Hei Alle Sammen! Fra Presidenten
BONNIE MOHS
Vikingland Lodge President
The past month has brought us yet more snow (snø) and the fact that I’m writing the update for the April newsletter reminds me that spring (vår) is ALMOST here, and I can’t wait!
Our second Scandinavian Festival (Skandinavisk festival) was once again a huge success (suksess) with over 300 in attendance. Thank you to Carol Turner, Dorothy Hoover, and Pat Johnson for all your efforts in coordinating this event, thank you to the staff at Ecumen, and thank you to all the members who participated in providing artifacts, crafts, food, and more to make this a memorable (minneverdig) event for all those who attended. It’s a great way for our lodge to share our Scandinavian heritage (arv) with the community (samfunnet).
At this month’s meeting we’ll have our Silent Auction (Stille Auksjon), please contact Carol Turner if you have items that you’d like to donate (Donere) to the auction. This event helps raise funds for our Foundation (Fundament) which are donated to various organizations and causes in the lakes area.
Thank you to Larry Olson for modeling our new 50th Anniversary shirts at last month’s meeting. We have t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags available. Please see the order form in this newsletter for instructions to place your order.
If you haven’t checked out the March issue of Viking Magazine, please take a closer look at the article on “Scandinavians for Suffrage” by our very own Tom Mortenson. In this article Tom takes a closer look at the role that Scandinavian immigrants played in the Women’s Suffrage (Kvinners Stemmerett) movement in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
In membership news, please give a warm welcome to our newest Golden Members (Gyldne medlemmer); Dotty Egge and Sharon Josephson.
See you at our Lodge Meeting and Silent Auction on April 9th!
Report On the Scandinavian Festival
CAROL TURNER
Lodge Foundation Director
There were many comments from people that attended about how much they enjoyed themselves, the artifacts were a big hit, the food was great and the crafts were all very interesting. This whole event was a wonderful way to show our community about our heritage, all the volunteers that worked so hard and our lodge can be very proud of how well it turned out (even Mother Nature cooperated for this weekend). Thank you to everyone who put in countless hours before and during the event and behind the scenes – be sure to keep track of those hours for our end of year report that goes to headquarters.
Tusen tak,
Carol Turner
Welcome New Members
We are happy to welcome the following new members to Vikingland Lodge! Dotty Egge and Sharon Josephson in March. Welcome to Vikingland!
Fish Waste to Power Cruise Ships
MS Fram in Antarctica Photo: Sandra Walser
A new initiative will use green energy to power ships in Norway. Norwegian company Hurtigruten plans to convert at least six of its cruise liners to use biogas made from fish waste by 2021. Converting the ships to use this fossil-free fuel will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help efforts to eliminate pollutants.
The reason for using fish waste is due to Norway’s high number of fishery sectors and access to high volumes of organic waste, placing Norway in a great position for the biogas market. The ships will also use large battery packs capable of storing energy produced from renewable sources.
In addition to using biogas, Hurtigruten will be banning single-use plastics to create environmental sustainability. Hurtigruten’s numerous efforts will help decrease the ships’ negative impact on the environment and will be a solid step toward environmental preservation.
Greetings from the Vikingland Foundation
CAROL TURNER
Lodge Foundation Director
Foundation news, we will have our Silent Auction at the next meeting in April, the funds that are raised from this event will be distributed to local non-profit organizations in the community as well as some that will be sent to the International Foundation. This is our major fundraiser for the foundation, please be thinking about items you would like to donate to this worthy cause. The organizations are so grateful for our support and they stretch the money to help many people in our community.
Tusen tak, Carol Turner
At one time, Ole ran a dairy farm and did pretty well. He adapted this slogan which he hung on the wall: “All dat I am, I owe to udders.”
Friendly Reminders…
STAMPS: Remember to save the stamps (leaving a quarter inch around the edges). Please bring these to Dorothy Hoover.
SCHOLARSHIPS: Scholarship applications are due to Roger Josephson by May 1, 2019. You can apply online at sonsofnorwaydl.org/summer-camp/.
Please send warm thoughts (varme tanker) and prayers (bønner) this month to Merilynn Tinjum (Beth’s mother) will be having knee surgery, Beth’s dad Roger Tinjum fell and is recovering from injuries. John Horner (Ardy’s husband) has been battling esophageal cancer and has finished treatments and awaiting the all-clear. Bob Hoover who is still undergoing treatments for cancer. Harold Sanders had complications coming out of shoulder surgery and is recovering at Oak Crossing.
If you know of someone who should be added to our Solskinn Hjørne (Sunshine Corner), please email Dorothy Poffenberger at dndpoff@arvig.net or call 218-847-8288.
Greeting from the Vikingland Social Director
DOROTHY HOOVER
Lodge Social Director
Thank you to everyone who helped make the Scandinavian Festival a success!
April program will be presented by our new associate members Dave and Carla Reitan. Dave’s father was the originator of the Hostfest in Minot. Dave is now at the helm and will tell us all about Hostfest. Many of you have experienced Hostfest as have Bob and I and know just how wonderful and exciting it is.
May will bring our District 1 President as our speaker. We will also have some musical entertainment,
June will be Scott and Mary Hoaby with music from South America (Mary’s birthplace).
July will be Habitat, meeting with picnic dessert, and bandshell entertainment. Just think, we will probably be complaining about the heat when we meet in July!
Until then, stay warm.
Archaeologists Find Over 9,000 Year-Old Nut in Sykkylven
Archaeologists in Møre og Romsdal are very pleased with a discovery they made in Sykkylven this summer – a 9,100 year-old hazelnut.
“The nut was partially burned. So either there was a fire in the area, or someone roasted nuts here about 9,000 years ago,” county curator Bjørn Ringstad told Sunnmørsposten.
The nut was found during archaeological surveys on the Bakke Islands in Sykkylven this summer, on a site where a new school will be built.
“We also found nutshells in one of the fire pits at the excavations in Auremarka. Then we found a whole pit full of burnt hazelnut shells. But we have not determined their age yet,” he says.
The nutshell found in the Bakke Islands was analyzed by a laboratory in the United States. Ringstad says it is a fun find, which proves that hazelnuts have grown on the discovery site for several thousand years – all the way back to the Stone Age.
2019 District 1 Language Camp Scholarships
Scholarships for Concordia Language Villages (CLV) at Bemidji or Masso Moro at Eau Claire, Wisconsin are available for youth whose parents, grandparents or guardians are members of a District 1 Sons of Norway Lodge.
Campers may attend any of the Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or Finnish camps at CLV in June or July or the Norwegian camp at Masso Moro, July 14-27. Vikingland Lodge is entitled to 4 scholarship weeks from District 1, at either of the camps. The local lodge provides an additional scholarship to those attending a camp.
Applications for scholarships must be made before May 1st. For additional information contact Roger Josephson.
