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DISTRICT LODGE LAKE MICHIGANTRANSCRIPT
DISTRICT LODGE LAKE MICHIGAN NO. 8 October 2009
District Master’s Message
The District Executive Board meeting was held Saturday, August 22 at the Clarion Inn in Michigan City,
Indiana. This is also the site where Nordik Folk No. 761 will host the District Convention in 2010. This site
was cost effective and centrally located for the current Board members. Your delegates will be pleased with
the newly renovated rooms and the convenience to meeting / banquet rooms and restaurants.
The August meeting sets the tone for the Executive Board for the following months. This year's roadmap
of goals, termed our "Dashboard", was introduced and discussed. Each year convention delegates who serve
on the Publicity, Membership, Culture, and Youth Committees offer suggestions to the Board that they feel
will improve our District. Many of these suggestions become goals for the Board's work for the coming
year.
Our new District Treasurer, Lisa Cianci gave an encouraging report related to the Southside Scholarship
Fund. As many of you are aware, the Southside Scholarship Fund was established many years ago by
several Chicago Southside local lodges with funds received upon the sale of their meeting facility. By
definition, scholarships from this Fund may only be offered from the interest on the original principal. Due to the economic
situation in 2009, no collegiate scholarships could be offered. Presently the Fund has recovered its losses indicating that today
scholarships could be offered. We are hopeful this recovery holds allowing the District to present scholarships from this Fund in
2010. The Board plans to develop a secondary District Scholarship and hopes local lodges will help support this program with
monetary donations. Donations can be sent directly to the District Treasurer.
The Policy and Procedure Committee of the Board continues to define and revise operational procedures for the District.
Nineteen new procedures have been created since May. This process helps to guarantee there will be operational continuity
between Boards over time.
A new software program for the Hospital Fund was introduced at this Board meeting. The Hospital Fund Secretary Ted Ruser
will use this program to more efficiently manage the claim process. Secretaries of local lodges with members in the Hospital Fund
will be receiving new forms both for dues and claims. There are 32 members in the Hospital Fund and minimal claim activity to
date.
Publicity and Membership go "hand and hand" in Vasa and all organizations. Please be sure your lodge has a member serving as
your webmaster using the Vasa Web site and updating your contact information often. New Membership brochures will be coming
soon to your local lodge secretary. Delegates to the 2009 convention felt strongly that District members should "advertise" their
interest in Swedish / Nordic culture by flying a flag or using a Swedish license plate / plate frame. Contact information regarding
where to purchase these items will be coming in future issues of the Valthornet. If you or someone in your local lodge or family has
an innovative idea to display our culture and heritage please get that idea to any board member and we will develop it for our
District.
The District Bylaw Committee reviewed the content of local lodge bylaw changes from three local lodges. After suggested
revisions are resubmitted, $200.00 will be issued to two lodges to be used toward printing of the new bylaws. $200.00 is presented
to local lodges who rewrite their bylaws in their entirety only. The District Bylaw Committee is now taking on the task of
reviewing the Grand Lodge Constitution. Executive Board approved changes will be submitted in the form of motions to the Grand
Lodge in session. Please stay alert to changes in the Grand Lodge Constitution following the upcoming Grand Lodge Convention
(held every 4 years) in 2010 as these changes will need to be integrated into all local lodge bylaws --- more work ahead.
Lynda Smith, DSCYC, and appointed GL Youth Director for the United States and Canada, reviewed the Children's Seminar
held in Chicago, Illinois last July 2009. Look for more from Lynda Smith in the Vasa Star and the Valthornet.
Bill and I and several other members of the Executive Board attended the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Linné Lodge in
South Bend, Indiana on September 12, 2009. Linné Lodge No. 153 was instituted September 20, 1909. Congratulations Linné!
I close each of my messages with a sincere thank you to District No. 8 for the opportunity to serve as your District Master.
In Truth and Unity
Sheila Lundquist
District Master
VALTHORNET
2
DISTRICT LODGE LAKE MICHIGAN NO. 8
EXECUTIVE BOARD 2009 - 2010
District Master: Sheila Lundquist
1456 Kennebec Road
Grand Blanc, Michigan 48439
(810) 695 – 3248
(810) 845 - 5065
Email: [email protected]
Vice District Master: Tom Cleveland
1117 Foxpointe Drive
Sycamore, Illinois 60178
(815) 895 – 2102
Email: [email protected]
District Secretary: Margaret Gruel
13716 West Lilac Lane
New Berlin, Wisconsin 53151
Work: (262) 544 – 4522 days
Home: (262) 782 – 4522 evenings
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Assistant District Secretary:
Joella Hultgren
13650 Amblewind Place
Westfield, Indiana 46074 – 8227
(317) 733 – 3493
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
District Treasurer: Lisa Cianci
342 Beach Avenue
Unit # 1 – D
LaGrange Park, Illinois 60526
Home: (708) 352 – 0042
Work: (708) 236-5921
Email: [email protected]
Hospital Fund Secretary:
Theodore Ruser
10890 North 40th Street
Hickory Corners, Michigan 49060
(269) 671- 5970
Email: [email protected]
Executive Board Member: Susan Cleveland
1117 Foxpointe Drive
Sycamore, Illinois 60178
(815) 895 – 8102
Email: [email protected]
Executive Board Member: Edward Hultgren
13650 Amblewind Place
Westfield, Indiana 46074 – 8227
(317) 733 – 3493
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Supervisor Of Children’s / Youth Clubs:
Lynda Smith
1502 Azalea Drive
Munster, Indiana 46321 – 3812
(219) 923 – 8777
Email: [email protected]
District Cultural Leader: Andrea Wilczynski
4332 Maple Street
Brookfield, Illinois 60513
Home: (708) 485-1516
Cell: (630) 750-8828
Email: [email protected]
Past District Master: Sten Hult
14951 South Kenton Avenue
Midlothian, Illinois 60445
(708) 687 – 8943
Email: [email protected]
District Historian: Iva Lynn
627 Conner Creek Drive
Fishers, Indiana 46038
(317) 596 – 1496
FAX: (317) 596 - 1937
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
District Chaplain: Inez Törnblom
1301 Providence Circle
Elgin, Illinois 60120 - 5076
(847) 695 – 9890
Email: [email protected]
Master of Ceremonies: Nancy Hult
14951 South Kenton Avenue
Midlothian, Illinois 60445
(708) 687 – 8943
Email: [email protected]
Inner Guard: Steve Westlund
55 West Joliet Street
Schererville, Indiana 46375
(219) 322 – 5190
Email: [email protected]
Outer Guard: Timothy Ogrentz
12849 South Manistee Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60633
(773) 646 - 0279
Email: [email protected]
Auditor: Paula Stopka – 3 years
115 Crissey Avenue
Geneva, Illinois 60134
(630) 208-9850
Email: [email protected]
Auditor: Eric Swanson – 2 years
8433 North McKinley Road
Flushing, Michigan 48433
(810) 639 – 6705
Email: [email protected]
Auditor: Herb Smith – 1 year
1502 Azalea Drive
Munster, Indiana 46321 – 3812
(219) 923 – 8777
Email: [email protected]
VALTHORNET Editor:
Joella Hultgren
13650 Amblewind Place
Westfield, Indiana 46074 – 8227
(317) 733 – 3493
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
HÄR OCH DÄR
by Lillemor Horngren
HÄRJEDALEN
Härjedalen is situated
between two large rivers, the Ljunga in the north and the
Ljusna in the south. Härjedalen, along the Norwegian
border, is on the southwestern part of the Norrland
region.
During the Norwegian - Danish period, Härjedalen
belonged to a Norwegian Archbishop’s diocese. Around
1450 it was ruled by Sweden. In a peace agreement in
1645, Denmark ceded Härjedalen to Sweden.
It is a sparsely populated province with about 13,000
people where bears and wolves roam freely in the mostly
mountainous and forested areas. It is also on the most
southern edge of the reindeer herding area.
The mountain Helagsfjället, close to 1800 meters in
height, is a popular area for skiing enthusiasts and other
tourists.
Härjedalen’s flora and fauna are:
Flower Mosippa Pasque flower
Animal Björn Bear
Bird Kungsörn Golden Eagle
Fish Harr Grayling
Mushroom Gullkremla Golden Russula
3
CHAPLAIN’S CORNER
I spent the month of July in
Mariefred, Sweden, the beautiful little
town on the South shore of Lake
Mälaren, where both my parents grew
up. The town is dwarfed by Gripsholm
Castle where kings lived from Gustav
Vasa on. I had a room right by the lake.
The first week it rained so much that the
walkway outside my door was flooded
and only the mallard ducks were happy.
I looked out over the bay - where were all the sailboats? -
probably at anchor over in the guest harbor with their crews
sitting hunched in their galleys with playing cards and coffee
cups, or shot glasses, wishing for wind and sun. All was gray.
But that changed. Aaah, this is what I came to Sweden for!
Cycling in sunshine, exploring, finding the cottages where my
ancestors had lived. I sat on the "Liars´ Bench" with the other
old Mariefred originals at 1:30 when Maja, the little steamer,
came in with all the tourists from Stockholm.
Late evening. The bay is dark blue, the shadows long. All
colors are so sharp and the light is almost painfully piercingly
clear. Dark green spruce to the East. The sun goes low.
I sit at Mälaren - early - the little town sleeps behind me. In
this lovely Mälar Valley my family has lived and worked and
loved and born children and sometimes frozen and starved for
more than 500 years, until I, one of their daughters, moved to a
continent out West. They worked and saved and lived
honorable lives - honest, careful and obedient. And when they
made a common effort through the labor movement, they
achieved justice and peace. Finally they had a good life.
Besides my own aberration, in the year 1700 there came a
short man, named Meijer from Antwerp, Belgium. He had dark
brown curly hair and skill in silversmithing. As part of a
government undertaking, he settled in the West end of our
valley and taught the Swedes how to work with silver. He
married Anna Maria Andersson in Köping - a sturdy peasant
girl with apple round cheeks and light blue eyes. They had 6
children of which 4 survived. Generation followed generation
and, when Maria Christina Meijer, my great grandmother, at
age 65 in 1904 died in Fredrikshall, Mariefred, she was the last
with that name. She had blue eyes, dark blond hair and she had
been a stately woman. Her hair was a little thicker and slightly
curly, but otherwise she looked typically Swedish. Her
daughter was raising a lively brood of flaxen-haired children.
Unless one of her progeny searched carefully in the church
ledgers, there was no visible sign that the swarthy little man
had ever ventured North.
Inez Törnblom, Viljan No. 349
Chaplain, District No. 8
KAPLANENS HÖRNA
Under juli månad var jag i Mariefred, Sverige, den vackra
lilla staden på sydstranden av Mälaren, där båda mina
föräldrar växte upp. Stan ser speciellt liten ut bredvid det
imponerande Gripsholm Slott, där kungarna bodde från och
med Gustav Vasa. Jag hade hyrt ett rum vid sjön. Första
veckan regnade det så mycket att stigen utanför min dörr
svämmade över och bara änderna var glada. Jag tittade ut
över fjärden - Var var alla segelbåtar? - antagligen förankrade
i gästhamnen medan deras besättningar sitter i kajutorna med
spelkort och kaffekoppar eller snapsglas och hoppas på vind
och sol. Allt var grått.
Vädret bytte om. Aaah, det var det här jag kom till Sverige
för! Jag cyklade i solsken, letade, hittade stugorna där mina
förfäder har bott. Jag satt på Ljugarbänken med de andra
gamla mariefredsoriginalen kl. halv två, när Maja, ångbåten,
kommer in med alla turister från Stockholm.
Sen kväll. Fjärden är mörkblå, skuggorna är långa. Alla
färger är så skarpa och ljuset är nästan pinsamt skärande klart.
Mörkgröna furor vid östra horizonten. Solen går lågt.
Jag sitter vid Mälaren - tidigt - den lilla stan sover bakom
mig. I denna sköna Mälardalen har min släkt levt och arbetat
och älskat och fött barn och ibland frusit och svultit i mer än
500 år, tills jag, en av deras döttrar, flyttade till en kontinent
västerut. De arbetade och sparade och levde ärbara liv -
ärliga, försiktiga och lydiga. Och när de gjorde en gemensam
ansträngning genom arbetarrörelsen, nådde de rättvisa och
fred. Äntligen hade de ett gott liv.
Förutom min avvikelse, år 1700 kom en kortväxt man, som
hette Meijer, från Antwerpen, Belgien. Han var mörklockig
och duktig silversmed. Genom en regeringsplan slog han sig
ner vid silvergruvorna i västra änden av vår dal och lärde
svenskarna hantera silver. Han gifte sig med Anna Maria
Andersson i Köping - en präktig bondflicka med äppelrunda
kinder och ljusblå ögon. De fick 6 barn, av vilka 4 levde.
Generationer senare, när Maria Christina Meijer, 65 år, min
mormorsmor, dog 1904 vid Fredrikshall, Mariefred, var hon
den sista med det namnet. Hon hade blå ögon, mörkblont hår
och hon hade varit en ståtlig kvinna. Hennes hår var litet
tjockare och aningen lockigt, men annars såg hon typiskt
svensk ut. Hennes dotter var mor till en livlig skara lintottar.
Om inte en av hennes ättlingar noga hade forskat i
kyrkböckerna, skulle det nu inte finnas något synligt tecken på
att den mörkhyade mannen någonsin hade satsat på att migrera
norrut.
Inez Törnblom, Viljan No. 349
Kaplan, District No. 8
*********************************************************************************************
The Valthornet is available on the VOA web site. To access the quarterly Valthornet newsletters on the web, go to:
www.vasaorder.org; click on "Lodge Directory" (left side); click on "DL Lake Michigan No. 8" (left column);
click on "Lake Michigan No. 8"; click on "Newsletters"; then click on the date of the Valthornet desired.
4
Message of Thanks and
Accountability
I had the honor of attending the recent District Lodge
Lake Michigan # 8 Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, as a
delegate from Bishop Hill Lodge # 683. It was an interesting
meeting where we reviewed important proposals affecting the
entire district, including a thorough revision of the district by-
laws. I was glad to have participated as a delegate, but during
the course of the meeting I felt it was also appropriate to
address the group as archivist of the VOA National Archives.
District Master Sheila Lundquist was gracious in allowing me
to do that. What follows paraphrases the content of that
message.
Everyone understands that the Archives is a facility
serving the entire Order, but something I have learned to
appreciate is the intimate relationship the Archives has with
DL # 8. After all, the Archives came into existence thanks to
many people, but to none more than Bertil Winstrom, active
member in this district. Because of its location here, members
of lodges in our district have easiest access to it. The first full
time archivists, Richard and Lillemor Horngren, again, came
from DL # 8. The board of directors is largely populated by
people from this district, and let me tell you it is a wonderful
board indeed.
All along the course of its life, the Archives has
received significant financial support from the district as well
as from individual lodges in our area. As representative of the
Archives today I wish to express great thanks to DL # 8 for all
that it has made possible. Most recently, thanks to
contributions from the district, we have been able to renovate
the Lower Level of the facility, the Districts Gallery, to make
it all the more welcoming and useful to Vasa Order people and
others to hold meetings and events there. Since District # 8
lodges are relatively close to the Archives, consider taking
advantage of the facility and plan activities to hold here.
The larger projects in the Districts Gallery are now
completed, and they have allowed better physical access to
visitors. Our next project is to improve access to the records
we hold here. The amazing store of information we have on
microfilm, the minutes and other records from most all of the
lodges in the Order from their beginning through the 1980s, is
a treasure. But the equipment we currently use to access the
film is now very out – of - date. Therefore we would like to
work toward raising money to purchase a piece of equipment,
called a microfilm scanner, which allows reading, copying,
and digital transfer of the information we have.
With this scanner we will have a clearer view of the
images on microfilm, quicker browsing capability, the ability
to make paper copies of information, and best of all, pdf
transfers that in an instant can be sent to researchers via email.
Imagine being able to see pages of original minutes from
anytime in your lodge’s history as an email attachment. You
will have the answer to your question right there on your
computer monitor in the secretary’s original handwriting.
The district has put the Archives into its budget again
this year and set aside money to use for important projects.
The money will now be put toward getting the microfilm
scanner that we need. Thank you.
Lars Jenner
Archivist
CULTURAL CORNER
Greetings from your District 8 Cultural Leader!
I would like to share a game
that you might find both fun
and educational. Stump the
Scandinavian (The name is
based on that Johnny Carson
game, Stump the Band).
It is something that we have
played in our Lodge and
everyone seemed to enjoy it.
First you will have to ask all the
members to do a little research
and bring some form of trivia or
fact (Scandinavian of course) to your meeting.
We have played this game during our socializing time
and have had lots of fun with it. It is something that can
be used over and over with new information. You can
take this basic idea and build on it to come up with other
forms of the game. For example ask your members to
research something specific, such as music or art /
artists. It gets everyone involved in a cultural program.
Each member will take a turn asking a question(s) and
the person who correctly answers will receive a point.
If no one can correctly answer the question then the
person who asked the question receives a point.
This goes on until there are no more questions to ask or
you can set a point limit and the person who reaches that
limit first wins.
The cultural leader can keep score. I have provided little
prizes (not necessary) for the winner.
I would like to hear from you about some programs that
you have done in your Lodge. It would be nice to share
ideas with one another.
I can be reached by email at [email protected]
or at my home address 4332 Maple Avenue, Brookfield,
Illinois 60513. I look forward to hearing from you.
In Truth and Unity,
Andrea Magnuson Wilczynski
District 8 Cultural Leader
5
DISTRICT
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Fellow Vasa Vänner,
For many years now, District Lodge Lake Michigan
No. 8 has been providing college scholarships to
deserving young Vasa members. This has been a
source of pride for our District and a real help to the
recipients and their families. I have written before
about the situation with our current South Side
Chicago scholarship…..how the endowment was
severely decreased during our most recent economic
downturn.
At this year’s convention, when we discussed the
fate of our Scholarship program, there was a
suggestion from PDM Linda Christensen – member
of Svea Lodge No. 253. She proposed that the District
could offer a different scholarship…..from a different
fund! Her suggestion was brilliant and I believe, very
easy to accomplish. She proposed that we ask each
local lodge in our district to do some sort of fund
raising each month (nothing big, just some small
means of collecting money) to try to come up with
$5.00 to $10.00 each month. If this was done at
every meeting (through a 50 / 50 raffle, donation, or
other means) then at the end of their 9 meetings for
the year, this could total $90.00. This money would
be sent to a newly created DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIP
FUND. If each of the Local Lodges in our district
would pledge to do this, it would allow us to offer
scholarships. (A form, the Scholarship Fund
Donation Form, has been sent to each Local Lodge,
that can be used by each lodge to forward the funds
collected to the District Treasurer prior to our next
budget meeting in February 2010.)
Another possible way to support our youth would
be if an individual would like to personally sponsor a
scholarship for $1,000.00. The scholarship would be
offered in the NAME OF THE DONOR and it could
have specific requirements as decided by the donor
(for example, if could be just for music, engineering,
teaching, or nursing students, if so desired). Any
member who would like to make such a personal
difference in the life of one of our Vasa youth is
welcomed to contact me for more information.
I am urging you to share this information with all
of the members of your lodge. Please let them know
that our support of the young achievers of our Order
is a most worthy endeavor. These young Vasa
members will someday be our leaders…..we should be
proud to help them as they further their education. If
we all pull together in small ways, the result can be
something big! Won’t you please help us with this?
Thanks again to Linda Christensen for the great
idea, and thank you to all of the lodges that will help
us to once again be able to offer college scholarships
for our deserving youth. College is more expensive
now than ever! If we can lighten the load and help
our young people with their education, it will keep the
vision of Vasa glowing in their hearts for years to
come.
APPLICATIONS:
Applications will be available on the Vasa Order
website as of 1 October 2009! Look under District
No. 8 information.
(Applicants must have been a member of a local
lodge from January 2009 or sooner in order to be
eligible.)
Please inform all of your members of this.
Tusen Tack.
In Truth and Unity,
Lynda Ann Smith
District Lodge Youth Supervisor / Scholarship
Committee Chair
GRAND LODGE
SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
This spring 2009, Elizabeth Stopka, Viljan No.
349, District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8, won The
Oscar And Mildred Larson Award , a scholarship
of $3,000.00.
Elizabeth “Lizzy” Stopka
graduated from Geneva
Community High
School in the spring of
2009. She plans to
major in Scandinavian
Studies at the
University of
Minnesota, and will
pursue a career in
International Law or
Business. Lizzy was
highly involved in band
and many clubs inside
and outside of school.
She has shown
consistent achievement
in the most rigorous
coursework offered in high school and has set
standards rarely seen for a high school student.
Lizzy has been active with Vasa and was a
frequent student at Sjölunden Language Camp.
In Lizzy’s own words: “I'm really looking forward
to attending the University of Minnesota. I'm
planning on majoring in Scandinavian Studies with
a minor in Spanish. I hope to be able to study
abroad while in school. I have enjoyed my
participation in Vasa in the past years and I really
appreciate their support in my educational
endeavors. It was such a great honor to win this
scholarship.”
The recipient of The Oscar And Mildred Larson
Award may apply for renewals of the award in
each of three years following the initial award for
a total amount of $12,000.00 over a four-year
period.
6
NEWS FROM LOCAL LODGES
SILJAN-MORA-TUNA # 134
20 September 2009: A Pizza Party and White Elephant Sale were
held.
LINNÉ # 153
12 September 2009: Linné Lodge No. 153 celebrated its 100th
Anniversary on September 12, 2009 at the Elk’s Lodge in South
Bend, Indiana. The Cocktail hour was observed with accordion
music provided by Lyle Anderson. Herring, cheese, lingonberry
punch, and pear punch were served during the social time. This
was followed by a delicious Scandinavian buffet of poached
salmon, roast pork, meatballs, potatoes with dill or parsley butter,
bruna borna, red sweet and sour cabbage, corn, limpa bread, rice
pudding with lingonberry sauce, and cake and ice cream.
After dinner entertainment was provided by the Nordikids of
Munster, Indiana, under the direction of Linnea Sinwelski. They
sang inspirational, traditional, and fun songs, and performed
several ring dances, including one involving members of the
audience. Our guest speaker was archivist Lars Jenner from
Bishop Hill, Illinois. He read minutes of Linné Lodge No. 153,
which gave the history of the first meeting, and gave an overall
view of what information is available for the lodges at the
National Archives.
Helge Swanson, age 103 years old and an 80-years member of
Vasa, was honored; unfortunately he was not feeling well enough
to attend. Thelma Nelson was recognized for her long - standing
58 years membership in our lodge. Guests included dignitaries
from the Grand Lodge and District Lodges: Nancy and Sten Hult,
Rosanna and Swan Swanson, Sheila and Bill Lundquist, Joella and
Edward Hultgren, Judy and Ted Ruser, Lynda Smith, and Linnea
Ogrentz. Additional guests were Marv and Lou Anderson from
Svea Lodge No. 253 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Charles and
Marilyn Elston from Nordik Red Rock Lodge No. 760 in Arizona.
Telegrams from the Grand Lodge and District Lodges, Siljan –
Mora – Tuna No. 134, and Svea No. 253 were presented to our
lodge congratulating us on our 100 years.
A raffle was held, and the winners were: 1st Place Winner
$300.00 - Jack Grandin (Viljan Lodge No. 349); 2nd Place
Winner $200.00 - Elinor Huggett (Linné Lodge No. 153); and 3rd
Place Winner $100.00 - Bob Anderson of Skokie, Illinois.
It was an enjoyable evening, and fun was had by all.
SVEA # 253
28 June 2009: Several members of our lodge dance with Dans
Norden, a Scandinavian Folk Dancing Group, who performed at
the Chellberg Farms Midsummer Celebration at the Indiana
Dunes. The dancers included: Frances Brown, Bill Burrell, Joyce
Carlile, Rose Anne and Jerry Fohey, Olga and Bob Hackenberg,
Edward and Joella Hultgren, Marie Lawlor, Director John Seest,
and Sylvia Swanson. In addition to the traditional procession,
dancing around the Majstång, and the Grand March which
involved Nordikids and almost everyone in the audience, Dans
Norden performed many Scandinavian folk dances and invited the
audience to join in a few classic mixers.
8 August 2009: Our annual celebration of the crayfish season, or,
Kräftskiva, was once again held at the beautiful home and lovely
garden of Past Chairman Charlotte Swenson. A delicious buffet
table overflowing with hors d’oeuvres, smoked salmon, ham,
potatoes, cucumber salad, four bean salad, fresh garden tomatoes,
dessert, and other dinner favorites was complemented with beer,
wine, and summer beverages. Of course, we enjoyed the Kräftor
och Akvavit Salute! Table candles, lawn torches, and table
flowers helped to add Swedish atmosphere to this well attended
event. We welcomed guests Ashton and Laura Duff from
Greenwood; Yvonne and Neal Feola from Muncie; Jay Hook from
Cicero; and Craig Lindgren from Indianapolis, Indiana. Tack Så
Mycket to Sarah and Eric Swanson for decorating with colorful
lights, and to Lou Anderson, Jean Bang, Dennis Danielson
Edward Hultgren, Iva Lynn, Rosanna Swanson, Charlotte
Swenson, and all the other cooks, hosts, and hostesses.
16 August 2009: Once again, our Scandinavian Folk Dancing
Group Dans Norden was invited to perform at the Clarion Pavilion
at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis, Indiana. The dancers
who participated in this annual event were: Frances Brown, Bill
Burrell, Joyce Carlile, Jennifer Coons, Rose Anne and Jerry
Fohey, Holly Hendrickson, Edward Hultgren, Marie Lawlor,
Duane Leatherman, Lisa Retzner, Stephen Rhonemus, Director
John Seest, and Sylvia Swanson. They danced traditional folk
dances from the Scandinavian countries, and invited members of
the audience to join them on stage for several easier dances.
13 September 2009: This first meeting after the summer break
was held at the Carmel Clay Government Center. Our Swedish
Royal Family expert Jenne Swain presented a program on
“Sweden’s Castles”, which included a colorful digital video show.
It was nice to see member Darlene Gilbert again, and to welcome
guests Jean Engstrom and Eija Vesterqvist. The host and
hostesses for the meeting were David Duff, Esther Schoonmaker,
and Charlotte Swenson, and Gevalia coffee was provided by Eva
Berglund.
22 September 2009: The first “fourth Tuesday” luncheon of the
season was held at Rick’s Boatyard, a perennial favorite. Tack Så
Mycket to Eva Berglund and Patricia Hoffman for arranging the
outing.
VILJAN # 349
28 May 2009: Tack Så Mycket to Florence Olson and Dorothy
Patzer for coordinating the delicious treats at the May Memorial
Meeting. The annual Memorial Service is always a wonderful time
to reflect on Vasa, its Founders, and the footsteps of those we
follow.
29 – 31 May 2009: Kudos to the following Viljan members on
their election to serve Vasa District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8:
Tom Cleveland – Vice District Master; Susan Cleveland – District
Executive Board Member; Paula Stopka – District Auditor; and
Inez Törnblom – District Chaplain. Tom Cleveland was also
elected to be a District Delegate at the National Grand Lodge
Convention in Washington, D. C. next summer 2010.
27 June 2009: The Scandinavian Midsommar Picnic and Maypole
Decorating Celebration was held at Vasa Park, in South Elgin,
Illinois. Viljan members continued their tradition of decorating the
Maypole for the Midsommar festivities. Thank you to Ken
Johnson for supplying grapevines for the Midsommar Maypole,
and to Dorothy Patzer, Florence Olson, Lynn and Chelsea Stolar,
and Elizabeth and Susan Cleveland for decorating the Maypole. In
addition, there were pony rides, traditional music and dancing,
games for the children, luminaria, craft projects for the children, a
bonfire, and lots of fellowship. Whether members brought their
7
own picnic baskets, or purchased good food from various
Scandinavian organizations, it was a lovely day at Vasa Park.
Many people also commented on the new Heritage walkway with
its newly installed benches and lovely flower garden.
23 July 2009: 18th Annual Scandinavian Fish Boil was held at
Vasa Park. The Viljan menu included: Icelandic Cod, Potatoes,
Onions, Peas, Assorted Salads, Apple Slices, Coffee, Soda, and
Water. A beautiful event in a beautiful location with good food and
great friends is the best way to spend a summer evening, and our
fish boil fits that bill perfectly! Thank you to all the Viljan
members who helped make the fish boil a success, especially the
Villwocks, Stopkas, Becks, Olsons, Paul Anderson, Mary Jean
Nystedt, and the Clevelands!
27 August 2009: The meeting and Ice Cream Social were held at
the Batavia Civic Center. This is an end of summer tradition for
Viljan, and a fun way to round out the Summer and welcome in the
Fall. Thank you to the coordinators for the event, Maxine and Bob
Villwock, and we also thank the other Viljan members who brought
treats. Lots of delicious sundaes were made and enjoyed along
with cookies and breads. There was a short meeting to discuss
business and the Scandinavian Day Festival, which was coming
soon! During the “dog days of summer”, members caught up on
the summer’s activities and renewed their commitment to Viljan
and Vasa!
13 September 2009: The Scandinavian Day Festival was held at
Vasa Park. This was a fantastic event! There was great
Scandinavian entertainment, food, and Scandinavian vendors and
their wares, all under the oaks at Vasa Park. This was also Viljan’s
big fundraiser for the year and is always a crazy, fun time in the
kitchen. Many members joined Viljan Lodge in the kitchen and
helped with våfflor och glass (waffles and ice cream), och
köttbullar (meatballs). They also enjoyed the day at the beautiful
Vasa Park. Tack to Ruth Beck and Mary Jean Nystedt for
coordinating our volunteers for our largest fundraiser.
24 September 2009: The September meeting went to the
dogs…..Scandinavian Dogs, that is. You’ve probably heard of the
Norwegian Elkhound, but did you know there are many more dog
breeds specific to Scandinavia? Our cultural leader Paula Stopka
dug up the scoop on these not so mangy mutts and shared their finer
points with us. The refreshment coordinators were Doris Carlson,
Susan Duffy, and Dolores Salak.
22 October 2009: Wanted – White Elephants!
Do you know of any white elephants? They tend to lurk in dark
closets and recesses of your homes. [They’re not to be confused
with pink elephants, 300 pounds gorillas, or flying pigs.] They are
perfect for our upcoming October Sale, the proceeds of which will
be donated to the District Scholarship Fund. We would ask that
you limit your herd to 5 or less, due to time constraints. This event
will be at the Batavia Civic Center at 7:00 pm.
LINDE # 492
6 June 2009: Following the Executive Board meeting we had a
very nice and interesting potluck luncheon. Everyone was asked to
bring a dish that started with the same initial letter as their last
name. Some members had some difficulties with their letter of the
alphabet, but most everyone did well. Some examples were: Bruce
- Brownies; Ekstrand - Egg Cake; Erickson - Cider and Potato
Salad; Hendrickson - Hamburger With Wild Rice; Hummel - Hash
and Ham; Jothen - Jello; Larson - Lillian’s Potato Salad; Nickolett
– Noodle Salad; Stephenson - Swedish Open Face Sandwiches; and
Touve / Peterson - Pudding;. We celebrated the Svenska
Nationaldagen och Svenska Flaggans Dag and members brought
their Swedish flags. There was a “bragging” session over each
person’s flag. This meeting was a lot of fun with lots of good food.
We all congratulated and cheered for Jake Gruel, who received
the Distinguished Service Award at the District Convention
Banquet in May. Jake Gruel received the VASA Ring in
recognition of his award. Great job, Jake! And thanks for all the
help you provide in our Lodge (no matter what our questions are),
our District, and in the Grand Lodge.
June 2009: Congratulations and Best Wishes to our newest Linde
members, Adam Myers and Catrine Andreasson who were married
in Sweden during the Midsommar celebrations. May you have the
best of everything!!!!!!
27 June 2009: It was a Glad Midsommar 2009. Les Touve dug
the hole for the Maypole, many willing and strong helpers raised
the Maypole, which turned out to be very pretty, and everyone in
the audience joined in the fun on this beautiful Saturday. The
Skansen Children’s Club and Lekspel joined together and danced
the well known Ringlekar. See page # 12 for a photograph of this
Midsommar celebration.
26 July 2009 : An Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social was held at the
home of Marge and Jake Gruel. On the table was a basket for a
freewill offering, all proceeds of which will be given to the District
for the scholarship program. Due to the downturn in investments,
the District was not able to award any scholarships this year, and all
the lodges have been challenged to contribute a minimum of $50.00
to the Scholarship Fund, so the District can award a scholarship
next year to a very deserving student.
10 August 2009: “Svenska Diskussions Kväll”, is a new activity
organized by our newfound friend Sam Barrette, a Swedish
language teacher at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and
Liza Ekstrand. “Svensk Afton” was advertised as an evening for
anyone to come and speak Swedish, an opportunity to see old
friends and make new friends, and enjoy using our Swedish
language skills. About 15 people came to this new event which
was held at the Charcoal Grill and Rotisserie in New Berlin,
Wisconsin. The restaurant has a nice quiet area for meeting and a
reasonably priced menu. Purchasing something to eat and / or
drink was optional. Everyone and anyone who can speak Swedish,
from native Swedes to those rusty in skills, or those just learning,
was invited. Mostly Swedish was spoken, but every now and then,
we slipped into “Swenglish”. Teacher Sam Barrette said that he
has recently been introduced to some members, is excited to get
more involved in our Swedish community, and will join the lodge.
He hoped the evening would be a chance to meet many more
members and would be another enjoyable way to bring our area’s
Swedish community together.
29 August 2009 : The 7th Annual Crayfish party was held at the
home of Liza and Rolf Ekstrand. Attendees were asked to bring a
dish to share to this exceptional festival, but the “sea creatures”
were provided. For the young, and the young-at-heart, we played
the game of Kubb. See page # 12 for a photograph of their
Kräftskiva.
2 September 2009: The Swedish members of our lodge, Elisabeth
Agge and Karl-Eric Axelsson from Enköping, Hillivi and Lars Åke
Sjöberg from Sorunda, and Ann-Sofie (Fia) and Håkan Hjort
Enköping, arrived for a ten day visit. Everyone, except Håkan
Hjort, is a dual member of Linde Lodge, and we are working on
that! This is his first trip to the USA and his first airplane ride.
Elisabeth Agge, Karl-Eric Axelsson, and Ann-Sofie and Håkan
Hjort are also members of Enköping # 646; Hillivi and Lars Åke
Sjöberg are also members of Mälardrottningen No. 563. Please
read the article “Linde Lodge # 492 Vasa Friendships Across The
Seas” on page # 11 about the wonderful friendships that have
developed among the local members of Linde Lodge and their Vasa
lodge members in Sweden.
8
12 September 2009: The Annual Picnic at Christ The Victor
Lutheran Church, in New Berlin, Wisconsin, followed the short
business meeting. Other Wisconsin lodges, Lindgren # 754 in
Green Bay and Jubileum # 755 in Madison, were invited. The
charter was draped in honor of Elsie Jorgensen who passed away
this summer. New Linde member Sam Barrette was initiated.
Each member brought a dish to share for the potluck lunch, and a
white Elephant gift (wrapped in newspaper) for great laughs. There
were some crazy gifts! The game of Kubb was enjoyed by the
players and the spectators.
14 September 2009: Another gathering of “Svensk Diskussions
Afton” was held at the Charcoal Grill and Rotisserie. It’s an
evening in friendly company with everyone who likes to practice
Swedish, or just listen to others speaking it. Please join our group
for dinner, pizza, sandwich, cup of coffee, or beer. Food and / or
beverages are optional, but on your own. Contact Liza Ekstrand at
(262) 782-2238 or [email protected] for future events so she
can plan for seating. Pass the word!
Contributors
Liza Ekstrand and Marge Gruel
SATELLITE # 661
12 August 2009: Planning the lodge activities for the next year
took place at Theo and Stacy’s Restaurant in Portage, Michigan.
Members shared ideas for new activities of interest to them and
considered ways to improve our current special events such as the
fish boil, Lucia, and Midsommar celebrations.
15 August 2009: The Crayfish party that was originally scheduled
for September was held at the home of Holly Jensen in Kalamazoo,
Michigan. Tack Så Mycket to Holly Jensen for graciously offering
to host the event. Members brought beverages, salads, fruit, and
dessert to complement the Crayfish.
13 September 2009: A business meeting was held at Trinity
Lutheran Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Planning was done for
the Fish Boil to be held on 4 October 2009 and Lucia on 12
December 2009. There was a “show and tell” program on the
various Scandinavian activities members experienced during the
summer. There was a discussion concerning a dues increase for
2010 and the expenses of printing and mailing the lodge newsletter.
Members are asked to consider receiving their newsletters via
email. Everyone enjoyed the potluck refreshments; members
brought a wide variety of tasty dishes to share, many of
Scandinavian background. The programs for the remainder of 2009
were reviewed and the tentative program schedule for 2010 was
developed. Any member interested in hosting a future meeting
should contact Roger Drong at (269) 349-7654 or Rob Groesbeck
at (269) 664-5835.
Sweden.SE, the official gateway to Sweden on the internet, is
providing a service called “Add the Swedish Word of the Day to
Your Facebook Profile”. There are different options for beginners
and advanced Svenskaspräker. Future plans include having feeds
available for the Swedish Picture of the Day, and Swedish Recipe
of the Day. If you are interested, go to www.Sweden.SE.
Submitted by Bruce C. Muller
BISHOP HILL # 683
11 July 2009: The 18th Annual Country Antique Market included
quality antiques, early country primitives, folk art, pottery, and
textiles on the lawn of Colony School. It was sponsored by Bishop
Hill Colony Bakery, Jim and Cheri Campbell, and the proceeds
benefited Bishop Hill’s Volunteer Fire Department.
24 July 2009: A picnic and potluck supper was held at Galva Park
District.
1 – 2 August 2009: The Midwest Folk Festival highlighted the
ethnic and folk artists of the Midwestern states bordering the
Mississippi River. There was music, dance, demonstrations by
artisans, and hands-on activities. It was produced by the Illinois
Arts Council in cooperation with the Bishop Hill Heritage
Association and area organizations.
15 August 2009: A Pie And Ice Cream Social fundraiser was held
at the Village Park benefitting the Bishop Hill Heritage
Association.
15 – 16 August 2009: The Clay And Fiber Fest, and Pottery
Workshop included demonstrations of pottery styles, spinning,
weaving, and broom making. There were hands-on activities of
weaving and spinning, and a soup supper on 15 August. The
VagenHall Galleri had a Special Exhibit and Contest. This was
hosted by the Prairie Arts Center.
12 September 2009: Old Settlers’ Day was the celebration of the
163rd anniversary of the Bishop Hill Colony and the 113th year of
the Old Settlers’ Association. The activities included a traditional
chicken dinner, the High Society Band Concert, and a program
featuring speakers as Bishop Hill Colony Descendents. This was
produced by the Bishop Hill Old Settlers’ Association.
25 September 2009: A wiener roast and potluck supper was held
at the Vasa National Archives. The program “Vasa” was presented
by Lars Jenner, archivist at the Vasa National Archives.
25 – 27 September 2009: Jordbruksdagarna, or Agricultural Days,
celebrated Bishop Hill’s agrarian heritage. This event featured
traditional 19th century harvest activities and demonstrations,
hands-on activities, music, farm produce, vintage baseball, and
Colony Stew. It was jointly planned by the Bishop Hill State
Historic Site and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. If you
had a chance to visit, we hope you stopped by the Vasa National
Archives to see all the improvements made this past year.
President Lennart Petersson and Archivist Lars Jenner were there
all weekend to greet guests and answer questions.
JUBILEUM # 755
20 June 2009: Over twenty Jubileum Lodge No. 755 members
and guests gathered at
Arbor Covenant Church
on Saturday to celebrate
Midsommar. Marge
and Jake Gruel, from
Linde Lodge # 492,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
were also in attendance,
and we thank them for
their interest in our
Lodge and presence at
many of our activities.
Midsommar was one of
the first really warm
sunny days in what
turned out to be a cool
9
summer in Madison, Wisconsin. We weren’t used to summer
weather yet, so we showed a lot more enthusiasm for sitting in the
shade, eating from the smörgåsbord, listening to accordionist
Kjell-Erik Anderson, and talking, than we did for dancing around
the Majstång, which we raised at around 4:00 pm.
August 2009: As is our custom, we took the summer off from
formal Lodge meetings. But in August, many of us gathered to
celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of our Lodge Chairman,
Ralph Stromquist, and his wife, Martha. Happy Anniversary!
submitted by Robert Merrill
Historian
NORDIK FOLK # 761
June 2009: June was full of Midsommar Celebrations for our
Lodge. On 27 June 2009 members of Nordik Folk travelled to
Vasa Park in Elgin, Illinois, and on 28 June 2009 we travelled to
Chellberg Farm in Chesterton, Indiana, and we had a wonderful
time enjoying Midsommar activities throughout the weekend.
(left) Nordik Folk
Members Jean Oak
(on left) and Jean
Ogrentz (on right)
enjoy the raising of
the Maypole at
Chellberg Farm in
Chesterton, Indiana.
We enjoyed the
raising of the
Maypole and ring
dancing at both
locations. We also enjoyed the performance of our Children’s
group, Nordikids, at both venues.
August 2009: August brought our Annual End of Summer Picnic
and Kubb Tournament at Community Park in Munster, Indiana.
Nordik Folk Secretary, Linnea Ogrentz, Chairman Steve Westlund,
Treasurer Beth Raddatz, and Chaplain Rachel Hannigan preparing
for a brief business meeting before the End of Summer Picnic.
What a Smörgåsbord! Members enjoyed a potluck dinner and lots
of fun and fellowship.
****2010 CONVENTION PLANNING****
Planning for the upcoming convention in Michigan City,
Indiana continued throughout the summer. The convention, set
for May 14, 15 and 16 at the Clarion Inn, in Michigan City,
Indiana, is themed “Nordik Folk Art”. A golf outing is being
planned at the Michigan City Municipal Golf Course and the
Friday night Cultural Program will be brought to us by our
very own Nordikids Children’s Klubb! Nordik Folk, along
with Teen members of the children’s club will host a Nordik
Kids Camp for Saturday, 15 May 2009, while the District
Business Meeting is taking place. We encourage all of our
District VASA Members to make this Convention a “Family”
Affair and bring those children and Grandkids!
Program Book Advertisement Information will be mailed out
soon. Please visit the Nordikfolk website at:
http://www.nordikfolk.com. The latest news on convention
planning will be there as well as a copy of our online adbook.
Your purchased advertisement will remain online throughout
the year for free.
$ Grand Lodge OAB Fund $
The Vasa Grand Lodge maintains a fund that
provides one or several payments to members who
have financial difficulty. It is called the Old Age
Benefit Fund, but one does not have to reach a set
age to be eligible to apply for support from the
Fund. See your local lodge Secretary for an
application form.
If the local lodge and the District Master and
District Secretary approve your application, it will
be forwarded to the Grand Lodge. There is a
lifetime limit of $2,000.00 that each member can
receive. If an application is approved, for
$2,000.00 or less, a member might receive the
entire approved sum at once or perhaps via
payments in annual installments.
VASA Lodges On The Internet
Each local lodge can have its own web page on the
Internet using a template provided by the Grand
Lodge. To view the Grand Lodge web site, type
www.vasaorder.com into the address window at the
top of your browser display. Click on “Lodge
Directory” to see a list of the district lodges. Click
on “DL Lake Michigan No. 8” to see a list of District
8 officers and local lodges. The local lodges are in
numerical order.
If your lodge has a web page, its name in the list
will be underlined. As an example, 203-
BESSEMER indicates that this lodge has a web
page. Click on BESSEMER to reach their web
page. BESSEMER has information about its
calendar, its officers, the latest news, its newsletter,
and a gallery of photos. Click on any of the blue
titles in the column on the left side of their page to
choose a topic.
If your lodge does not have a web page, a lodge
member can email the GL webmaster, Robert
Anderson, to request one. He will set up the web
page for your lodge and a user account so that your
lodge can keep up-to-date information on your web
page. This is a great way to publicize your lodge to
the Internet user world, and you can do so for free.
Send an email to: [email protected].
For more information, contact District No. 8
Publicity Chairman Edward Hultgren at
10
YOUTH CORNER
School has started, and going along with that, our Children’s
Clubs have also started meeting. These Clubs all offer culture
education to their members (and the members’ parents too) by
offering language lessons, music, folk dance, craft and much
more! This time of year usually involves activities and lessons
that center around the upcoming holidays. Lucia and Jul are still
several months away, yet our children are starting to learn songs
and make crafts to be used at their upcoming Lucia celebrations.
I think I can speak for all of the Club Leaders when I say a big
“Tack så Mycket” to the District, for supporting our clubs
financially! This semester’s supplement / support checks have
already been sent out and the help this gives with teacher support,
supplies, and other expenses that go with running a club, are most
definitely appreciated. It is so good to know that District Lodge
Lake Michigan No. 8 officers and board members value
education for our youth and are so willing to continue supporting
this cause!
Last July the Grand Lodge sponsored a seminar for youth
Leaders from around the country which was held in the Chicago
area. We had leaders from Vårblomman, Nordikids, Pride of the
Family, and Solstralen (inactive) representing our District.
Everyone shared their success stories. All of our Clubs will
benefit from the ideas that were shared by the participants!
Getting to know each other was the first step in keeping the lines
of communication open for the sharing of our best practices.
I would encourage all Clubs to reach out to their communities
by offering to visit a local nursing home or senior residence and
entertain the residents during the holiday season. And, as these
youth Clubs hold their Luciafests, it would be wonderful if every
lodge member in our District would try to attend at least one of
them. I shall list the Clubs, their location, and a contact telephone
number for each in the hopes that all of you will be able to see for
yourselves what wonderful things our littlest Vasa “barn” are
learning!
District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8 Children's Clubs
are:
Vårblomman #54 - North side of Chicago, Illinois:
(773) 282-9423
Förgät Mig Ej #64 - Far Northwestern suburbs of
Chicago, Illinois: (847) 516-3103
Skansen #113 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin and suburban
areas: (262) 782-2238
Nordikids #208 - Northwest Indiana and southern
suburban Chicago, Illinois: (219) 923-8777
Pride of the Family #209 - Bishop Hill area of Illinois:
(309) 375-6844
Sveaskolan #210 - Indianapolis, Indiana and suburban
areas: (317) 774-3773.
Don’t have a Children’s Club in your area? I will be
happy to share ideas and materials to help you start one! Just give
me a call at (219) 923-8777); or you can always email me at:
[email protected]. (Be sure to put the word "Vasa" in the
subject area).
Supporting our youth is the best way to ensure that Vasa will
continue into the future!
In Truth and Unity,
Lynda Ann Smith
District Lodge # 8 Youth Supervisor /
Grand Lodge Youth Director
SVEASKOLAN #210
September 2009: We are going to start classes
again at the end of September 2009. Our
teacher Sara Olsson will be in Sweden until
then, so we are anxious for her return.
Sarah Swanson
VASA BRIDAL CROWN
Our District has a beautiful gold bridal crown available to members and their
children and grandchildren. This crown carries the tradition of Sweden
where many churches provide such a crown for the use of their
congregations. An application to use it must be completed, and after the
wedding, we ask that the crown be returned along with a photograph or two
of the bride wearing it on her wedding day. If you or someone in your family
is planning a wedding, consider taking advantage of this special opportunity.
Call me at 877–923–8777 (toll free) or email at [email protected].
Lynda Smith
SWEDISH LANGUAGE LESSIONS
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Did you know that the University Of Wisconsin
Milwaukee School Of Continuing Education offers
Swedish Language classes? The Department of
Languages, Arts, Humanities, and Science offered two
courses in July to August, and then another course in
September through November. The course description
reads: “You know about smörgåsbord, Ikea, and the
Nobel Prize, now learn the Swedish language. It is fun
to speak and easy to learn. Gain basic conversational
skills as you develop cultural competency. The class, in
a stress-free but dynamic learning environment, gives
you a practical command of the language. No textbook
required; instructor for all courses is Sam Barrette, M.S.”
Liza Ekstrand, Linde Lodge # 492 met the instructor
Sam Barrette at Old World Wisconsin, has recruited
him as a member of Linde Lodge # 492, and also
introduced him to Skansen # 113 children’s group.
*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
UPDATE YOUR MAILING LIST!
Local lodges should update their mailing list regularly. Membership lists change frequently because of initiations, moves, and deaths, and there may be errors
from previous lists. Misdirected mail results in added expense for the Grand Lodge, the District Lodge, and your Local Lodge. You may request a current list of
who receives the VALTHORNET and the VASA STAR by contacting Cathy Anderson, Circulation Manager, 13194 North Woosnam Way, Oro Valley, Arizona 85755;
e-mail: [email protected]. Cathy Anderson will update your mailing list with your help. Please keep the list current and correct.
11
VASA FRIENDSHIPS
ACROSS THE SEAS IN LINDE
LODGE
We first met Elisabeth Agge and Karl Erik Axelsson when
our lodge decided to sponsor a trip some years ago. We met
them for the second time in 1998. They were staying with
another family from our lodge prior to going to the Grand
Lodge Convention in Chicago. We received a call asking if
we could take them with us to Chicago in our van. Well, we
had room for one large suitcase of theirs. The van was
crammed full of goody bags, 900 pounds of crystal pieces (a
gift from Sweden’s glass works) plus all of our luggage,
assorted raffle prizes and all the sales table stuff! We were
packed in like sardines already so they decided that they
would take the train to Chicago and meet us again at the hotel.
We had so much fun at the convention that they decided to
come in 2002 to the Grand Lodge Convention in Canada. We
started discussing the 100th Anniversary of Harley and they
decided that they would come to our house for all the
festivities planned that year. They brought along their friends,
and now ours too, Lars
Ǻke and Hillivi Sjöberg. We had a
fantastic ten days together. The four of them returned for our
50th Wedding Anniversary Party in August, 2004 to help us
celebrate with many of our friends. Since that time they have
returned annually to visit with us and many of our lodge
members. Two years ago, Elisabeth Agge decided to ask her
sister, Fia Hjort, to come along. Her first visit over here was
not totally enjoyable for her. She worried about her English
so much that she forgot to have a good time. Last summer Fia
Hjort again joined the group and had a much better
experience. She realized that we were not worrying whether
she said the correct word or not. She returned home and
began working on her husband, Håkan Hjort, to come along
the next time. Elisabeth Agge got in the act and gave him a
ticket to America for his 60th birthday. He could not say “no”
even though he is afraid to fly.
All six Vasa Vänner, Elisabeth Agge and Karl Erik
Axelsson, Fia and Håkan Hjort, and Lars Ǻke and Hillivi
Sjöberg were here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from September
2-12, 2009. They showed Håkan Hjort a lot of the things they
enjoy over here. He wants to see the old car exhibits as he is
an old car buff. Oh yes, we went to Michael’s House of
Prime so he could have a great steak dinner!!! They have the
best steaks in the Midwest!!!
Pictured from left to right around the table at Michael’s
Steakhouse: Karl Erik Axelsson, Elisabeth Agge, Rolf and Liza
Ekstrand, Fia Hjort, Lars
Ǻke a
nd Hillivi Sjöberg, and Marge
and Jake Gruel.
Jake and I were shown a tremendous time when we went to
Sweden. We stayed with both families during our visit. This
is a great example of the Vasa friendship that is found
throughout the order. I hope you will take advantage of this
kind of friendship when you are given the opportunity. We
are so glad that we did!!!!
Marge and Jake Gruel
Linde Lodge # 492
CONVENTION 2010
DISTRICT LAKE MICHIGAN No. 8
The next District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8
Convention will be 14-16 May 2010, in Michigan City,
Indiana. Nordik Folk Lodge # 761 is the host lodge.
For more information, contact Steve Westlund,
Chairman, Nordik Folk Lodge # 761,
[email protected], or Linnea Ogrentz, Convention
Committee Chairman, at [email protected]. See
more details about the Convention on page # 8.
***********************************************************************
UPCOMING EVENTS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Saturday, October 17, 2009: 9th Annual Fish Boil / Harvest Festival, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm;
Boil at 2 pm, serving immediately. A great time is planned with music and entertainment.
Reservations please by October 10, 2009 at (847) 695-6720.
Saturday, October 24, 2009: Annual Meeting – Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Wheaton, Illinois
Saturday, October 31, 2009: End of Season Clean Up; Luncheon for Volunteers; Vasa Park,
South Elgin, Illinois
Saturday, March 6, 2010: Scandinavian Park, Inc. NFP’s Annual Spring Dinner Dance and
Fundraiser; Des Plaines Elks Club, Des Plaines, Illinois
12
UPCOMING EVENTS IN 2009/2010
District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8 Convention
14-16 May 2010, Michigan City, Indiana
Siljan-Mora-Tuna #134
18 October 2009 – Halloween Costume Party; Soup Supper
29 November 2009 – Holiday Party; Election Of Officers
17 January 2010 – Italian Party
Svea #253
4 October 2009 – Swedish Art, by Dr. Michelle Facos
1 November 2009 – International Festival Theme Program “Inspiring Places”
20 - 23 November 2009 – International Festival, “Inspiring Places”, Indianapolis,
6 December 2009 – Saint Lucia celebration at the Latvian Center
8 January 2010 – Installation Of Officers; Svea’s Swedish Language Group Program
7 February 2010 – Vasaloppet by Iva Lynn
7 March 2010 – Ain Haas discusses Estonian Islands and plays the Bowed Harp
Viljan #349
17 October 2009 – Vasa Park Fish Boil, at Vasa Park, Elgin, Illinois
22 October 2009 – October Meeting and White Elephant Sale
Linde #492
2 October 2009 – Coffee Social and Book Reading by a Linde member
4 October 2009 – Sons Of Norway wreath laying ceremony at Leif Ericsson Statue
14 October 2009 – Concert by Swedish Conductor / Comedian Magnus Mårtenson
6 November 2009 – “Miracles” movie presentation by Anne-Marie Hummel
5 December 2009 – Swedish Christmas Julbord Smörgåsbord; Birgit & Jim Moxon
5-6 December 2009 and 12-13 December 2009 – Annual Christmas Dinner
Fundraiser: “A Swedish Traditional Christmas Dinner” at Old World Wisconsin.
13 December 2009 – Sankta Lucia Christmas Program at Whitnall Park Lutheran
25 December 2009 – Julotta and Swedish-American Historical Society of Wisconsin
January 2010 – Auditor’s meeting
6 February 2010 – Installation of Officers; Coffee Social; Valentine Cards
6 March 2010 – Breakfast and Business Meeting
13 March 2010 – Pea Soup and Pancake Dinner Fundraiser with Entertainment
10 April 2010 – Secret Lunch and Business Meeting
25 April 2010 – Valborgsmässoafton Celebration, Bonfire, Sing-A-Long, Potluck
Satellite #661
4 October 2009 – Fish Boil;UN General Secretaries Trygve Lie & Dag Hammarskjöld
1 November 2009 – Election of 2010 Officers; Veterans’ Program; Military Rations
12 December 2009 – Luciafest: Pageant & Christmas Celebration; Cookies / Glögg
3 January 2010 – Cultural Talk by Roger Drong; Scandinavian Smörgåsbord
7 February 2010 – Trip Report by Holly Jensen; Ärtsoppa och Plättar
7 March 2010 – IKEA Kitchen by Robert Groesbeck; Semlor
11 April 2010 – Textiles by Carol Hassemer; Egg Dishes by Carol Olson
2 May 2010 – Swedes in Texas by Chuck Nelson; Norwegian Food
19 June 2010 – Midsommar Fest; Potluck and Berry Desserts
August 2010 – Crayfish Party
12 September 2010 – Planning Fish Boil and Lucia; Scandinavian Smörgåsbord
3 October 2010 – Nyckelharpa and Hardanger Fiddle; Annual Fish Boil
7 November 2010 – National Parks in Sweden / Allemansrätten
11 December 2010 – Lucia and Christmas Celebration; Swedish cookies and Glögg
Bishop Hill #683
23 October 2009 – Cultural Report; “Voices Of The Past” by Cheryl Dowell
24 – 25 October 2009 – A Gathering Of Authors at the Colony Blacksmith Shop
20 November 2009 – Officer Elections; Variety Show Night: Krause and Anderson
27 - 29 November 2009 – Julmarknad Christmas Market; Christmas Cookie Walk
5 December 2009 – Christmas Party Smörgåsbord and Lucia Program
5 – 6 December 2009 – Julmarknad Christmas Market; Chocolate Walk
11 – 12 December 2009 – Lucia Nights; Peoria Cooperative Academy Chorale
LOCAL LODGE CONTACTS
Siljan-Mora-Tuna # 134
Evergreen Park, Illinois (708) 352 – 0042
Lisa Cianci [email protected]
Thor # 147
Channahon, Illinois (815) 458 – 0974
Sandra Fletcher [email protected]
Linné # 153
South Bend, Indiana (574) 264 – 6223
Russell Anderson [email protected]
Kronan # 179
Chicago, Illinois (847) 877 – 5181
John Nygard [email protected]
Bessemer # 203
Evergreen Park, Illinois (773) 239 – 1855
Britt Nilsson [email protected]
Brahe # 245
Rockford, Illinois (815) 877 – 5996
Charlotte Tollin [email protected]
Svea # 253
Indianapolis, Indiana (317) 733 – 3493
Edward Hultgren [email protected]
Nobel # 288
Moline, Illinois (309) 797 – 6914
Linda Lootens [email protected]
Viljan # 349
Batavia, Illinois (815) 895 – 2102
Thomas Cleveland [email protected]
Austin # 466
Chicago, Illinois (773) 477 – 0875
Robert Oberg
Linde # 492
New Berlin, Wisconsin (414) 962 – 8920
Brent Erickson [email protected]
Joe Harbor # 534
Saint Joseph, Michigan (269) 926 – 6303
Eleanor Anderson
Satellite # 661
Kalamazoo, Michigan (269) 692-3818
Bruce Muller [email protected]
Bishop Hill # 683
Bishop Hill, Illinois (309) 932-3403
Judy Anderson [email protected]
Hagar # 721
Des Plaines, Illinois (847) 297-4645
Carrrie/Keith Emrikson [email protected]
Viking # 730
Flushing, Michigan (810) 639 – 6705
Eric Swanson [email protected]
Lindgren # 754
Green Bay, Wisconsin (920) 662 – 1088
Ray Suennen
Jubileum # 755
Madison, Wisconsin (608) 835 – 7151
Ralph Stromquist
Nordik Folk # 761
Schererville, Indiana (219) 322-5190
Steve Westlund [email protected]
LOCAL LODGE CONTACT LIST
The contact list includes a name, location,
telephone number, and/or e-mail address for
each of the 19 local lodges in District #8.
[Some data is available on the VOA web site.]
Please send your contact information to
Joella Hultgren (editor) at:
[email protected] or [email protected];
(317) 733 – 3493; or 13650 Amblewind Place,
Westfield, Indiana 46074 – 8227.
13
District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8
Vasa Order Of America
VALTHORNET
Joella Hultgren
13650 Amblewind Place
Westfield, Indiana 46074 - 8227
Two wonderful summertime celebrations in
Sweden are Midsommar and Kräftskiva.
Linde Lodge # 492 provided these
photographs of their two festive events.
VALTHORNET is the official publication of the District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8, Vasa Order of America, and is published in
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