From the Van Gorden Outreach Fund

$3,000 to Think First Collaborative to provide outreach presentations to local elementary, middle and high school students to create awareness and understanding of the causes and results of head and spinal cord injuries.

$8,000 to Courage Center Duluth for the Great Lake Mono-Ski Madness – an opportunity for kids and adults with spinal cord injuries and other low extremity disabilities to attend a three-day mono ski camp.

From the Miller-Dwan Foundation Unrestricted Funds

$5,000 to the Union Gospel Mission to support basic needs that address psychological health.

$3,250 to SMDC’s Erick Peter Person Children’s Cancer Center for the Center’s first remembrance gathering and bereavement workshop for families.

$3,800 to the University of Minnesota, Duluth Health Services to bring internationally renowned author and speaker, Jenni Schaefer, to the community for the third annual, week-long series of workshops intended to raise awareness and facilitate the prevention, recognition and or treatment of eating disorders.

$15,000 to the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA) for therapeutic intervention services for adolescent survivors of sexual assault.

We’re hosting the event as a fundraiser for our Turning Point Campaign to build a mental health and wellness center here in Duluth for children, adolescents, and young adults—and their families—who are struggling with mental health issues.

The Women Leading Change event will be held on September 16 at 5 p.m. in the Greysolon Ballroom at 231 East Superior Street. The cost to attend is $30 and includes dinner, the program, and Gertsema’s book. Pre-registration is required by September 13 and can be completed online (click here) or by calling 218-786-5829. Don’t miss it!

5 pm – Conversation and cocktails
5:45 pm – Welcome and seating
6 pm – Dinner and guest speaker
7 pm – Social hour and book signing

**All genders are welcome!

About Women Leading Change:
Women have the power to drive change, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us. The Women Leading Change initiative is about gathering women together to wrap their arms around pressing community issues and advocate for positive change. Our first project is to build a bold vision for mental health care that will provide our young people and their families with a warm, home-like place to find the right care, at the right time. Join other ambitious, intelligent and inspiring women in our area to take bold steps and create change.

Click below links to view auction catalog:

Introduction and Live Auction Items
8 p.m. Silent Auction Items
7 p.m. Silent Auction Items

Tickets are $150. Your support at this year’s ARTcetera will help to save and transform thousands of young lives. For more information, click here.

To register now, click here.

Goldfine is the vice chairman and past president for ZMC Hotels. He has been with ZMC since 1970 and is responsible for all external attractions and activities of ZMC commercial properties as well as operations for the Chattanooga Riverboat Company in Tennessee and the Vista Fleet in Duluth. Goldfine has been involved in supervising hotel operations, national marketing campaigns, constructions projects, and activities of ZMC commercial properties. He is a leader in the tourism industry and serves on a variety of boards including the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Chancellor’s Advisory, Western Bank, Duluth Convention’s & Visitor’s Bureau, LifeCyclers, the Duluth Planning Commission, and Grandma’s Marathon. He’s also been significantly involved with Duluth Days, Duluth’s major legislative lobbying effort.

Konradt is president and chief executive officer of National Bank of Commerce and NATCOM Bancshares, Inc. Konradt joined NBofC in December of 2009 from Liberty Bank in West Des Moines, Iowa, where he served as executive vice president of community banking with responsibility for 34 retail branches. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with both his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science and his master’s degree in business. Konradt has held numerous board positions for a variety of organizations over the years, and has participated in a number of professional associations. He is eager to use his many skills to strengthen the Miller-Dwan Foundation and the Duluth/Superior area.

Lien is an attorney at law and owner of the Law Office of Michael W. Lien. He was previously a partner with Stauber & Lien. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Concordia College and a juris doctorate from the William Mitchell College of Law. He has been involved in numerous activities and organizations during his professional career, as a Denfeld High School recreational youth basketball coach, a Duluth area youth football coach, the past president and board member of Woodland Hills, and as a member of the Independent School District #709 Long Range Planning Committee. His interest in a leadership position with the Miller-Dwan Foundation is the result of his experiences in defending mental health commitment clients for over 20 years. Lien has personally observed the difficulties that mental health clients and their families experience with personal matters, financial issues, treatment options, and the social stigma attached.

Mullen is vice president of marketing and public affairs for Minnesota Power and is responsible for all large power industrial marketing activities, ensuring contracts are in place to support the continued health of Minnesota Power and its customers. Mullen earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, with a concentration in production management. He is active in the Duluth community and currently holds leadership positions with Junior Achievement, Duluth Area Military Affairs Committee, Superior Water Light & Power, Monaco Air Foundation, and the Benedictine Health Center. He is an active member of the Duluth and Hermantown Chambers of Commerce and has sat on boards for several other local organizations.

$20,000 to the Domestic Abuse Intervention Program for a Strong Moms/ Safe Kids Program, a new initiative dedicated to strengthening battered mothers and building resilience of and protection for children harmed by domestic violence.

$3,000 to the Minnesota Ballet to provide creative dance classes for children with physical challenges.

$15,000 to the Minnesota Crisis Intervention Team Officer’s Association for certification training that gives Duluth police officers the tools they need to deal with people in a mental health crisis.   

$13,796 to the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Psychology Department for research to identify the best strategies for parent involvement in the mental health treatment of children.

$8,445 to the Duluth Clinic Therapy Center to purchase biofeedback equipment and training that will help patients learn mind/body self-regulation and treat conditions such as chronic pain, anxiety, traumatic stress, hypertension, and Raynaud’s disease.

$3,100 to the Duluth Clinic Therapy Center for specialized practitioner training that treats musculoskeletal disorders with pain-free manual joint repositioning that restores function and eliminates pain.

$9,500 to Polinsky Medical Rehabilitation Center to purchase equipment that allows therapists to use the newest technological treatment advancements to provide effective, individualized treatment to patients who cannot swallow.

$20,000 for the development of a community-wide mental health speaker/education/stigma reduction program.

We’re very proud of the relationship we have with our employees. Their donations are a significant part of what we are able to do, and knowing that employees trust us to use their gifts wisely is one of the highest compliments we can receive. 

So, a big thank you goes out to our employees! We couldn’t do what we do without you.

We’re excited to have Joanna on board; she will be instrumental in helping us achieve our Mission to promote the health and well-being of the people of our region.