#VoteDuluth

Our beloved Zenith City - located on the Greatest of the Great Lakes - may soon be identified as Outside Magazine's Best Outdoor Lifestyle City in America. We are in the final stretch of a contest that started with Outside Magazine's 64 favorite towns in the country. Duluth and Provo, Utah are the two remaining contestants.

Voters will decide who wins. The contest ends Sunday, June 15, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. When I voted earlier today, Duluth was in the lead with 44,368 votes compared to Provo's 33,181.

We must tenaciously fight to retain this lead. We can do it - if we finish strong. To finish strong, we need your vote. Simply link to the online voting site by visiting VoteDuluth.com. Voting is quick and easy. Conversely, when we win, the positive results will be enjoyed for several years.

Being selected as the best town in America will illustrate how the rest of America has come to know what we have known for years. Duluth is a remarkably beautiful place brimming with outdoor recreational activities. The rest of our great nation is increasingly aware of what we have valued for many years, our abundant green space and our wealth of freshwater resources.

Let's finish strong, Duluth. Vote today at VoteDuluth.com.

In support and in optimism,

David Ross,
President & CEO
Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce

 


 

Bus Bike Walk Month

The weather’s finally nice and if you’re like me you want to be outside, all the time!  For me, bussing or biking to work is just the mental transition I need to start and end my day.

Throughout the month of May Duluth highlighted active transportation with a number of fun events.

There were Savvy Cyclist Traffic Skill courses and the unveiling of the 1st of 5 bike fix-it stations. You can check out the station on the Lakewalk next to Endion Station.  Trees were planted along a bike route on East Superior Street and Duluth Coffee Co hosted a carless themed art show of local artists.  On National Bike to Work Day the Mn Plaza was a morning stop for bike tune-ups, free coffee and smoothies blended by the power of a bike.  

That afternoon 65 bicyclists rode with the Mayor for the 3rd Annual Mayor’s Bike Ride followed by a even better attended luncheon highlighting all the progress the City has made and where we are headed in terms of bike and pedestrian ways throughout the community.  The month’s activities are wrapping up with a ceremony to congratulate 8 bike friendly businesses in Duluth.  Those who ranked Silver are Twin Ports Cyclery, Continental Ski and Bike, and the YMCA.  Awarded Bronze designation are Duluth Coffee Co, Barr Engineering, Aerostitch, Ski Hut East, and Ski Hut West.  Throughout the month there were more than 15 events spread around the community.

Also this year, Duluth was awarded a Bronze designation as a Bike Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists and was ranked #3 trail city in North America!

Duluth is making great strides to establish itself as a healthy active destination city designed around it natural surroundings.

If you are interested in getting involved with all the exciting changes happening to the Duluth active transportation landscape check out the links below!

http://healthyduluth.org/   |  http://wp.coggs.com/   |  http://www.duluthmn.gov/planning/superior-street/

Tiersa Dodge
Fuse Duluth Leadership Council - Chair
DSGW Architects

Help Us Defining the Housing Needs in Duluth

Fuse is on a mission to define the growing need for affordable housing in our beloved community. Whether you are single and looking to rent an apartment downtown or a family of six looking for a new home in a quiet neighborhood for over $500,000, we want to hear from you.

 Fuse is proud to be partnering with 1Roof Community Housing and Duluth LISC to create a valuable survey to define who, what and where the needs are. This is your chance to be heard, define what Duluthians are looking for and encourage appropriate development in the areas that you want to live in. We encourage you to take a few minutes to help distinguish our communities housing needs.

Follow the link to the survey that best applies to you>>>     Property Renter     Home Owner

Fuse Gives Back

Give back, get ahead. The title for Fuse Duluth’s latest Words From the Wise luncheon couldn’t be more accurate. Echoed in the sentiments from the experienced panelists, giving back helps you get ahead, in every aspect of your life.

On May 8^th, Kraus-Anderson Construction graciously sponsored our wide array of panelists and delicious Blackwoods meal. Speaking on behalf of their expertise was Adam Sundberg from COGGS, Valerie Clark from Goodwill Duluth, Liz Pawlik from the United Way, and John Scott from DSGW Architects.

Beginning by describing what ignited their passion for volunteering, Scott summed it up best when he said, “… you had a purpose and a need.” As an individual you have a purpose in life, it may be your career, it may be your family, but it may lie outside of that and could be volunteering. Once you can identify your purpose, you have a need to fulfill your purpose. These feelings and callings can ignite your passion for volunteering, whether you know you have it or not.

The panelists were asked how to find the right volunteer position. What resources do they use to discover new opportunities or what resources are available to help capitalize on an idea for a new opportunity. Pawlik identified the Volunteer Center website (www.volunteerduluth.org) as a comprehensive list of opportunities, organizations, or events happening in Duluth.

The panelists reflected that once they found their passion, they needed to find the right balance between work, personal, and volunteering. Scott found that if he participated in activities that didn’t compromise his work but supplemented his life, they were the right activities for him. Clark mentioned that her passion led her to make volunteering her career, by working for Goodwill Duluth, she can balance her personal life with her passion for her career and her dedication to giving back.

An audience member asked if the panelists are seeing a trend toward increased volunteerism or decreased participation, in Duluth. Pawlik summarized by saying the trend seems to be for that one-day, one-time, feel-good opportunity. Participants want to do something good but are satisfied after an 8-hour day. While there are needs for all types of volunteers, the individuals that have the passion to become a long-term, devoted volunteer are the individuals that keep organizations and non-profits alive.

At Fuse Duluth, we believe that those long-term, devoted volunteers are the individuals that also keep Duluth alive. To help ignite the passion for volunteering and giving back, Fuse Duluth has formed a Volunteer Focus Committee. Their aim is to provide opportunities for Fuse members to dip their toes in the volunteer pool, before jumping head first.

For our first activity, Fuse has formed a team of people to help participate in the United Way Day of Caring. On June 25^th, members will be gathering from 8AM to 12PM at the Depot, to help clean the train tracks and the lake walk. If you are interested in getting involved or in learning more about the event, please contact Fuse Director Martha Bremer  or Volunteer Focus Chair Rachel Malone.

For further recap of the event, check out Fuse Duluth’s Twitter page, where the event was Live-Tweeted. Follow us at @fuseduluth for future events and all of your Fuse Duluth news.

Rachel Malone
Fuse Duluth Leadership Council
Compudyne, Inc.

The West Side Feels Like Home to Me

We all know housing can be an issue for young professionals, and if you’re like me, you’ve likely heard the stereotypes of the east and west sides shortly after moving to Duluth, and especially, if you grew-up here. They seem to be entrenched stereotypes that can keep many young first-time home buyers from looking at some very affordable, and not to mention, great outdoorsy and family-friendly options in neighborhoods that may not seem as “fashionable” when telling your friends about your new place. The history and stereotypes of a lot of these neighborhoods is simply that, history and stereotypes. 

Before Mayor Ness started his push to further improve and promote the West side, my husband and I had already discovered for ourselves what a hidden gem some of the West side neighborhoods are. Last summer, we made the move to Morgan Park, the historic US Steel company town that has seen its share of ups and downs with the company. We enjoy outdoor activities and a little more room to breathe. That’s the big reason we live in Duluth in the first place. 

While I’ve recently noticed more young people moving into the “Park”, I’m amazed that even more young people aren’t there. Crime statistics there are lower than many other popular neighborhoods, ancient city utilities have already been modernized, there’s more room and yard space between houses than in many downtown neighborhoods. There’s lots of green space and activities nearby, (Spirit Mountain, the St. Louis River and Clyde boat access). The Munger Trail is only a few blocks away that will eventually connect to the Cross City Trail and Lakewalk and the pothole laden Grand Avenue will be redone soon. Best yet, young professionals can get a lot more bang for their buck, many of which still may have lots of student loans to pay off. 

Many of these things can be applied to several neighborhoods along Grand Avenue including Fond Du Lac, Gary, Smithville and Riverside. I know great places where friends live in Denfeld, Spirit Valley, and Lincoln Park. In fact most of my young, professional friends have now moved to the West side as of the last two years.

I’m here to tell you to check out ALL of Duluth’s neighborhoods. There are great hidden pockets in EVERY neighborhood I’ve driven through when we were looking at homes. I have discovered a lot of places I never realized existed that I could see myself living at happily. Do your research and go there to check these places out. 

Jena Vogtman
Fuse Duluth Leadership Council
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College





  

What Exactly IS Fuse Membership?

Since beginning my role as Director of Fuse this past February, I’ve been asked the recurring question:

Does Fuse Duluth have a formal membership? In short, the answer is no. Let me explain.

Historically speaking, Fuse Duluth did require a membership in years past.  Annual dues would allow members to attend any and all events without a payment transaction. It was discovered, however, that the young professionals did not prefer this method.  Fuse membership became confused with Chamber membership.  Dues were no longer being supported and participation plummeted.

Not long ago, the Fuse Duluth structure was revisited.  Annual membership dues are no longer applied.   In fact, we keep it simple.  Each event is charged individually, which allows you to pick and choose attending events that apply to your goals and your interests.  Plus, staying involved with Fuse has never been easier.  We encourage you to sign up for our emails to receive our event invitations and messages, and remain connected online through our social media networks and website.

We’ve discovered that as a simple, non-membership driven organization keeps Fuse open and welcoming to newcomers, events affordable for young professionals, and deters perceived exclusivity.

Moving forward as the Director of Fuse, my mission is to continue growing engagement and participation of both area young professionals and established professionals.  Without a formal membership, the Fuse Duluth world is your oyster – it is what you make of it.  Attend events.  Chat with us on social.  Mentor in College Connection.  Share articles with us.  Tell a friend about Fuse.  The more we stick together, the more we grow together.

 Grow. Connect. Fuse.

Martha Bremer

Director of Fuse Duluth

mbremer@duluthchamber.com  |  (218) 740-3754