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This Week's Program: Jim Topie, Friends of the Lakewalk

Harbortown will convene back at the Holiday Inn for a hybrid meeting. Please remember if you plan to have a meal you need to RSVP to Rob the week prior. Members are still welcome to attend and simply not eat as well. No RSVP needed for that.

 

Jim Topie is a member of a group called Friends of the Lakewalk and will be sharing who the group is and what they do for our wonderful and iconic Duluth Lakewalk. Jim will highlight the strides this group of individuals has made and the impacts their efforts will have for years to come on the Lakewalk. 

 

Through member support and partnerships, the group is advancing short- and long-term project goals including restoration of Fitger’s & Canal Park sections, coastal infrastructure rehabilitation because of a $13.5 million bonding approval, trail extension through Brighton Beach, installation of interpretative and directional wayfinding signage, safety and ADA improvements including an S curve at 23rd Ave East, community pollinator plots, twice annual volunteer cleanups, and of course - building friendships.

 

"As friends of our Lakewalk, our vision is to have our Lakewalk preserved, protected, improved, and interpreted to provide a world class experience on the shore of Lake Superior." ~Jim Topie

 

Please use this new link that will work for all recurring meetings in 2021: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84714189189?pwd=WHJGUk55REZCbzZBdVRkcUN4SFlMQT09

 
Meeting ID: 847 1418 9189
Passcode: 119791
Stories
Boys & Girls Club Service Project: March 24th
On March 24th Harbortown members will be supporting the Lincoln Park Boys & Girls Club with a fun hands-on project!
 
In place of our regular morning meeting, we will meet at the Boys and Girls Club from 4-7 PM to paint, do some organizing, install some shelves and other small projects.
 
Address: 2407 W. 4th Street, Duluth, MN 55806
 
Please let Jinell know if you are able to make it:
jinellabernethy@gmail.com      218-428-2800
 
  
Registration is Live for the Virtual 5580 Rotary District
Register for the 2021 Rotary District 5580 Conference today!
 
Go to: www.bemidji2021.com and register for free!
 
April 26 – May 1, join the district members for presentations every weekday at noon and 2:00 pm as well as:
  • Special happy hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 4:00 pm
  • Evening fun Monday and Friday at 5:00 pm
  • Service projects on Saturday
See the full agenda at www.bemidji2021.com
 
 
April 1 Attracting and Retaining Women of Rotary with Pam Solberg-Tapper
Rotary: Women: Change - A frank conversation on how to attract and retain women members
Featuring guest speaker Pam Solberg-Tapper!  
This training is open to all, including friends, family, and fellow Rotarians.
 
When: Apr 1, 2021 04:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada) 
 
 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
 
If you have questions or would like more information, please contact DGN Kay Biga directly at kbiga@aol.com or (218) 390-6507.  Thanks again for your commitment to this project! 
 
World Water Day March 22
Monday, March 22 is designated as World Water Day by the United Nations as an annual event focusing on the importance of freshwater to make us aware of the importance of water resources.   World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water.  The 2021 theme of World Water Day is the theme is valuing water. Under the theme of valuing water, the 2021 campaign is generating a global, public conversation on social media about how people value water for all its uses. The aim is to create a more comprehensive understanding of how water is valued by different people in different contexts so we can safeguard this precious resource for everyone. Referencing the World Water Day site, In the lead-up to 22 March, people and organizations host World Water Day events and participate in the global public campaign, launched in the preceding months by UN-Water on https://www.worldwaterday.org/  The central narrative of the campaign is designed to encourage people to contribute their stories, thoughts and experiences on the value of water.  A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
 
Water means different things to different people.  How is water important to your home and family life, your livelihood, your cultural practices, your wellbeing, your local environment?  In households, schools and workplaces, water can mean health, hygiene, dignity and productivity.  Today, water is under extreme threat from a growing population, increasing demands of agriculture and industry, and the worsening impacts of climate change. 
 
In cultural, religious and spiritual places, water can mean a connection with creation, community and oneself. According to Rotary February 26, 2020 WASRAG Newsletter “Water insecurity is increasing worldwide. 36% of the world’s people live in water-scarce regions. On average, droughts affect over 50 million people annually and cause more than $5 billion of damage. These numbers are set to increase, due to population growth, rapid urbanization, and growing economic demands for water. Climate change further intensifies these pressures in many regions. In most cases, these threats are not just the result of weather variability but are also related to inadequate water management and governance issues. These dynamics render societies more vulnerable to short term water scarcity and longer-term droughts, while directly affecting local economies and social relations.”
Humans need water to survive, as do all the systems we rely on, sanitation, healthcare, education, business and industry. Action plans to tackle climate change need to be integrated across different sectors and coordinated across borders. And they must have one thing in common: safe and sustainable water management.
 
What can we do as Rotarians?  Our District 5580 has completed many International projects developing water resources for needy communities. We continue to look to help needy communities with water and sanitation projects around the world.  Please let us know if your club would like to get involved or participate in help funding these projects, or has any suggestions for other water and sanitation projects around the world.
 
Karl Everett
District 5580 Water and Sanitation Chair
 
Reference: UN-Water on https://www.worldwaterday.org/
 
 
Photo Credit: Karl Everett
Save the Date! Hermans Holm Golf Fundraiser July 19, 2021
Save the Date!
 
This year's Harbortown Rotary Charitable Foundation Hermans/Holm Golf fundraiser is scheduled for July 19th at Ridgeview Country Club.
 
Watch the Harbortown Scuttlebutt, website and Facebook page for more information as we get closer to the date.
 
  
Photo Credit: Various Harbortown Rotarians
New Embroidery Options! Harbortown Logo Wear Available Now!
Show your Rotary pride loud and proud with new official Harbortown logo wear!
 
Thanks to Heather Salfer, who collaborated with John Cron to create the official Harbortown Rotary Apparel website.
 
Click on the link below, select your favorite apparel brand, use the newly branded Harbortown logo and place your order!  Prices vary depending on the brand you select.
 
NEW! Light colored embroidery options are now available for dark apparel. See photograph below for example of thread color.
 
 
 
March Edition of Rotary Magazine: Serve to Change Lives
This month Rotary magazine focuses on the shared vision of Rotary President-Elect Shekhar Mehta, Serve to Change Lives.
 
Hear about one Rotarian's story of service during COVID in Richmond, TX as a medical-surgical nurse, become a member of Rotary's group of geneaologists, and hear from someone who dreams big - our international Rotary President-Elect, Shekhar Mehta in a heart-felt interview.
 
Catherine Coleman Flowers writes a revealing book entitled: Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty SecretThe month her book was released (November 2020), senior editor Geoffrey Johnson talked to Flowers about America’s dirty secret, bridging partisan divides, the ways those two topics intersect — and how Rotarians can be part of the solution.
 
All these stories and more online!
 
Upcoming Program Duties
During these challenging times during COVID, it has become an even greater challenge securing weekly program presenters. But this time also affords the opportunity of the ease of a Zoom presentation versus which can be a bonus for a busy presenter.
 
If you have an upcoming program duty (or if you are unsure, please check the upcoming duty roster) please be sure to secure a speaker and provide notice to Don O'Connor (Don@duluthbx.com) as soon as that speaker is confirmed. If you are unable to confirm a speaker who can present virtually, you could look at options for a Ted Talk, consider presenting yourself on a relevant topic or your business, or create some excitement for a community youth organization you are passionate about. It is your program, so think about what is interesting and engaging to you and share it with others!
 
Even during our virtual meetings, we want to present engaging content and make the meetings meaningful for those that are attending the weekly sessions. We've hosted several prospective members and we want to keep them coming back with great content.
 
If for some reason you are unable to switch duties with another member or you have simply exhausted all efforts to find a speaker, please notify Don no later than 3 business days before the meeting (the Friday before the meeting your program is scheduled) whenever possible.
 
Thank you for your help with this and thank you to all who are working hard to find engaging content for our upcoming sessions!
 
Upcoming Program Duties:
 
June 16: Fred Rouse
June 23: President's Dinner: Ridgeview Country Club
June 30: TBD
July 7: Stephanie Irwin
July 14: Dave Kohlhaas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leave of Absence Procedure
There have been a number of questions during this time regarding leave of absence and the procedure for submitting a leave.  If you would like to submit a leave of absence, please visit the Harbortown Rotary home page under the Home Page Download Files section or contact admin@harbortownrotary.com to obtain the LOA form.
 
Below are guidelines regarding the Leave Of Absence process:
  • Leaves are not granted automatically
  • A leave of absence is granted by a majority vote of the Board
  • A leave can be granted only to a member who has no outstanding debts to the club
  • Career transition leaves are handled differently so please contact the club president or Jan for further details
  • A leave is granted for a specific period of time not to exceed three months
  • A member is still responsible for rotary dues and fundraising but not meals during the leave
 
Harbortown News
For news, announcements, event promotion social media, media releases and more, please contact Charity Johnson (csjohnson@starbasemn.org or 218-788-7288). 
 
IMPORTANT UPDATE: 1.5.2021
 
Chloe Strand joined the Marketing/PR committee last fall and is taking on many duties related to Facebook posts, Member Spotlights and more. When communicating PR details, please copy both Charity (csjohnson@starbasemn.org) and Chloe (Chloe.Strand@hdchrc.org) on relevant information.
 
For Scuttlebutt: If you are hosting the program speaker, please copy Charity on the speaker's name, organization and email. If you are the chair of a Harbortown Committee, please update Charity and Chloe on relevant information regarding grants and awards, meetings or news.   Charity will use this information to create more dynamic and engaging content to share with potential club members and on social media.
 
It is our goal to continue to share the good work that Harbortown Rotary is doing in our community, so your help and support is greatly appreciated!
 
Thank you!
Harbortown Rotary 2021
Russell Hampton
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