
Pictured are Bonnie Mohs, Janice Ness, Bob Hoover, Kathy Rogers, Joe Merseth, and Terri Carlisle showing their Growing to 2020 Pins
Hei Alle Sammen! Fra Presidenten
Hei alle sammen!! (Hi all) Thank you for your deltakelse (attendance) at the November Vikingland Lodge #495 meeting. We had 68 people in attendance for our November Soup and Sandwich, held elections for 2018 Board positions, and heard an excellent presentation of the EMMA Project, an on-going effort by our Detroit Lakes High School and community, to assist children and families living in our area, which may be homeless and in need of assistance. I believe that this speaks, once again, to our Scandinavian Arv (Heritage) in which we have observed the giving spirit from our ancestors, and hopefully, that spirit is richly and deeply engrained in our hjerter og sjeler (hearts and souls).
Our Membership Dinner was very successful and we are so excited to have these new members in our Lodge and welcome their thoughts, insights, and talents. Gratulerer (Congratulations) on your medlenskap (membership) and to Vikingland Lodge #495 for a very successful event.
At our November Lodge meeting, we elected our new officers and board members for the next term, some being one year, some two years and some three years. For new members, we welcome your ideas and willingness to assist in duties of our lodge, whether it be as an officer, board member, serving lunch, making lefse, etc. On that note, Terry Carlisle has done an exceptional job as our treasurer for nine years and would like to hand this ansvar (responsibility) to someone else. At our election,
Tom Schroeder indicated that he would take half of the year as treasurer, but is snow-birding the other half of the year.
If you are so inclined to help out and take the other half, Terry will mentor you and has everything set up for a smooth transition. Please contact Terry or me, and we will assist you in getting started.
As I write this letter, it is almost Thanksgiving, and we are traditionally reminded of all the things that we are so blessed to have and partake of in our country. We are takknemlig (thankful) for our heritage, which has provided us with faith in our God and a loving and giving spirit. We are takknemlig (thankful) for our families, which bring us so much happiness and blessings. We are takknemlig (thankful) for our freedoms in this country, which allow us to love, pray, work, own, elect and all the other freedoms that enable us to find individual happiness. For all this and many other things, we are so very grateful and blessed.
Looking forward to our December Lodge Meeting, we are having a potluck dinner beginning at 6 pm at Union Central, so bring a dish-to-pass or if that is not possible, come anyway. We will have plenty food for all.
Installation of officers and traditional Christmas singing will be on the agenda.
Velsignelser (Blessings) on your reise (journey) through life.
If you have ideas or suggestions to make our lodge better, please do not hesitate to let us know. Your Vikingland Lodge #495 board is here to serve you.
– Joe Merseth, Presidenten
Greetings from the Social Director

Annual sharing of Norwegian Christmas Treats at our December Meeting.
As you pick up the Vikingland newsletter, our lefse making day and the Holiday Bazaar will be history. A full report of these two days will be given at the December meeting. I hope you participated in some way, as anything we do for Sons of Norway is fun!
Our December meeting will start at 6 pm with a potluck meal. As usual, bring a dish to pass and a hearty appetite. At 7 pm we will have our business meeting followed by a quilting program by Ardy Horner. Think Christmas and cozy quilts!
The board approved the giving of Christmas gifts to the Crisis Center and Mahube. So the shopping is done, the gifts wrapped and delivered. The Christmas gifts projects are such a worthwhile cause and perhaps makes someone a little less fortunate have a merrier Christmas. Thank you to all who have contributed in one way or another.
Hope to see many of you at our December meeting. God Bless, have a wonderful Christmas!
– Dorothy Hoover, Social Director
Recipe of the Month: Rice Pudding (Riskrem)
Adapted from arcticgrub.wordpress.com Makes about 4 portions
2 cups rice porridge*
2 tbsp confectioners sugar or to taste
2 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream or coconut cream
50 grams or 1⁄4 cup toasted almonds, chopped (optional)
Whisk coconut cream or heavy cream with the confectioners sugar and vanilla sugar/extract in a stand mixer until u y. Fold the whipped cream with the rice porridge and sprinkle in the chopped almonds.
*Rice Porridge (Risengrynsgrøt)
1 cup short grain rice, such as Arborio • 2 cups water
4 cups almond milk (or coconut milk) • 1 vanilla bean pod, split in half
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar • 1⁄2 tsp salt
Drain rinsed rice in a colander. Add water and rice to a pot and bring to boil. Lower temperature to a simmer and cook until all water has been absorbed. Add milk, insides of vanilla pod as well as shell, sugar and salt. Bring to boil while whisking constantly, do not allow milk to burn at the bottom. Lower temperature to simmer for 45 minutes or until porridge consistency. Pour into a bowl to cool for rice pudding or keep warm and serve with butter, sugar and cinnamon.
Greetings from the Foundation Director
Thinking about the next foundation fund raiser that will be coming in April. It seems like a long way off, but things like this take planning and can quickly sneak up on us. I am just going to share some thoughts I have had. I don’t need more things in my house, in fact, I am trying to de-clutter. Not an easy task, but wondering how many of you are in the same position or thinking about it.
The silent auction has been successful in the past, but maybe we could do something different this year where we bid on things other than “things,” perhaps a cake or cookie walk, play a game (bingo)? Really could use your input for ideas. The money we raise is always given out to agencies in our community as well as the international foundation, and we might as well have some fun in the process. If you have ideas, or experience on how we can fundraise as a group, please give me a call 218-234-8887 or talk to me at the meetings.
– Mange Tak, Carol Turner
Welcome New Members!
We are excited to welcome 15 new members to the Sons of Norway – Vikingland Lodge 1-495. Please give a hearty welcome to Dianne Bailey, Don Berg, Steve Curtis, Robert Falstad, Rita Falstad, Cheryl Hedlund, Steve Hedlund, Ray Larson, Kathryn Larson, Marlys Leiser, Beth Tinjum, Marilyn Timjum, Roger Tinjum, JoAnn Schott, and Jim Ramstad.
Sons of Norway 2017 Holiday Ornaments
Sons of Norway has ornaments for sale. This year is a rosemaled one from Rogaland. You can see it advertised in Viking Magazine. Bob Hoover has 14 for sale for $18 each, including tax and shipping. Bob will have them at the December meeting, or you can give him a call to save one for you. 218-847-6345.
Friendly Reminders…
Remember to save the stamps (leaving a quarter inch around the edges). Please bring these to Dorothy Hoover. Also, volunteer hours are due to Bonnie Mohs by January.
Solskinn Hjørne – Sunshine Corner
Please send warm thoughts (varme tanker) and prayers (bønner) this month to: Jan Lee who is recovering at home from knee surgery, Roger Lee who fell on the ice recently, Norma Perry fell recently and sprained her ankle and broke her knee cap (Norma had surgery to repair her knee and is now recovering at home), Rollie Kjos recovering from knee surgery, Pam Mortenson, recovering from knee surgery, Cleo Johnson who is receiving cancer treatments.