Duluth Skyline Rotary - Active in the community since 1973

The Duluth Skyline Rotary Club started forming in 1972 for Rotarians who wanted to meet on top of the hill.

The first time the club met was September 1972 at the Highland Supper Club.

Earl Rogers, the club’s first president, owned a Honda motorcycle dealership on top of the hill during that time. He still is an active member and owns Duluth Travel in downtown Duluth.

Rogers remembers 22 members who chartered the club. They were Richard Robison, Dawayn McNeil, William Meierhoff, Guy Liljeblad, Thomas Zauhar, Joseph Nehring, David  Lindman, James Marshall, Wayne Amendola, Gil Johnson, El Paulson, Bill Symons, John Fochs, Kelly Herstad, Donald Long, Dr. Roy Juntinnen, Tom Sirois, Jim Wallack, Tom Dougherty, Bill Yax , Bob Olson and Rogers.

Herstad also continues to be active in the club.

In June 1973, the club was officially chartered and dedicated at a gathering at the Hotel Duluth Ballroom.

Rogers challenged the newly found club and its members to, “take the high road” and simply “do your best — since anything less would just not suffice.”

Since that time the club has seen many members come and go. While some of the names and faces have changed over the years, the club continues to be active and supportive of the local communities.

Skyliners always meet on Friday, but the location has changed many times over the years. From Highland they went to the Elks Club, the Duluth International Airport and the Hermantown Public Safety Building.

Today, the club meets every Friday at the Country Inn and Suites in Hermantown. The club and its 52 active members meet at noon for a lunch and program.

Known to be a welcoming and friendly club, many visitors have enjoyed meeting members and listening to the speakers. Savories Catering provides the lunch, so people always leave having had a great meal.

Fellowship and lunch is something Skyline Rotary members enjoy, but it is what they give back to the community that keeps them as Rotarians. There is evidence all over the area of projects Skyline Rotary has been involved in over the years.

Skyliners built the Beverly Marshall Memorial Park at the United Day Activity Center on Sixth Avenue East and Ninth Street in 1976. They constructed a pavilion for the Chris Jensen Nursing Facility.

A major project for the club was the creation of the Terry Egerdahl Memorial Field in Proctor. The club designed and built the field (including the sod and goal posts).

In 2000, the club built the outdoor classroom on the Hermantown School grounds.
By far the largest project involved the construction of the 60-ton base foundation for the F-4 fighter jet on display at  the Duluth International Airport. This project took massive resources and club member’s volunteered counltess hours to complete the project.

Knowing our young people are our future, Skyline Rotary sponsors the PH banquet, which acknowledges the top 10 percent from the graduating classes at Hermantown and Proctor high schools. They also give to other scholarship funds.
Skyline Rotary has also given to countless organizations throughout the Twin Ports. Every Christmas they help  families in need with donations and gifts.