Our June 1st program will feature an update on membership plans for the coming years, an engaging “Who Do You Know” exercise and Rotary Jeopardy with Alex Trebek (NOT!). This will be a fun program!
President Elaine Hansen rang the bell and called the meeting to order, again this week at the Kitchi Gammi Club. She then called on Past President John Baumgarten to accompany us in the singing of “America the Beautiful.” And beautiful it was…the singing, the day, the fellowship and friendship, and the coming together as Club 25ers to celebrate our commitment to Service Above Self. Past President Dick Carlson asked us to “ponder the gratitude” many were feeling today by reading the words from a classic hymn of thanks.
Pianist and Past President John Baumgarten
Fellowship Reporter Darlene Anderson then stepped up to introduce guests from the YWCA, the Lincoln Park Children and Family Collaborative, plus our exchange students’ host families from Duluth: Mary Durward, Chip and Kathy Jacobs, Matt and Kay Doyle, Ann Carmichael and Cathy and Dan Markham. Tom Young was fined for Young and Associates being recognized as Agency of the Year in Minnesota, chosen #1 from a pool of 700 insurance agencies. Steve Yorde was fined for his wife Adele’s comments in a Duluth Seaway Port Authority shipping story which appeared in the DNT and the Star Tribune. Roger Hartley was dinged for appearing in a photo in The Duluthian magazine, and generously kicked the Golden Can again to recognize his son and daughter-in-law ‘s newest addition, a 9#, 9oz baby girl. And finally, Greg Hansen’s daughter Megan recently graduated from Bethel University in St. Paul. Congratulations to all. Later, John Moir announced that we need your help in taking Woodland Hills kids fishing on Friday, June 9. At this time, we have room for only 20 kids, and the need is much greater. We can meet this need by providing more boats. Please call John or Jim Schwartz for details. Chief Picker-Upper Craig Fellman reported that today’s Roadside Clean-up will again start at 2:30 pm at the Clearwater Grille along our assigned roadway, Scenic Highway 61. Please meet there at 2:30 pm with gloves in hand. Refreshments and socializing at Clearwater follow this important work up the shore. Ryan Johnson pitched the importance of this year’s Trip Raffle, which will have monetary prizes ranging from 20% to 1% of the funds collected through raffle sales. Plenty of hotel rooms, too. JUNE 15th is the date of the drawing. Remember, you can purchase or sell the two tickets you have been given. Thanks for your consideration of this worthy fundraiser.
Geiger Yount presented the YWCA with our club’s gift of $2,500 for local educational and recreational field trips. The Lincoln Park Children and Family Collaborative was awarded $5,000 for three programs: its 1:1 mentorship program in collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club; its July 16 afternoon (2:00 – 5:00 pm) neighborhood gathering “Meet in the Street;” and its community gardening program in Harrison Park and Emerald Garden. Funds will be used to educate their young gardeners on how to garden, supply these gardens with seed, etc. and host community workshops on better eating habits.
Alice Jacobson (YWCA Director of External Programming), Melissa Hellrub-Storie (YWCA Director of Childcare Center and Geiger Yount
Jodi Broadwell (LPCFC Executive Director) and Geiger Yount
Doubling down on her duties today, Fellowship Reporter and Chair of the Day Darlene Anderson introduced today’s program, our own Club 25 Rotary In-bound Exchange Students Louli Ponce (Lyon, France), Philipp Adler (Dresden, Germany) and Picha Budda (Sissakut, Thailand). These three young people told their individual stories of their year in Duluth. Not surprisingly, they all relished the cold weather, swimming in Lake Superior, living with their warm-hearted host families, and getting involved in school activities (winter sports, prom, graduation), not to mention a total immersion into American culture, and Duluth’s. Their respective parents back home had occupations as varied as architect, lawyer, theater director, business-owner, and yet these students from varied backgrounds and countries obviously appreciated Rotary’s hospitality and friendship. In their own way, each expressed, “this was not only a year in one’s life, but a life in one’s year.”
Upon return to their home countries, each one is required to make-up the year spent here, as they do not get academic credit for their time in Duluth. However, each one said this was “an experience of a lifetime” and well worth coming to Duluth and meeting so many other In-bound Exchange Students. In conclusion, they presented a video which was produced by the students and shown at the District Conference in April. It showed the fun they had in meeting new people and doing new things. Of their experience, Louli said, “I became more tolerant of others’ views, especially after experiencing America’s election last fall.” Philipp said, “I learned how to be more independent, confident, too.” Picha said, “I met many wonderful people here, a great experience that will be part of me forever.”
Louli Ponce, Philipp Adler, Elaine Hansen and Picha Budda
The Club 25 Trip Raffle kicked off on Thursday, May 11th. The drawing will take place on June 15th but you do not have to present to win. This year the committee has made an exciting update to the prizes to encourage ticket sales. The cash prizes are based on the number of tickets sold and will be as follows:
One Platinum Level: 20% of purse (up to $7,500)
One Gold Level: 10% of purse (up to $3,750)
Three Silver Level: 5% of purse (up to $1,875)
Five Bronze Level: 1% of purse (up to $375)
The drawing will also include a variety of complimentary hotel room stays. Each Club 25er will be given two $100 tickets to buy or sell. You can pick up your tickets at a Thursday meeting or in the Rotary office. This important fundraiser gives everyone a chance to win these amazing prizes. Contact the Rotary Office at 218-722-0451 or bri@duluthrotary.org with questions. Club 25ers can charge their ticket purchases to their accounts.
Friday, June 9th is the date to take a kid fishing from 8:00 am to Noon. We need volunteers to supply boats and fishing expertise. Thirty to forty kids are expected and this means all hands on deck. Friends and family with boats can be asked for help with the event.
Contact Jim Schwartz, call 218-384-3500 or email jimwschwartz@aol.com, if you can help.
The Duluth-Superior Eco Rotary club is in need of volunteers for Grandma's Marathon recycling in the exciting zone behind the finish line. We help finishers decide what is compost, recyclable or garbage and they appreciate our efforts. The two shifts are 6:00 am - 10:30 am and 10:15 am -2:30 pm. A volunteer training meeting will be scheduled soon before the race. This meeting is where you will get your t-shirt, your FINISH LINE ribbon, (this is your pass to get in the area), pins, meal tickets, and drink tickets. We need up to 60 volunteers for this event, so it's important for us to draw people in from other clubs, including your friends, family, and co-workers. Please contact Anna Pulles at:
On Saturday, June 24th the North Shore Rotary Club of Two Harbors will be hosting their ForeKids Couples Golf Tournament at Lakeview National. The tee time is 8:30 am and the money raised will be used for from Silver Bay and Two Harbors students to attend Camp RYLA. The cost is $65 per person, which includes the following:
· 18 holes of golf (6 holes best ball – 6 holes alternate golf – 6 holes scramble)
· Luncheon following play
· Registration gifts valued at over $30 per couple
· Flight awards
The tournament is limited to 20 couples. Reserve a tee time by calling 218-834-2664.
The Membership Committee recommends Eric Dott, VP Senior Hydrogeologist of Barr Engineering, for the classification Engineering-Administration proposed by Steve Yorde and Jeff Iisaaka; and LTC Bryan Graddy, Professor of Air Science at UMD, for the classification Universities– Air Science proposed by Rob Hofmann and David Allison. If the Board receives no written objections to these proposals within 7 days, they will be asked to become members of the Club.
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