In the Community

Although Duluth has a history of professional orchestras reaching as far back as 1883, the beginnings of the Duluth Civic Orchestra occurred in 1931 in the carriage house of Alphin Flaaten, a professional music teacher. The first concert of the Civic Orchestra was on May 2, 1932, under the baton of Walter Lange. The organization met with overwhelming community support and Paul Lemay, principal violist and assistant conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony, accepted the post of first full-time conductor. His first concert with the Duluth Civic Orchestra was December 26, 1932, and shortly thereafter, the Duluth Symphony Association was founded under the management of Abe Miller.

Those initial concerts took place in the Duluth Armory located at 14th Avenue East and London Road. In 1966, the Orchestra moved to the DECC (Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center) Auditorium which seats over 2,200 and is located on the waterfront. In the 1974-75 season the name of the Orchestra was officially changed to Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra to reflect the close cultural and economic relationship of the two port cities.

Since its inception in 1932, the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra has proven to be a leading cultural organization in this region. Now, in its 77th season, the DSSO has consistently provided professional level performances of symphonic music, both traditional and new, to audiences of every age and background. The DSSO has set itself apart from its peers and established a unique tradition by regularly featuring the most important soloists of the day.

The mission of the DSSO is to deeply move and engage as many people as possible with the power of symphonic music.  Attorneys Patrick Spott and Kay Biga are long time supporters of the DSSO.  Kay Biga served on the board for nine years.  She and Patrick sponsored two concerts in past seasons and Spott Law Office is sponsoring a concert in the 2012-2013 season.

Attorney Patrick Spott kicked of Leadership Duluth 2012-13 on September 12, 2012 with a presentation on networking and personal relations.  Leadership Duluth is our community’s premier leadership development program.  Designed to identify, orient, develop and network existing and emerging leaders, Leadership Duluth inspires participants to take an active role in ensuring the health and prosperity of our area.

A program of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Duluth's mission is to identify, educate and inspire leaders to serve our community. Participants will collaborate with each other and area leaders to determine and define the components of a healthy community.   Through a series of educational and hands-on opportunities, participants will come to understand the inner-workings of these components and how they contribute to the Duluth area’s overall health.  Finally, in response to Leadership Duluth’s call to action, participants will be asked to share their personal and business intentions for the future.

Program objectives are to educate participants about Duluth’s cultural and business history, as well as the current issues facing the region. Invite participants to work together to foster and facilitate positive change in their workplaces and in the community. Equip participants with skills that will assist them in being more effective leaders in the workplace and in the community. Finally, the program seeks to motivate participants to pursue active leadership within those causes with which they identify.

Attorney Patrick Spott is a graduate of Leadership Duluth and actively participates in Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce initiatives and programs.

In conjunction with their sponsorship of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce's "Let's Do Lunch", the Spott Law Office offered to provide pro bono legal services for a local non profit for one year. After receiving several nominations Community Action Duluth was ultimately selected.  

Community Action started in Duluth in 1965 as a public agency operated through the City of Duluth. During its first years of operation, the agency emphasized direct services to people with low incomes. Among the programs administered were Head Start, remedial reading, child development centers, and Neighborhood Youth Corps.  In 1982, Duluth Community Action Program (DCAP) incorporated as a nonprofit and became independent from the City of Duluth. DCAP relocated to the Duluth Armory on London Road and began providing services like energy assistance, weatherization, and food assistance.  

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, DCAP formed strong bonds with several community-based organizations and was instrumental in:

• The early development of affordable housing (with Center City Housing Corporation)
• Grassroots organizing around energy conservation and rate hikes (with the Senior Coalition)
• Neighborhood empowerment efforts (with West End Community Action and Broad-Based Organizing for a Newer Duluth-BOND)

Building on its rich history of providing for the needs of people with low incomes in Duluth, DCAP was reborn as Community Action Duluth (CAD) in 1999. The office was moved to its current location in Lincoln Park.  Today, Community Action Duluth's programs are designed to help people increase their income and assets, secure jobs, and develop social capital.  In 2010, CAD formed a subsidiary – Green Duluth LLC – that provides green jobs through urban agriculture, Watershed Conservation Corps, Energy Outreach Canvass, and an energy conservation partnership with Minnesota Power.