Amid the anger, grumbling, lawsuit threats and hard feelings swirling around the Duluth school district's red plan, one bright spot -- a common goal -- has been obvious.
Kids. The next generation of Duluthians. And the shared desire to do what's best for them, no matter what.
That unifying call has been easier to detect elsewhere.
Last summer, when the city scrapped a popular downhill ski program at Chester Park because of budget problems, the grass-roots Chester Bowl Improvement Club stepped up and resurrected it. This winter the program, which for years has introduced children to the sport, is schussing along as usual.
Recently, the Duluth Legacy Endowment Fund also stepped up to help the Chester Bowl program with a grant. It was part of $3,000 provided by the still-young nonprofit, which also supported a Duluth Public Library reading program, basketball courts at Lincoln Park and a West Duluth community center.
ADVERTISEMENT
This winter, when the city said it didn't have the money to operate all its pleasure-skating rinks, community groups took up the hoses and kept at least four frozen ovals going. The rinks are wintertime havens again, just as they should be, places where kids can have fun and stay fit.
Two months ago, when Duluth's Life House faced serious budget shortfalls and the prospect of closing, a Duluth donor wrote a check for $50,000, another contributed $40,000 and others gave until a total of $170,000 had been reached. No one gave for recognition. The big contributors asked to remain anonymous. And the downtown nonprofit, which has been a lifeline to homeless and at-risk youths for nearly 20 years, continues to operate.
One final example: On Thursday, Duluth's 37-year-old Boys and Girls Club will celebrate the opening of a new, larger, more attractive and better-able-to-serve facility at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center. The club's mission to "keep our children safe and engaged in positive activities during out-of-school time" won't change. But it will get easier. "The organization will reach out to more youth than ever," the Boys and Girls Club said in a written statement.
Reaching out to more youth than ever seems to be an emerging commitment in Duluth, a city sometimes criticized for paying far more attention to tourists than teenagers. The devotion has permeated even the ugliness surrounding the red plan -- one place where the shared goal should really be kept in mind.
