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Donna Lunke
Donna Lunke recently announced her retirement as an agent for the State Farm Agency. Donna, a 1974 graduate of Cook County High School, will now have more time for herself, her husband, and the organizations she volunteers for.
Below are a few questions Donna was asked and her replies.
Q- How long have you worked for State Farm Insurance?
“A few months short of 30 years.”
Q- What has been the biggest reward(s) in working for the company?
“That’s a really easy one! My people. Clients have become my friends over the years and my friends became clients. My young clients call me “Auntie Donna” and tell their friends to come see me. Every day one of my people made me laugh, and they are why I looked forward to going to work each day. “
Q- You and Orvis (her husband) do a lot of volunteer work. Can you list the projects you have helped with?
“Currently, we regularly volunteer for Ruby’s Pantry, 2nd Harvest Mobile Food Distribution and Honor Flight Northland. We fund a scholarship for a graduating senior at CCHS, and we have our “Small Requests” project that we started last year. We like helping out at the Community Thanksgiving Dinner delivering meals, the school, doing things like helping start the Feel-Good Cart, which was the idea of three wonderful high school girls. I also was recently elected to the Arrowhead Board of Directors. There is a lot to learn, and I am enjoying it. It is pretty exciting to see the possibilities of clean energy and battery storage coming down the road that will change the way we do business in the future. “
Q- How long have you and Orvis been married?
“Nineteen years. He is absolutely the best partner anyone could ever wish for. When I come up with an idea or project, he usually only says, “Oh, Jeez,” and then steps in to help. There is very little he can’t fix, and he is always taking something apart that works perfectly in order to see how it works!”
Q- Community is important—essential— to you. Why?
“Community is important to have a sense of belonging, of having support systems, connections and unity. Our strengths may be someone else’s weaknesses, but together we lift each other up and make Cook County a better place to be. It’s all about making a difference.”
Q- Tell a little bit about your growing up in Cook County, your family.
“My folks were loggers and had a sawmill and an excavating construction company in the Hovland and Grand Portage area. That was a time when everyone had a big Sunday dinner, and the neighbors came over. It often was at our house because we had the first TV in Hovland, a novelty, but usually, we only got Canadian stations. Duluth stations came in only if the weather was favorable and you had to crank your outside antenna around. Twins baseball was always on the radio, usually at the picnic table on summer days. After our chores were done, we were free-range kids jumping the rocks in the river, taking off on our bikes, roaming in the woods, but if Mom said to be home at 6 p.m. for dinner, you better not show up at 6:15. I started babysitting at 11, had my first waitress job at 13 and have worked ever since. Just like today, if you worked a service level job, you usually had two going to make ends meet. It was a simpler, kinder time, and if a neighbor needed a hand with something, everyone would show up to help. My folks taught me to not get beyond your raising, always remember where you came from and who helped you get where you are today. So, a HUGE thank you to the folks of Cook County. It’s been a really good gig!”
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