This Week at Rotary
Club 25 February 9 Meeting – no noon meeting
You and a guest are invited to our special
Fireside Rotary Chat
Thursday, February 9, 2023
from 5:00 to 7:00 pm
A very social way to meet new members and
learn a little bit more about Rotary Club 25
We promise to keep it fun and short
Join us for drinks (cash bar) and appetizers!
Highlights from Last Week’s Meeting
By Traci Marciniak
Rotary Club 25 members met on a frigid day in the Holiday Inn’s Lyric Conference Room. President Barb Perrella rang the bell and called the meeting to order. Rotarians recited the Pledge of Allegiance and the Rotary Four-Way Test.
Rotarian and Gimlet editor,
Rob Hofmann, offered the reflection related to Groundhog’s Day, with
Jena Evans helping to clarify what it means when the rodent sees or doesn’t see its shadow. Regardless of Rotary members’ political affiliations,
Rob’s joke about Groundhog’s Day and the State of the Union address got more than a few laughs.
Rob may be Club #25’s resident comedian as he finished up his reflection with the
Village People’s classic Y.M.C.A. song and video in honor of the day’s speaker.
President Barb Perrella made her way back to the podium and called the Club #25 Annual Meeting to order. The nominating committee presented the following slate of 2023-2024 officers and directors for approval:
President-Elect: Elizabeth Simonson
Secretary: Patra Sevastiades
Directors: Zak Walters, Dan Maki, and Past President Branden Robinson
After asking for any nominations from the floor and receiving none, President Barb Perrella made a motion to approve the slate as presented. Past Assistant Governor Phil Strom asked for an amendment to make the vote unanimous, both seconded by Dave Fulda - Motion was approved unanimously. President Barb Perrella made a motion to adjourn the annual meeting. (Past President Dean Casperson/Zak Walters). The motion to adjourn was approved unanimously.
Paul Helstrom kicked the golden can and reported that he recently spent time at the Steger Wilderness Center in Ely, Minnesota cutting ice off the lake to be used for the center’s cold storage. Paul Helstrom invited Rotary members to visit the Center.
President
Barb Perrella reminded the club members that another
Rotary Night of fellowship with be held at the Duluth Playhouse to see “The Glass Menagerie” that evening. The production is free for Rotarians and their guests. The first Fireside Chat of 2023 is scheduled for February 9 from 5-7 at the Kitchi Gammi Club.
Please sign up to attend. The Fireside Chat replaces the noon meeting.
Rotarians waiting to see The Glass Menagerie
Jerry Pelofske introduced a new Club #25 member, Justin Reid. Justin is the GM at Duluth Energy Systems and is excited to join Rotary, keeping his family tradition of Rotary involvement alive and well.
Jerry Pelofske with new Club #25 member, Justin Reid.
Jerry Pelofske reported that the Rotary/Salvation Army bell ringing raised $3,210 in 2022. He will present a short volunteer schedule in October for Rotarians to sign up for a bell-ringing slot.
Club #25 members were introduced to February’s junior Rotarians from East, Proctor, Hermantown, and Harbor City Schools.
Chair of the day Dan Maki
Chair of the day Dan Maki introduced Sara Cole, Executive Director of the Duluth area YMCA. Sara, who is originally from upstate New York, is the Y’s first female executive director in its organization’s 150-year history. The Y started in London, England in the late 1800s, with Duluth’s chapter being built in 1966. There are now Y’s in more than 100 countries across the globe.
The goal of the Y is to build strong communities and the organization accomplishes that by focusing on three primary areas: youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. YMCA’s values include caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.
Duluth’s YMCA sees more than 1,200 clients daily and is the largest provider of infant daycare, wellness programs, food access, and educational programs in the region. The Duluth Y also provides support to nearly 200 other Y’s through training, as well as technical and financial assistance. The Y is also one of the nation’s largest first-time employers.
The Y is always open to everyone and everyone is welcome. Sara invited Club #25 members to visit the Duluth area YMCA’s, with locations downtown Duluth, West Duluth, Hermantown, Grand Marais, Grand Rapids, and more.
Sara Cole, Executive Director of the Duluth area YMCA
The $40 50/50 drawing was won by Junior Rotarian, Aurora from Proctor!
Club # 25 President Barb Perrella with speaker Sara Cole
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