Thursday, May 28, 2026

House salad

Pasta Bar – Meatballs and Chicken

Marinara

Alfredo

Dinner Rolls

Doors Open 11:30 a.m.

At

 

 

 

Last fall, Dean and Patra left behind their home, their friends, their country, and almost all of their clothes (!). Carrying only a backpack and water bottle, they walked a 482-mile pilgrimage across northern Spain. Come hear them share what they learned along the way, how they did it—and why! Questions like:

 

How long did it take?

Where did you stay?

What was the hardest day?

What is the Camino de Santiago?

 

 

Duluth, MN 55816

 

You are invited to the annual Adopt-a-Highway clean-up of our section on North Shore Drive, on Wednesday, June 3rd from 4:00pm until 5:30pm.     

Safety vests and collection bags will be provided.  Dress for walking outside.   

Afterwards, past President Michelle Buria, is hosting a social at her home.  

Interested and can help???

 Contact President Elect Dan Maki at dmaki@ascentialwealth.com or 218-590-3593 (text/call).

 

 

Mont du Lac Lodge

3125 S. Mont du Lac Drive

Superior, WI

Thursday, June 18 (no lunch meeting that day)

 

 

Bent Paddle Taproom

1832 W. Michigan Street

Duluth, MN

Come help plan for the world’s largest Polio Walk on World Polio Day! Join Twin Ports and Twin Cities Rotary Club representatives to plan for this event that will be held on October 24, 2026.

 

 

The Great Hall was packed with people when President Zach Walters stepped up to the podium and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary 4-Way Test.

 

A merry table of Rotarians: Past President Gary Melander, Past President Sandy Hoff, Jack Seiler, Past President Phil Strom, Past President Chana Stocke, and Past President Barb Perrella.

 

Judy Sage, guest of Allen Anway, Past President Al Makynen, and Catherine Carter-Huber enjoy one another’s splendid company.

 

Vinod Gupta reminds us that we control our response to adversity.

 

Vinod Gupta delivered today’s Reflection. He thanked Jack Seiler for introducing him to Rotary. He shared his daily mindset: “I am the master of my own happiness. Goals help me have a meaningful life even as they cause stress. My ultimate goal: To reach my potential. If I am too comfortable, I am not doing enough. I can’t heal wounds inflicted on me by others unless I forget them. Love is action. When I am gone, all that will be left is the part I played in other people’s lives.”

 

Mark Fitzgibbons, guest of Jeff Fifield, stands to be welcomed.

 

President Zach introduced today’s guests:

Judy Sage, guest of Allen Anway

Mark Fitzgibbons of Fitz Photo, guest of Jeff Fifield

John Baumgarten, former Club 25 Rotarian

Pat Munger Lehr, guest of Dale Johnson

Robyn Lings of Superior Rotary, guest of Club 25

Fred Friedman, today’s speaker

 

John Baumgarten, former Club 25 Rotarian!

 

Several people kicked the Golden Can today. Jerry Thoreson celebrated his 66^th birthday. Past President Gary Melander’s granddaughter, Marissa, just gave birth—making Gary a great grandfather! Jack Seiler and his fellow band members raised $1,800 for Safe Haven. Past President Sandy Hoff thanked our speaker, Fred Friedman, for using his son Tanner’s Express Car Wash. He also honored his daughter, Callie Hoff (past Junior Rotarian), for raising $35,000 and organizing gift cards and food donations for people who lost their homes to the fire recently on the North Shore. Bob Reichert was recently featured at a UMD Medical School event where he shared his story about the book Yellow Butterfly: A Creative Talent’s Struggle with Mental Illness, a book of poetry and art by his late daughter, Dorie; there, Bob shared her experience with the progression of mental illness. Bob also told Rotarians that his dear brother died last week. Past President Elizabeth Simonson was thankful for Bob’s presentation at UMD. President Zach Walters kicked the can to celebrate being selected as a member of the 20-Under-40 First Class of 2026. Treasurer Jen Smith added that she, too, had once been in the 20-Under-40 First Class.

 

Robyn Lings invites Club 25 to be part of World Polio Day.

 

Robyn Lings of Superior Rotary announced that World Polio Day will be Saturday, October 24, 2026! Twin Ports and the Twin Cities Rotary Clubs are coordinating to hold the world’s largest polio walk in Duluth on 10/24/26. Club 25 needs a representative to attend a planning meeting this Friday, May 29, at 2:00 pm at Bent Paddle. Are you interested? Let President Zach Walters know (zach@greatlakesmn.com) !

 

Past President Elizabeth Simonson announces President’s Night.

 

Save the Date! Past President Elizabeth Simonson announced that President’s Night will be held on Thursday, June 18, probably at 5:30pm, at the Mont du Lac Lodge. More details to come. (No Thursday lunch that day.)

 

Chair of the Day Tammy Sundbom introduces our speaker.

 

Tammy Sundbom, Chair of the Day, introduced today’s speaker, Fred Friedman, whose bona fides in the world of law are impressive: an attorney since 1972, he taught at UMD in the Sociology Department and at the School of Medicine starting in 1975. Among many accomplishments, he was Northeastern Minnesota Chief Public Defender (1986-2018) and a member of the National Association of Public Defenders. He arrived in Duluth in 1964, and he and his family’s first home here was in the Munger Inn.

 

Fred Friedman: attorney, public defender, instructor—a Duluth jewel.

 

Fred met his future wife in the hallway of Denfeld High School. They have been married 55 years and have two sons. Fred never says no to Rotary. He and his brother had polio and survived. When Fred learned that in 1979 Rotary volunteers had administered drops of oral polio vaccine to children at a health center in the Philippines, he was won over. (He personally met Dr. Jonas Salk, who, when offered a chance to patent his polio vaccine, declined.)

 

Fred noted that the American President’s greatest power (outside of weapons of war) is whom they nominate to be federal judges. Federal judges have lifetime appointments. The Senate’s greatest power is whom they confirm, including federal judges.

 

The U.S. Supreme Court is asked to consider about 11,000 cases each year. They select 140-150 each year; the rulings of the other 10,750 cases remain unchanged. The Supreme Court has the ability to bring about radical change. Examples: segregation, which used to be legal, became illegal. Gay marriage, which used to be illegal, became legal.

 

Several cases decided by the High Court fall into the “people did not see this coming” category.

 

 

After the stock market crash of 1929, Congress was paralyzed. When Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected President, he didn’t wait for Congress. He instituted new programs (e.g., the Civilian Conservation Corps). He significantly expanded the power of the executive branch.

 

The audience applauded, followed by Q & A.

 

President Zach thanked Fred and announced that next week’s speaker will be Dr. Arshia Khan. [Update: Dr. Khan’s presentation will be rescheduled. Instead, Dean Casperson & Patra Sevastiades will regale the Club with tales of the Camino de Santiago.]

 

The 50/50 winner this week was Bill Sozansky, pocketing $56.