, veterans, sports and entertainment enthusiasts, shoppers.
 
Veterans make up 7.2% of St. Louis County’s population and many of them receive their medical care at the Veteran’s hospitals and clinics in Minneapolis. As a thank you for their service rides for veterans to their appointments in the Twin Cities will be no cost to them! Since the Northern Lights Express is considered to be the most shovel-ready rail project out of 30 across the United States, the time is now to make it happen. It’s almost as if the “northern lights” have finally aligned!
 
Past President Branden Robinson
 
President-elect Barb Perrella with President Chana Stocke
 
 
 
Traci Marciniak with Skeeter Moore
 
This Week's Meeting
Thursdays at 12:00 PM
Holiday Center Great Lakes Ballroom
200 W. Superior St
Duluth, MN
United States of America
VenueMap
Venue Map
Speakers
Feb 03, 2022
COP26 Take-Aways
Feb 10, 2022
The Science of Manifestation
Feb 17, 2022
Marshall's Launch of The Forest School, Fall 2022
Feb 24, 2022
Mental Health Access Program
Mar 03, 2022
Mar 24, 2022
View entire list
Upcoming Events
Rotary Board of Directors
Zoom
Feb 15, 2022 3:30 PM
 
Rotary Board of Directors
Zoom
Mar 15, 2022 3:30 PM
 
View entire list
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Dick Swenson
January 4
 
Jim Schwartz
January 7
 
Daniel Maki
January 13
 
Gerald Ostroski
January 18
 
Greg Hansen
January 21
 
Patra Sevastiades
January 23
 
Bob Reichert
January 26
 
Dave McLean
January 26
 
David Fulda
January 26
 
Michelle Buria
January 31
 
Join Date
Daniel Maki
January 2, 2018
4 years
 
Chuck Chairs
January 3, 2002
20 years
 
Dan Markham
January 4, 2007
15 years
 
Ruth Westra
January 5, 2006
16 years
 
Skeeter Moore
January 5, 2006
16 years
 
Edie Michalski
January 7, 1999
23 years
 
Dave Holappa
January 13, 2000
22 years
 
Chana Stocke
January 16, 2003
19 years
 
Paul Helstrom
January 27, 2011
11 years
 
Steve Yorde
January 28, 2010
12 years
 
Official Publication of
Rotary Club of Duluth
207 W. Superior St.
Suite 201
Phone:218-722-0451
Duluth Minnesota 55802
 
Editor:
Rob Hofmann
218-464-2895
 
Writers:
Darlene Anderson
Rob Hofmann
Al Makynen
Traci Marciniak
Phil Strom
Steve Yorde
 
Photographer:
Jerry Thoreson
 
 
Rotary Office Hours:
By Appointment Only
Until Further Notice
Website: duluthrotary.org