THE VASA STAR

VasastjärnanPublication of THE VASA ORDER OF AMERICAPublication of THE VASA ORDER OF AMERICA

MARCH-APRIL 2010www.vasaorder.com

THE VASA STARTHE VASA STAR

MARCH-APRIL 2010www.vasaorder.com

Vasastjärnan

Vasa brothers and sisters!Happy Easter!!

Easter is about a month away as I write. For Christians,Easter is of course the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus asSon of God, Savior, and Lord of creation. It is also a sign ofhope of our own resurrection through Christ. I am certainly gladthat for that hope as it seems that I have died a few times in thelast few months because of the financial disasters that overcameme, the GL and the VOA National Archives.

But there is hope. I have received much encouragement andsupport from our members; for that I am very grateful. I alsoknow that many are shouldering a little extra work on behalf ofVasa to see if they can help strengthen the organization, notonly financially, but in terms of its long-term viability andgoals. We also know of committees and individuals followingup on the causes of the financial losses which will hopefullylead to better structures and rules for us to follow. Thus, I ambeginning to see that there may be great good come from thedisaster. While the events are rather terrible, the conclusion, yetto be drawn, is that it was likely for our good. Similar state-ments can hopefully be made on the far worse crisis in Haiti andChile.

Marty and I had the pleasure of attending the DL PacificSouthwest No. 15 convention the end of February. Theirs is thefirst district convention in the Vasa calendar. It was a delight tosee old friends in southern California and see the new officerseagerly take on their new responsibilities. I was veryencouraged to see a couple of very young members take ondistrict offices. Vasa activities pick up in earnest in April andMay as there are many meetings to attend including DL GoldenGate No. 12, DL New Jersey No. 6 and DL Lake MichiganNo. 8.

Then comes the BIG meeting, at least for me. I am referringto the Grand Lodge meeting in early July in Washington DC.You can read about it in these pages under the Grand Lodgeheading. DL Pennsylvania No. 9 has many fund raisingactivities to raise money to pay for the events for the delegatesand GL officers. One is the advertisements in a Program Bookthe district will produce commemorating the convention. If your lodge or business forgot to place such an ad youstill have time, but barely. Another very visible fund raisingitem is the raffle tickets found in the center of this issue.Please take time fill one or more of them out and send themin with a donation. You could win up to $1,000. Thedrawing will be at the GL banquet on July 8. And pass the wordalong.

Finally it was a pleasure for Marty and me to be presentto help celebrate the recognition of PGM Ulf Brynjestadas Officer 1st Class in the Order of the Polar Star at the SwedishAmbassador’s residence. See all the things that Brother Ulf hasaccomplished in his lifetime as written about in this issue.

Vasa bröder och systrar!Glad Påsk!!

Det är ca en månad till påsk när jag skriver detta. För dekristna betyder påsken naturligtvis firandet över uppståndelsenav Jesus, Guds Son och skapelsens frälsare. Det är också etttecken till hopp om vår egen uppståndelse genom Kristus. Jag ärverkligen tacksam för detta hopp, eftersom det känns som omjag “dött” några gånger under den senaste tiden på grund av denfinansiella katastrofen som jag, SL och VOA Nationella Arkivråkade ut för.

Men det finns hopp. Jag har fått mycket uppmuntran ochstöd från våra medlemmar och jag är oerhört tacksam för det.Jag vet också att många tar på sig litet extra arbete å Vasa väg-nar för att se om de kan hjälpa till med att stärka organisationen,inte endast ekonomiskt, men också på lång sikt. Vi kännerockså till att olika kommittéer och enskilda individer följer uppoch undersöker orsakerna till de finansiella förlusterna.Förhoppningsvis kommer det att leda till en förbättrad struktursamt förbättrade regler för oss att följa. Jag börjar skönja attnågot gott kommit ur denna katastrof. Trots att dessa händelservarit ganska så ruskiga, får vi väl säga att det på något sätt vartill vår fördel. Liknande kommentarer kommer förhoppningsvisatt kunna ges för den långt värre krisen i Haiti och Chile.

Marty och jag hade nöjet av att delta i DL Pacific SouthwestNr 15 möte i slutet av februari. Deras distriktsmöte var detförsta enligt Vasa kalendern. Det var en fröjd att träffa gamlavänner i södra Kalifornien och att se det nya officerarna ivrigt taitu med sina nya ansvar. Jag blev mycket uppmuntrad av att senågra väldigt unga medlemmar bland de nyvalda officerarna.Vasa aktiviteterna kommer verkligen igång under april och maj,det finns många möten att delta i bland annant DL Golden GateNr 12, DL New Jersey Nr 6 och DL LakeMichigan Nr 8.

Snart är det dags för det STORA mötet, åtminstone för mig.Jag tänker då närmast på Stor Logens möte i början på juli iWashington DC. Du kan läsa om det på följande sidor underöverskriften Grand Lodge. DL Pennsylvania Nr 9 har mångaaktiviteter på gång som ska finansiera de evenemang somordnats för delegaterna och SL officerarna. Ett sätt är genomannonser i programhäftet som distriktet gjort till minne av dettamöte. Om din loge eller ditt företag glömt att sätta in en annons,så finns det forfarande tid till det, men gör det så snart sommöjligt. Ett annat sätt för att samla in pengar är försäljning avlotter som finns i mitten av denna upplaga. Var vänlig och fyll ien eller flera av dessa lotter och skicka in er betalning. Ni kanvinna upp till $1.000. Dragning kommer att ske underSL-banketten den 8:e juli. Berätta gärna om det här för andra.

Slutligen var det ett nöje för Marty och mig att närvara vidfirandet av PGM Ulf Brynjestad som 1:a Officerare i OrdenPolar Stjärnan på Residenset hos den Svenska Ambassadören.Läs om allt som broder Ulf lyckats med under sin livstid ochsom finns skrivet i denna upplaga.

Rolf Bergman

The GrandMaster’s Message

Vasa Star March-April 2010

THE VASA STAR MARCH-APRIL 2010

Cover:The Washington Monument in Washington, DC.

Picture by: Marie Carlson, Editor, VS

THE VASA STAR (USPS 657-020)March-April 2010

Vol. 103, No. 2, Serial 849

HEADQUARTERS:c/o Joan GrahamGrand Secretary5838 San Jose AvenueRichmond, CA 94804Phone: 510-526-5512E-mail: [email protected]

Grand Master:Rolf S. Bergman3236 Berkeley AvenueCleveland Heights, OH 44118Phone: 216-371-5141Fax: 216-274-9664E-mail: [email protected]

Editor:Marie Carlson9560 Curberry DriveMentor, OH 44060Phone: 440-255-4665E-mail: [email protected]

Circulation Manager:(Address Changes)

Cathy Anderson13194 N. Woosnam WayOro Valley, AZ 85755Phone: 520-219-9433E-mail:[email protected] bottom section of white copy ofapplication for new members to her.

Membership Chairman:Tore Kellgren5971 W. Walbrook DriveSan Jose, CA 95129Phone: 408-996-1970E-mail: [email protected]

Orders for advertising should be sent to:THE VASA STARMarie Carlson9560 Curberry DriveMentor, OH 44060Phone: 440-255-4665E-mail: [email protected]

THE VASA STAR (ISSN 0746-0627) ispublished bi-monthly by the VasaOrder of America. Periodicals postagepaid at Richmond, CA, and additionalentries.POSTMASTER: Send address changesto The Vasa Star, P.O. Box 69997, OroValley, AZ 85737-0025.

Published by:Vasa Order of America

vasaorder.com

Advertising Prices:Full Page Black and White $500.00Half Page Black and White $275.00Quarter Page Black and White $150.00 One Column Inch $ 30.00

Half Page Color $500.00Full Page Color $800.00Available only for inside front cover, insideback cover or back cover.

10% discount for Vasa Lodges and Members

Deadlines for The Vasa Star:Jan./Feb. is Dec. 1st

March/April is Feb. 1st May/June is April 1stJuly/Aug. is June 1stSept./Oct. is Aug. 1stNov./Dec. is Oct. 1st

Deadline for Christmas ads is October 15Deadline for Lucia articles is December 24

Picture and article, 200 words or less.Price for Xmas Greetings – $30.00 column inch

AUDIO-VISUAL DIRECTORTodd Anderson

1383 Middlebrook Way • Rohnert Park, CA, 94928 • Cell Phone: (707) 694-1345E-mail: [email protected]

The Vasa website at www.vasaorder.com contains a “materials button” which has thelisting of audio visual materials available.

If you are unable to use the Vasa website, you can still ask that a listing be sent to youby mail.

MOVING TO ARIZONA, WELCOME TO DISTRICTLOGDE ARIZONA NO. 21

We have 5 Lodges in the State of Arizona and we invite each of you who are or will bemoving to our beautiful state to continue your membership in Vasa by joining one ofour existing Lodges, or helping us to start a new one in your new location.

We have Phoenix Lodge in Phoenix, Scandia Lodge in Prescott, Nordic Red RocksLodge in Sedona, Solstad Lodge in Sun City West, and Tucson Lodge in Tucson, andwith your help, start a new Lodge in a new area. We do know that more and more peo-ple are moving to Arizona, and many of Nordic heritages, and we want them to contin-ue their fellowship in the Vasa Order of America.

Should you have any questions, you may call District Lodge Arizona No. 21, DistrictMaster Vito Pantaleo at 928-282-3469. We welcome you all!

AN IMPORTANT REMINDERPlease send pictures of good quality in order for them to reproduce well in TheVasa Star. Electronically submitted photos should be scanned in JPEG format at aresolution of 300 dpi.

For submitted Lodge articles, please add city and state. Thanks!

Don’t forget “Kids Corner” nor forget to look atour back cover for a Sweet Reward!


TABLE OF CONTENTSArchives News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Swedish Language Lessons 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Grand Lodge News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Grand Treasurer’s Report2010 Grand Lodge ConventionActivity ScheduleRegistration FormGL Convention Items for Sale

District Lodge News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Lodge News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Swedish News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Welcome To Our New Members . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Kisa Emigrantmuseum och Café ColumbiaKisa Emigrant museum and Cafe ColumbiaRebuilding the Scholarship Funds: Pay It Forwards

Happenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Dr. Ulf Brynjestad, PGM, Awarded Ann Charlotte Hanes HarveyVasa Support Club 10 Years

Tidbits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Why Learn to Speak the Language?Regarding 17 Swedish DesignersNär Hollywood kom till JämtlandWhen Hollywood Came to Jämtland

Thank You. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Don Melin

In Memory Of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Leona AndersonRalph Ohrn

In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

PAGE 25

PAGE 27

Letter from the Editor

Brev från Redaktören

We have had a wonderful winter in my opinion! This is what wintershould be like; white, bright snow that make crunchy noises under yourfeet as you walk! Remember that I am a Swede, a “direct import!” Latelythe winters have simply not been like the ones we should have here innortheast Ohio. The same phenomenon struck Sweden this year. Everyone of its counties has been covered, from the north all the way down tothe province of Skåne. Sweden has not experienced this much snow forthe past thirty years. Looks like global warming is taking a break thisyear!

Many of us enjoyed watching the Winter Olympics. The Swedesreceived many medals, several of them from the province of Jämtland. Abig celebration was held for them after they returned to Östersund in

Jämtland with a special lighting ceremony in the newly restored town square. The athletes werenot the only celebrities visiting Östersund this year; read “When Hollywood came to Jämtland.”Another important winter event in Sweden is Vasa Loppet/The Vasa Race; the world’s largestcross country ski race. It is held in Mora, in the province of Dalarna, every year in memory ofKing Gustaf Vasa’s escape rout from the Danes. http://svtplay.se/v/1917939/vasaloppet/starten.

Each season has its charm. But now I think lots of us are looking forward to spring and therebirth that Mother Nature so miraculously is able to provide us with.

Easter is on our doorstep and in Sweden we have some peculiar stories surrounding this timeof year; see a short story on page 6. Talking about stories, some people really know how to pre-sent a story that makes you laugh out loud. See if you laugh when you read “Why Learn toSpeak the Language.”

We have so many Swedes of which to be proud, some that are presented in this issue, includ-ing some early adventurers immigrating to America as well that you can read about underCulture.

As you likely know the Grand Lodge convention will be held in Washington DC this year. Incommemoration of that event the cover shows The Washington Monument reaching the sky. Wewill all be looking towards the sky about that time since the convention will take place over the4th of July weekend, Independence Day! I can’t wait!

Marie“George Washington is the only president who didn’t blame the previous administration for

his troubles.”- Unknown

Vi har haft en underbar vinter enligt min uppfattning! Det är så här vintern ska vara med vit,ljus snö som knarrar under fötterna när man går! Kom ihåg att jag är svensk, en “direktimport!”På senare år har inte vintrarna varit såsom vi bör ha här i nordöstliga Ohio. Samma fenomenuppstod i Sverige. Varje län har täckts av snö, från norr ända ner till det skånska landskapet.Sverige har inte erfarit så mycket snö under de senaste trettio åren. Det ser ut som den globalauppvärmningen gjorde ett avbrott i år!

Många av oss tyckte om att titta på Vinter OS. Svenskarna fick många medaljer och flera avdem var från Jämtland. Ett stort firande hölls för dem, när de kom tillbaka till Östersund med enspeciell belysningsceremoni på det nyligen upprustade torget. De var inte de enda kändisarnasom besökte Östersund i år, läs: “När Hollywood kom till Jämtland.”

Andra viktiga vinterhändelser är Vasa Loppet, världens största skidtävling i längdåkningsom hålls i Mora, Dalarna varje år till minne av Kung Gustaf Vasas flykt från danskarna.http://svtplay.se/v/1917939/vasaloppet/starten.

Varje säsong har sin charm, och jag tror många av oss ser fram emot våren ochpånyttfödelsen, som Moder Jord så mirakulöst kan erbjuda oss.

Påsken står på vår tröskel, och i Sverige har vi några säregna berättelser som berör denna tidpå året. Ni kan hitta en kort berättelse på sida 6. På tal om berättelser, somliga människor har enfantastisk förmåga att presentera berättelser i skrift och gör så att du skrattar rätt ut. Läs “Whylearn to Speak the Language.”

Vi har så många svenskar att vara stolta över, och många av dem är presenterade i dennaupplaga tillsammans med några äventyrare som för länge sen emigrerade till Amerika som dukan läsa om under Culture.

Som ni antagligen vet, kommer Storlogemötet att hållas i Washington DC detta år och meddet i åtanke visar omslaget Washington monumentet som pekar rätt upp mot himlen. Vi kommeralla att rikta våra ögon mot himlen eftersom mötet äger rum under veckoslutet kring den 4:e juli,självständighetsdagen! Jag kan inte väntan!

Marie“George Washington är den enda presidenten, som inte klandrade den föregående adminis-

trationen för sina problem.” - Okänd


ARCHIVES NEWS

1. Canon MS300 Microfilm ScannerConverts microfilm images to digital formats, connects to PCand will allow information in our large mircrofilm collectionto easily go out to patrons via email attachment and/or inprinted form. Replaces outdated microfilm readers, which doneither of these functions. This equipment will also enable usto put some documents online for searching capability.

$6,0002. Ion Tape2PC Converter

Converts audio tapes to CD or MP3 format, enables us totransfer the Lennart Setterdahl collection of Swedish-American oral histories (1400 interviews) to more useful digi-tal format, making it easier to listen, lend, and copy theseinvaluable resources, which in original audio tape format arein danger of disintegrating if we wait much longer to transfer.This is also a beginning step toward online searchcapabilities.

$1503. Acer Aspire One 10.1" Netbook

Tiny portable computer which will enhance archivist's abilityto work in different parts of the archives facility, e.g. to cata-logue book collection in upstairs library. It will also allowhim to stay connected to patrons for research inquiries whentraveling or weekly with family in Chicago.

$3504. Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS 10.1 Megapixel Digital SLR

CameraA high quality digital camera, which will give us the ability tosend clear images to both Vasa patrons directly and to theVasa Star or other publications of events at the Archives, arti-facts, displays, the facility, and additionally allow us to docu-ment the artifact collection digitally. We receive frequentrequests from lodges for pictures of the Vasa Archives anddisplays, but the archivist does not own a good camera andhas so far got along with borrowed equipment. Again,digitization opens up the possibility for online access.

$5005. Hollinger Metal Edge Record Storage Boxes with Separate

LidAcid-free record storage boxes needed for safe preservationof archival material

$400 (100 bankers box-size acid-free corrugated board)6. Hollinger Metal Edge Textile and Fabric Storage Boxes

Acid-free heavy board storage boxes for our extensive collec-tion of folk costumes, banners, wall hangings, and other fab-ric/textile items.

$1000 (30 boxes of size 34Lx22Wx8H)7. Hollinger Metal Edge Photo-Tex interleaving tissue

Acid-free tissue sheets that will allow us to store photographslong-term without any damage from unstable materials suchas photo album paper and some types of plastic.

$107 (1000 sheets)

8. Hollinger Metal Edge Archival Quality PhonographRecord Storage SleevesAllow us to store our 78 rpm vinyl records of Swedish songsfrom mid-20th century.

$380 (100 sleeves at 10" size)9. Permalife Bond Rolls

20 lb. bond acid-free paper for interleaving or wrappinglarge prints, maps and oversize artifacts. Sorry to say it, butwe have not taken proper care of the charters from closedlodges stored at the archives. One issue is climate control(see next item) and the other issue is what the charters arestored next to and how, for example wrapped in non acid-free tubes or simply rolled up and tucked into tight spaces.The result has been that many charters have become so dryand brittle that they turn into small little chips if you touchand unroll them. Not good! So we are initially proposing towrap them in Permalife paper and secondly to research thepossibility of conserving damaged charters. For now, wewould like to wrap them so they don't deteriorate anyfurther.

$250 (three rolls at 34" width)10. Fisherbrand Printing Hygrometer/Thermometer

Provides a permanent record of temperature/humidity andtime-of-day/date/month with sampling rates of 1 minute to100 hours. This instrument helps us to begin contemplatingclimate control. Without an accurate record of what goes onin the archival space during the course of a year we will notbe able to know what measures we might eventually take topreserve paper and photographic items long term.

$670 (including machine, 6 rolls of paper, and AC adapter)

Digitization and PreservationMembers of the Vasa National Archives Board of Directors have asked me to put together a list of needed equipment and sup-

plies to sustain operations at the Archives in order to set priorities and build up support for purchase. This is a prioritized list butall are essential for efficient use of our resources and increased productivity in our operations. Prices are fairly accurate and currentas of February 2010. We understand that these are difficult economic times, but feel strongly that equipment and supplies for ourarchives is a solid, conservative investment for a more secure future. Lodges and/or individuals may pick and choose what theymight support or simply give toward the effort in general. Please send funds addressed to Vasa National Archives Treasurer, P.O.Box 101, Bishop Hill, IL 61419-0101 and write “Equipment 2010” on the memo line. If you would like to call or write thearchivist for more information, feel free to contact us at 309.927.3898 or [email protected].

In Truth and Unity: Lars Jenner, Archivist

Vasa Order of America National Archives Inc.Balance Sheet as of April 30, 2009

Assets:Petty cash $261.62Wells Fargo 32,034.18SBT checking 1,024.31SBT savings 16,836.15Waukesha checking 661.40Waukesha savings 10,000.00Waukesha CD 11,545.35Money Market Plus 836,205.74Land 4,160.00Buildings 207,983.00Furniture and Equipment 39,620.00Total assets $1,160,331.75Liabilities:Taxes payable 583.14Assets less liabilities: $1,159,748.61


As promised here are some new words of things we havearound the house. When you see it you will say to yourself…Iknow the Swedish word for that. I can assure you that it willmake you feel good and that you will probably check around tosee what other words you remember. Little by little you willadd words to your vocabulary and before you know it sen-tences will follow. Sentences using word we have learnedwhich we will do for the next lessons. These practices withwords and sentences are very useful when your lodge or friendsgathering for a “pratstund” session.

Ett nytt ord varje dagA new word every day

vardagsrum, -met, --- living roommatrum, -met, --- dining roomsovrum, -met, --- bedroombadrum,- met, --- bathroomdraperi, -et, -er drapesrullgardin, -en, -er blind/window shadespersienn, -en, -er Venetian blindsgungstol, -en, -ar rocking chairpall, -en, -ar stoolfåtölj, -en, -er armchairsäng, -en, -ar bedlakan, -et, --- sheetfilt, -en, -ar blankettäcke, -t, -n comforter/quiltkudde, -n, kuddar pillowörngott, -et, --- pillow casebyrå, -n, -er chest of drawersbyrålåda, -n, -lådor drawersgarderob, -en, -er closetgalge, -n, -r (clothes) hangerväckarklocka, -n, väckarklockor alarm clockradio, -n, -r radiospegel, -n, speglar mirrorskrivbord, -et, --- deskdator, -en, -er computermonitor/bildskärm, -en, -er monitortangentbord, -et, --- keyboardmus, -en mouseskrivare, -n, --- printer

Submitted by: Lillemor and Richard Horngren

Swedish Language LessonsBy Lillemor and Richard Horngren

LEARNING SWEDISH – LESSON 22

Seeking YourSwedish Roots??

E-mail: [email protected]

PåskDen som öppnar dörren på skärtorsdagen och möter en liten utklädd

häxa med en kaffepanna vet att påsken är här. Inte fullt lika charmigavar de riktiga påskkärringarna. På skärtorsdagsnatten gav de sig av tillBlåkulla för att hos djävulen betala skatt i form av smör. Färdengjordes på kvastar som först smorts in med en hemlig salva. Avfärdoch hemkomst gick via skorstenen och för att kunna försvinna som enoljad blixt var häxan tvungen att först rabbla en magisk trollformel.

Till påskaftonsmiddagen hör först och främst att äta ägg.Kycklingen som bryter äggets skal sågs förr som en symbol för livetoch mycket av påsken kom därför att kretsa kring äggen. Både sommat, dekoration, målarobjekt, godis och som godisförpackning. Ävenlax, lamm, sill, böckling och Janssons frestelse hör idag till det svens-ka' påskbordet. Exakt vilken söndag påsken, dvs, påskdagen, infallerbestäms av första fullmånen efter vårdagjämningen, alltså någon gångmellan den 22 mars och 25 april.

EasterThe one who opens the door on Maundy Thursday and meets one

small person dressed as a witch carrying a coffee pot knows that Easteris here. Not entirely equally charming was the real Easter witches. OnMaundy Thursday night, they went to Blåkulla (Blue Mountain) to paytax to the devil in the form of butter. The journey was done on broomsthat first had to be greased with a secret ointment. Departure andreturning went via the chimney and in order to disappear as fast aslightning the witch first had to use a magic spell.

For the Easter dinner it's most common to eat eggs. The chickenthat breaks the egg's shells were long ago seen as a symbol of life anda lot of off Easter came to revolve around the egg. It is used both asfood, decoration, in painting, sweets and candy wrappers. Salmon,lamb, herring, smoked fish and Jansson's temptation is something thatis also featured on the Swedish' Easter dinner table of today. Exactlywhat Sunday the Easter, i e, the Easter day, falls is decided by the firstfull moon after the vernal equinox, some time between March 22 andApril 25.


GRAND LODGE NEWSGRAND TREASURER’S REPORT

For the Fiscal Year ended April 30, 2009E D U C A T I O N A L F U N D S

Birt-Larson Nilsson wistle Old Age

National Reim- ‘‘Vasa Scholar- Scholar- Scholar- Old Age Allo-General Archives bursement Star’’ Regular ship ship ship Trust cations

Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund Total

Fund balances May 1, 2008 $76,796.49 279,626.91 133,503.25 1,602.08 303,974.02 175,458.53 31,840.17 34,102.82 4,298,162.08 166,199.86 5,498,366.21

Receipts:Dues & assessments $212,231.50 --- 1,250.00 --- 12,493.00 --- --- --- 3,123.25 --- 229,107.75Sales of merchandise 8,334.89 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 8,334.89Investment income (loss) -6,730.85 --- -11,397.37 --- -25,931.26 -14,987.93 -2,716.22 -2,653.30 148,921.41 --- 84,503.48Net gain (loss) on sales of

Trust Fund securities --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -37,025.42 -37,025.42Donation for youth stamps --- --- --- --- 14,936.17 --- --- --- --- --- 14,936.17Adv. and resolutions --- --- --- 8,459.32 --- --- --- --- --- --- 8,459.32Student loan repayments --- --- --- --- 3,504.00 --- --- --- --- --- 3,504.00Scholarship donation --- --- --- --- 100.00 --- --- --- --- --- 100.00Alloc. of per Capita duesto Archives -45,006.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -45,006.00

Inter-fund transfers -76,.703.34 --- 300.00 76,403.34 --- --- --- --- -120,000.00 120,000.00 ---Other receipts 271.00 --- --- 591.89 2,002.08 --- --- --- 485.93 --- 3,350.90___________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

Total receipts $92,397.20 --- -9,837.37 65,454.65 7,103.99 -14,716.22 -2,716.22 -2,653.30 -4,494.83 120,000..00 270,266.09___________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ ____________ __________ __________Total assets available $171,193.69 279,628.91 123,765.88 87,056.63 310,078..01 160,490.60 29,123.95 28,449.56 4,291,667.25 286,199.86 5,768,632.30___________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ ____________ __________ ____________

Disbursements:Executive Board Meeting $14,270.07 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 14,270.07Merchandise purchases 4,082.51 --- --- --- 11,746.04 --- --- --- --- --- 15,828.55

Services:Grand Secretary 5,400.00 ---- ---- ---- 720.00 ---- ---- ---- ---- 1,080.00 7,200.00Grand Treasurer 1,740.00 ---- ---- - 660.00 ---- ---- ---- ---- 1,200.00 3,600.00Editor ---- ---- ---- 4,731.00 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 4,731.00Circulation Manager ---- ---- ---- 2,600.00 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 2,600.00Vice Grand Secretary 1,800.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 1,800.00

Expenses for:Grand Master 4,855.73 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 4,855.73Grand Treasurer’s Office 692.48 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 692.48Grand Secretary’s Office 2,873.35 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 2,873.35Vice Grand Secretary 1,645.91 ---- ---- ---- ---- --- --- --- --- --- 1,645.91Vice Grand Master --- --- --- --- 41.00 --- --- --- --- --- 41.00Other Exec. Board Members 225.04 --- --- --- ---- --- --- --- --- --- 225.04Grand Lodge Youth Director --- --- --- --- 176.23 --- --- --- --- --- 176.23Past Grand Lodge Cult. Dir. --- --- --- --- 288.06 --- --- --- --- --- 288.06

Grants to Youth Club Leaders --- --- --- --- 10,200.00 --- --- --- --- --- 10,200.00Editor and Circulation Manager --- --- --- 1,384.35 --- --- --- --- --- --- 1,384.35Accounting and Tax Prep. 2,150.00 --- 125.00 800.00 850.00 200.00 125.00 125.00 --- 1,300.00 5,475.00Trustee’s fees --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 16,380.35 --- 16,380.35Old Age Benefit Payments --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 102,400.00 102,400.00Scholarships Awarded --- --- --- --- 25,470..00 6,000.00 --- 1,500.00 --- --- 32,970.00Membership Promotion 1,577.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 1,577.00Printing, Mailing and

Office Supplies 4,997.40 --- --- 75,563.85 1,127.86 --- --- --- --- --- 81,689.11Bank Charges 1,354.27 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 1,354.27Donations, Dues and

Subscriptions 3,914.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 3,914.00Student Loans Granted --- --- --- --- 4,500.00 --- --- --- --- --- 4,500.00Seed Money for 2010

Grand Lodge Convention 2,000.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 2,000.00Computer Related Expenses 487.90 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 487.90Advertising 190.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 190.00Time Share Assessments 714.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 714.00Refunds 61.25 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 61.25Grand Lodge Youth Sem.

July 2009 --- --- --- --- 1,562.25 --- --- --- --- --- 1,562.25Microfilming Costs in Sweden 653.63 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 653.63Binding of 2007 Issues of

“Vasa Star” --- --- --- 317.19 --- --- --- --- --- --- 317.19__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

Total disbursements $55,684.52 --- 125.00 85,196.39 57,441.44 6,200.00 125.00 1,625.00 16,380.25 105,980.00 328,737.70

Transfers of AdditionalAssets to National Archives:

Investments in Fed. NationalMortgage Assoc. Notes atMarket Value (face amount,$141,000) --- -139,572.36 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -139,572.36

Total Additional AssetsTransferred --- -139,572.36 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- -139,572.36

Fund balancesApril 30, 2009 $115,509.17 140,540.55 123,640.68 1,860.24 253,636.57 154,290.60 28,998.95 26,824.52 4,275,286.40 180,219.86 5,300,322.24

C. Richard OverbergGrand Treasurer


2010 Grand Lodge ConventionThings are getting exciting. Registrations are beginning to come in to the District Secretary. Hotel reservations are also

well over three hundred room nights at the Marriott. The ads and greetings for the District Pennsylvania No. 9 program bookare also coming in even though some of those are slower than anticipated. All invitations have been sent out to various VIPs,including President Obama and the Swedish Ambassador to the USA. Wouldn’t it be interesting if President Obama decidedto come and bring a greeting? He is only a few blocks away from the hotel. We’ll wait and see. Ambassador Hafström haspromised to attend the opening. We hope you respond through and ad, or by coming to the convention events. If not weencourage you to send in a donation with the raffle tickets printed in this issue of the Vasa Star.

One significant addition to the program has been arranged. We have invited members of the Swedish Colonial Society tomake a presentation on Monday evening, July 5. Previously that evening was free. The Swedish Colonial Society was estab-lished about a century ago and has actively tried to write the history of the early Swedish colony established at, what is now,Wilmington, DE, in 1638. Through historical records and genealogical research they have also traced the lineage of many ofthe early Swedish settlers to the current day. See their website www.colonialswedes.org for more information. Herb Rambo,current President of the Society will, with others, present all the exciting activities in which they are involved. We think thiswould be worth coming to hear and see, whether you previously knew of the existence of the Swedish Colonial Society ornot.

Please look at the full activities schedule in the following pages of the Vasa Star. If you are planning to attend please reg-ister for the convention events and at the hotel. Finally don’t forget to look at the items that DL Pennsylvania No. 9 has forsale as one of its efforts to help fund the convention. Note that this information is also available on the Grand Lodge website.

E D U C A T I O N A L F U N D SLarson Nilsson Birtwistle

Reim- ‘‘Vasa Scholar- Scholar- Scholar- Old Age Old AgeGeneral National bursement Star’’ ship ship ship Trust Allocation

Fund Archives Fund Fund Regular Fund Fund Fund Fund Fund TotalsWells Fargo Bank, Minneapolis:

NOW checking account $114,209.17 --- --- 1,360.24 15,292.53 --- --- --- --- --- 130,861.94Wells Fargo Cash Swap

(FDIC Insured) --- --- --- --- 11,412.11 --- --- --- --- --- 11,412.11Wells Fargo Adv. Money

Market Fund --- --- --- --- 2,047.48 --- --- --- --- --- 2,047.48Bank of America, Tampa,

Florida, Checking Account --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 180,219.86 180,219.86

Petty Cash Funds:Grand Secretary 1,000.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 1,000.00Vice Grand Secretary 300.00 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 300.00Circulation Manager ---- ---- ---- 500.00 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 500.00

Other Archives checking andsavings accounts --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 140,054.55

Investment Securities at cost:$50,000 Fed. Home Loan Mortg.Corp. 5% notes due 6-15-2027(market value, $22,822.40) --- --- --- --- 22,580.79 --- --- --- --- --- 22,580.79

11 shares First Trust Unit 2019short-term monthly cash (marketvalue $10,633.37) --- --- --- --- 11,002.03 --- --- --- --- --- 11,002.03

400 shares MBNA Capital E8.1% preferred stock(Market value $5,640) --- --- --- --- 7,662.00 --- --- --- --- --- 7,662.00

Investment in Standard and Poor’s500 Index Contracts (originalinvestments $451,865.88 plus interestand net realized gains to date,$13,565.45) --- --- 123,640.88 --- 131,676.38 154,290.60 28,998.95 26,824.52 --- --- 465,431.33

Order of Vasa Trust Fund cash andinvestments, at book value(market value $3,857,799.34) --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 4,275,286.90 --- 4,275,286.90

__________ __________ __________ ________ __________ __________ _________ _________ __________ ________ ___________Total assets $115,509.17 140,054.55 123,640.88 1,860.24 253,636.57 154,290.60 28,998.95 26,824.52 4,275,286.90 180,219..86 5,300,322.23

C. Richard OverbergGrand Treasurer

Grand Summary of Assetsas of April 30, 2009


ACTIVITY SCHEDULE for the 37th Grand Lodge Convention July 2 - 8, 2010 – Washington, DC

Friday, July 2

10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Registration Desk open.

8:00 – 10:00 PM Welcome ’Dessert’ Reception hosted by DL Pennsylvania No. 9; free to all who registered.Entertainment provided by DL New Jersey No. 6 Vasastjärnan Youth Club.

Saturday, July 3

9.00 AM – 12:00 PM Registration Desk open.

8:30 – 10:00 AM New delegate breakfast: sponsored by the Grand Lodge

1:00 – 2:15 PM Opening Ceremony with special greetings, presentation of flags by Vasastjärnan Youth Club and intro-ductions of Grand Lodge Officers.

2:15 – 2:45 PM Coffee break

2:45 – 4:30 PM Opening Session for Grand Lodge Officers and Delegates; Vasa members invited to join.

5:30 – 10:30 PM Reception at the House of Sweden. Two busses leave for the House of Sweden at 5:30 PM and returnfor additional trip at 6:00 PM. Tours of the Embassy and upper floors of HOS starting at 6:00 PM (stag-gered small tour groups). Light buffet open at 7:00 PM including a glass of wine. Music provided by’Svenska Spelman’ group from Jamestown, NY. Busses return to Marriott at 9:45 and 10:15 P.M.Cost: $85/person.

Sunday, July 4 Free day for everyone to enjoy Independence Day in downtown Washington. Because of the difficultyof travel in Washington on July 4th, no scheduled tours are planned.

Monday, July 5

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Session for Grand Lodge Officers and Delegates.

7:30 PM – 9: 30 PM Seminar/presentation by Swedish Colonial Society.

Tuesday, July 6

8:00 AM – 3:00 PM Mt. Vernon Tour. No Grand Lodge Session. Busses leave hotel for Mt. Vernon, home of PresidentGeorge Washington, at 8:15 AM. Tour Mt. Vernon for four hours; mansion, new visitor’s center, shopsand food court. Busses leave Mt Washington at 1:45 PM for return to Marriott. Cost: $40/person. Seewww.Mountvernon.org.

7:00 – 10:00 PM Cultural, membership and web seminars – responsibility of GL Ex Bd

Wednesday, July 7

8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Session for Grand Lodge Officers and Delegates.

10:30 AM – 3:30 PM Non-delegate Tour of Hillwood Estate; lunch included. Cost: $55/person.See www.hillwoodmuseum.org.

Thursday, July 8

8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Session for Grand Lodge Officers and Delegates; election and installation of new officers

6:00 – 7:00 PM. Cocktail hour (cash bar) and photo opportunities.

7:00 – Midnight Grand Banquet with Barnklubben Elsa Rix #1peforming. Dance music by Smörgåsbandet.Cost: $115/person


REGISTRATION FORM

37th Grand Lodge Convention • July 2 – July 8, 2010

Registration Deadline: May 14, 2010 www. vasaorder.com

NOTE: Grand Lodge Officers, Honorary Life Members of the Grand Lodge and Delegates receive complimentary tickets for the Saturday and Thursday nights banquets, and the Tuesday tour. Spouses and other participants are responsible for payment of all events in which they partake except for the Friday Welcome Reception.

Total Cost of Registration may be paid either by check (see details below) or by credit card using the capability on the Grand Lodge website shown above.

Date, Week Day aEvent (Please see Activity Schedule in this

Vasa Star issue for event details)

No. of People

Attending

Price Per Person

(Prices in U.S. $)Total Cost

July 2, Friday Welcome Reception No Cost

July 3, Saturday Reception at House of Sweden $ 85

July 4, Sunday Free day to enjoy Independence Day in Washington

Your cost

July 6, Tuesday Tour: Mt. Vernon $ 40

July 7, Wednesday Non-delegate Tour: Hillwood $ 55

July 8, Thursday Grand Banquet $ 115

PLEASE WRITE CHECK TO: Grand Lodge 2010 Convention

MAIL TO: Sharen Tizzano, 2250 Par Lane #1217, Willoughby Hills, OH 44094 Total Included: $

_________

Note: Advance Registration is required for, or a portion of, the Convention, including the Welcome Reception!

Personal Information: Please Print Clearly

Name _____________________________________________ Local Lodge & No. ________________________

Address ___________________________________________ District Lodge & No. ______________________

City _____________________________________ State/Prov. __________ Zip/Postal Code_____________

Country ___________________ Phone Number: Country Code/Area Code/Number ____________________

E-mail Address ____________________________________________________________

(How many?) Delegate ___ GL Officer (Elected) ___ GL Officer (Appointed) ___ GL Honorary Life Member ___

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Please make your Hotel Reservations directly with the Hotel to ensure Convention rates

775 12th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 USA

Phone: 1-202-737-2200

Fax: 1-202-347-5886

Toll-free: 1-800-393-2510

You can make reservations by calling the Marriott at the number above or by using the internet. If you call to make the reservation the group name is VASA 2010.

You can also register at the hotel using the internet using the information found on the Grand Lodge webpage shown at the top.

Expected arrival date ________________________ Expected departure date ___________________________

S

Room rate: $159 (+ tax of 14.4 %) per night for all rooms.

$159 rate applies for one, two, three or four people per room.

Rooms contain either One King or Two Double Beds

All rooms are non-smoking

$159 room rate available between June 30 and July 12, 2010.

Reservation deadline is 6:00 PM, Friday, June 11, 2010 to obtain rooms at above rate.

REGISTRATION FORM37th Grand Lodge Convention • July 2 - July 8, 2010

REGISTRATION FORM37th Grand Lodge Convention • July 2 - July 8, 2010


The following items are offered for sale by the 2010 GL Convention Committee to help host DL Pennsylvania No. 9 raise funds for the convention. Thank you for your support!

Shipping and Handling (USA) Please call for orders above $150.00 or for any order to Canada or to Sweden

Subtotal Shipping Subtotal Shipping Subtotal Shipping

$0.00-$18.00 $5.00 $18.01-$36.00 $8.00 $36.01-$54.00 $10.00

$54.01-$80.00 $12.00 $80.01-$110.00 $15.00 $110.01-$150.00 $18.00

2010 Grand Lodge Convention Items for Sale

Quantity Item Description Price Each Total

Dalahäst lapel pin (size shown in relation to penny) $ 7.00

Nordic Flags Sweatshirt, YthM __ YthL__ S__ M__ L__ XL__ XXL__ XXXL__ $ 20.00

2030 ‘Daphne’ greeting cards, 4.25x5.5 in, blank inside, “Linnea”; 8-pack $ 6.00

2040 ‘Daphne’ greeting cards, 4.25x5.5 in, blank, “Viking at Sea”; 8-pack $ 6.00

2044 ‘Daphne’ greeting cards, 4.25x5.5 in, blank, “Flowers-the Provinces”; 8-pack $ 6.00

2048 ‘Daphne’ greeting cards, 4.25x5.5 in, blank, “Dala Horses&Flowers”; 8-pack $ 6.00

2050 ‘Daphne’ greeting card, 4.25x5.5 in, blank, “Blu & Yel Heart Basket”; 8-pack $ 6.00

Subtotal

Shipping (see chart)

TOTAL INCLUDED

Sweatshirt 50/50 blend

Please write check to: 2010 Grand Lodge ConventionMail your order and check to: Dorothy Overberg, 5431 Patton, Erie, PA 16509

Phone: (814) 864-2406 Email: [email protected]

ORDER FORM

Name ________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________

City __________________________________ State ______ Zip ___________

Phone No. ____________________________ Country _____________________

Email _______________________________________________________________

SHIP

TO

Dalahäst Lapel Pin

Note: Sales tax is included in prices.

Note: If purchasing

dalahäst lapel pins only, a shipping charge of

$5.00 applies for any

amount purchased.

DalahästLapel PinDalahästLapel Pin


DISTRICT LODGE NEWSDL RhodeIsland #3

DL Golden Gate #12

You know, history doesn’t have to bedull, culture doesn’t have to be boring –and that’s what RI District #3 set out toprove at a Nordic Masquerade inNovember. It was a fun, entertaining andeducational evening all rolled into one.

Ebba Brahe was in attendance – youknow THE Ebba Brahe, who at the age of16 was the mistress of the future KingGustavus Adolphus; the same EbbaBrahe who later married Count Jacob dela Gardie and bore him 14 children! Shejoined several other well-known celebri-ties – Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Dr.Lovisa Ahlborg, St. Brigit, Sonja Henie,Dorothy Hamill, Elsa Beskow, and KaylaKleevage (do you know who these folksare? Look them up – they’re an interest-ing part of Scandinavian history and cul-ture – you’ll learn a lot).

In addition to a great parade whereeach person gave a brief biography wehad what was publizied as a “mini-smörgåsbord” (definitely was not“mini”)! Didn’t get a chance to sampleChef Bengt Wedholm’s expertise though(look him up)!

All in all – a great way to learn a lot ina fun way.

Submitted by: Lily Zarli, DCL

1st prize winners: Star Boy, Connie Johnsonand St. Lucia Ray Johnson.

The members of the District 12, GoldenGate, are a very active, very cohesivegroup of people, whom enjoy being togeth-er fostering Nordic heritage, traditions, andculture, and inviting anyone who sharesthese interests, to join them. Each individ-ual Lodge within District 12 has a fulldocket of activities that promote unity,enthusiasm, and help in time of need, to allmembers. Activities are not strictly limitedto those focusing on Nordic tradition,either! Several gatherings have nothing atall to do with being from Sweden orNorway or any other Scandinavian region.For example, Lindbergh Lodge in PaloAlto has at least two outings per year at alocal winery, bottling their own wine, help-ing with the grape harvest there, or simplypicnicking, and members of Skogen Lodgein Redding customarily spend a nice sum-mer day on Whiskeytown Lake, just pic-nicking and enjoying the fine weather.

Each issue of the Golden Gate Nyheternewsletter is full of culturally-focused arti-cles which have been thoroughlyresearched and meticulously written byvarious members. These articles are a trea-sure trove for our youth, who have refer-enced these articles in school writing pro-jects and oral presentations. Not only that,but when the authors include their ownpersonal connection to the topic, otherswithin the district have discovered thatthey share similar experiences, or have aspecial association that brings them closertogether in some surprising way.

Our Golden Gate Nyheter is full ofexciting and joyful events such as birthdaycelebrations for members who turn 100years old, or congratulations for newbabies or marriages, or new members whojoin our organization. We also enjoy cele-brating when milestones or outstandingachievements are reached! Included in this

article are two snippets from an issue ofthe Nyheter which illustrate this perfectly:

At the Norwegian night on September18, our Chairman, Harold Nelson, present-ed Karen Olson her pin honoring her 25years of membership in Svea Lodge.Karen joined Svea on May 18, 1984.These are excerpts from the inspiringemail Karen sent when notified of herqualification to receive her 25 year pin. “Iam so happy to realize this milestone in mylife since we all love and value Vasa andSvea Lodge. I am glad to receive my 25year pin. I have helped Anita as assistantcultural leader and coffee maker and alsoas clean up crew and chief dishwasher atthe old YMI hall. I was also bartender forone year and served as inner guard andouter guard several times. I also helpedmake pea soups and desserts and was aserver many times. I have also helpedAnita decorate the Midsummer stage forthe past 10 years.”

“Vasa is truly a family and we havelived through much of our lives together.We have seen our children grow up andmove on. We have seen marriages anddeaths and memorials, sickness and grief.We have shared so many Christmas par-ties and bonfires and picnics and dancesand dinners. So many happy memories andtear jerker. Thanks for letting me be asmall part of this as it has marked my lifefor the better and has given me joy toremember all the times of fun. And it is notover yet. There is more to come!”

At the August Anniversary Dinner, wewere so fortunate to have seven Sveamembers present who have all beenDistrict Masters. This certainly is a tributeto Svea Lodge to have had so many of ourmembers so active in the District.

Submitted by: Ann Marie Richardson,Editor, Golden Gate Nyheter

From left to right: Tore Kellgren, Mike Bray, Birgitta Kellgren, Per Cardestam, LilianRejbrand, Keith Hanlon, Gunnar Lillquist and then Richard Wooster, our current Golden GateDistrict Master.


LODGE NEWSDiana BirgerJarl Lodge #3

New Haven, CT

Brage-IdunaLodge #9Springfield, MA

Scandia Lodge #23Manchester, CT

At our October meeting LL Diana BirgerJarl Lodge #3 welcomed 10 new members.Front row - John Edeen, Carolyn Staehly, BenWojan and in 2nd row Judy Corrigan, MaryAnn Edeen, Barbara Prior, Nancy Thorsen,Arthur Thorsen, Lorraine Reimer, GordenReimer.

Submitted by: Paul Ljunggren Picture by: Lars Edeen

October’s meeting featured a delicioushomemade Swedish pea soup supper, fol-lowed by a bingo word game usingSwedish phrases. The St. Paul Church’stotal kitchen renovation is still underwayand will be appreciated. The lodge votedto make a generous contribution towardthe modern kitchen facilities.

As we submit the Lodge’s requiredannual report, we note that Brage-IdunaLodge welcomed two new members dur-ing 2009, but sadly, several memberspassed away during the year. At theNovember meeting, the charter wasdraped to remember them. We notice thatthose departed had been devoted mem-bers of Brage-Iduna for many years!Gourmet deserts from a local catererwere a treat during the social hour.

Brage-Iduna’s annual Lucia celebra-tion was held on December 13 despite asnow/sleet storm that same morning. Avery good turnout came in spite of theadverse weather forecast.

Members of the lodge and ThreeCrowns Children’s Club signed a

Christmas card to be sent to our sisterlodge in Sweden, Logen Strömkarlen#653 in the city of Trollhättan in westernSweden. We’ve heard in national newsthat General Motors intends to divestitself of its Saab division which has pro-duced the Saab auto line in Trollhättanfor many years. If a corporate buyer can-not be found for the Saab auto division,will the manufacturing plant shut down?As of late January, Swedish newspaperswere reporting that a sale has been madeto the Dutch car maker Spyker, much tothe relief of Saab’s 3,400 employees.

Submitted by: John MorganThe source for the last sentence is the

Swedish news site:www.thelocal.se/24620/20100127/

and a long New York Times article inJanuary.

Members of Scandia Lodge #23 ofManchester, CT, enjoyed a Christmasgathering at the Nutmeg Restaurant inSouth Windsor, CT, on December 4,2009.

At our February 2010 meeting, threenew members were initiated. They areJudy Anderson, Deb Haylar and JudyMitrowski.

Submitted by: June Roncarti

Left to right: back row - June Roncarti, Sylviaand Mel Helstrom, Deb Haylar, and PaulBerg. Middle row - Judy Anderson, ClaraStowell, Judy Mitrowski. Seated - Gail Porter,Rosemary Hokanson, Lilja Strazinskis.

It was the day of North Star’s 103rdanniversary and we celebrated by havingdistrict #15 officers invited. It was a plea-sure to have our guests on this special

occasion. DM Mary Ethel Pierson gladlyled the meeting. Dist. officers presentwere: Isabella Muscarella, PDM, SusanPremo, PDM and D. Trustee, Bob Salk,PDM and VDM, Bob Solt, D. Treas., NelSolt, VDS, Arlene Lundquist, PDM andDS, accompanied by Hans Lundquist, aformer Dist. officer, Ken Murphy, PDMand EBM (he brought lovely Louise). Wealso had Jane Hendricks, PDM, andMaidie Karling, EBM. Guests ElvineLundberg and Frank Muscarella alsocame along to enjoy the day. VC JaneSandler was home recouping.

District convention coming up soon,plans are being finalized and delegateswere elected. A Nordic symposium at CalLutheran University slated for February5-6. These are very informative and pop-ular.

On this special occasion was theannouncement of Jennifer Larson as ourscholarship recipient. Jennifer has highgoals to be a physical therapist. She is thedaughter of Valarie Larson and thegranddaughter of Peggy Pages. JoselynPages was our Lucia. We hope Peggywon’t run out of beautiful granddaugh-ters!

Following our business meetings, weaimed for the tables to enjoy a luncheoncatered by Jane Hendricks of Nordic Foxand believe me when I say it was ambleand delicious! A delightful day and wethank all of our guests for joining us.

Submitted by: Elinore Thornton

North Star #106Los Angeles, CA

Fylgia Lodge #119San Francisco, CA

In September our Cultural Programwas presented by our own CulturalLeader, Ms. Yasuko T. Wooster, II, thewife of our District Master. She hadmany beautiful Japanese Kimonos to dis-play and she told of the common charac-teristics between Swedish Folk Costumesand Japanese Kimonos, and answeredmany questions.

October 13th was our 102ndAnniversary and we had our usualpotluck dinner, followed by a short meet-ing. The evening was spent with themembers visiting with each other andcatching up on events the past summer.

Our website is:www.scandinavius.com/vasa/fylgia.

Submitted by: Jean Nelson


Thule Lodge #127Jamestown/Bemus Point, NY

Nobel-Monitor Lodge #130Cleveland, OH

Thule Lodge completed its 102nd yearin December 2009 and continues to pre-serve the Swedish heritage throughevents and activities. Cultural leaderFanchon Fuller keeps the membersinformed of upcoming events, and adds aspecial report on a Swedish activity. Weappreciate all of her efforts.

Our winter schedule continues withmeetings and social hour on the thirdSaturday of the month through March.Our lodge is now into its 103rd year, andrecently held its installation of officers.Edwin Sandberg will serve as the lodgechairman in 2010. Appreciation isextended to immediate past ChairmanEugene Johnson for serving as our chair-man. Chairman Sandberg was the first tobe installed as an officer, and then contin-ued the installation ceremony.

Thule Lodge looks forward to thespring season, as past chairman RobertFuller is looking forward to having somecapital improvements done on the lodge,and grounds.

Following the installation ceremony,yellow pea soup was prepared and servedto all, as a new year's gesture. Thanks to

Robert and Fanchon Fuller, BettyLawson, and Edwin and Donna Sandbergfor their efforts.

Thule Lodge wishes all a happy spring

season. If you are in our area, we wel-come you. “God dag” to all!

Submitted by: John Sipos,Thule Lodge Historian

Thule Lodge #127 officers for 2010. Front row: assistant mistress of ceremonies BerniceVeights, immediate past chairman Eugene Johnson, 2010 lodge chairman Edwin Sandberg, vicechairman Ralph Veights, mistress of ceremonies Donna Johnson, and financial secretary DonnaJohnson. Standing: lodge secretary Lucile Marsh, past chairman Robert Fuller, cultural leaderFanchon Fuller, trustee John Marsh, outer guardsman Nels John Nelson, trustee for three yearsTim Miller, auditor for three years Jerry Erickson, inner guardsman Don Carlson, treasurerAlbert Nelson, and lodge historian John Sipos. Missing from photograph is lodge chaplainDiane Shaw.

Photograph by Susan W. Sipos.

At the January meeting, the cold and snow did not stop our District Deputy, CherylBrown, coming from Svea #296 in Erie, PA, to install our officers for 2010. SandraMiller, the Svea Chairman accompanied her. They expressed their enjoyment of see-ing how another lodge conducts a lodge meeting. It was delightful to have them withus.

Bo Carlsson, our Cultural Leader, presented a program of ancient musical instru-ments. Bo had visited the Music Museum (Musikmuséet) and purchased a DVD. Henot only was able to show us slidesof the instruments, we were able to‘hear’ the instruments as well. Youcan visit the Museum yourself bygoing to their web site:www.musikmuseet.se. It is possibleto change the script to English.

We had our traditional Pea Soupand “Plättar” meal in Februaryprior to our business meeting.During our lodge meeting we werehappy to initiate three new mem-bers. It was a great way to start outthe New Year and we haveapproved applications from threeothers wishing to join.

Submitted by: Marty Bergman,Past Chairman

Mary Cirino, Paula DeCaria and Julian Fossen.

Tegnér Lodge #149Oakland, CA

The members of Tegnér Lodge #149,Oakland, CA, celebrated their 101stanniversary at a dinner at Pier 29 inAlameda, CA, on November 14, 2009.We were pleased that long-time member,Nancy Root, who lives in Citrus Heights,and her son and his wife could join us.Also it was a pleasure to have GrandLodge Secretary Joan Graham, FramåtLodge #405, present. Conflicting engage-ments kept several other dignitaries fromattending.

At our November meeting in BjørnsonHall we were entertained by LaurelPaulson-Pierce, Gold Nugget Lodge#662. She brought her “nyckelharpa” andplayed a collection of Scandinavian folksongs, explained the instrument and gaveus information about Sweden and herconnection to Sweden. It was a veryinteresting program.

Since quite a few of Tegnér membersattended the Sons of Norway’s BjørnsonLodge #14 lutfisk dinner on November 1,

Continued on page 15


Gustav Lodge #175San Diego, CA

The tradition for Gustav V Lodge is to have a holiday buffet meal, sing Christmas songs in bothSwedish and English have a white elephant gift exchange and celebrate with our friends. Themeal and all the coordination was by Lillian Norquist, who turned 90 in July (front right). Wedid not have a business meeting; just pure holiday fun on a lovely day at our usual meetingplace: Balboa Park’s House of Sweden cottage.

Submitted by: Carol Kerr, Secretary

Monitor Lodge #218Sacramento, CA

After the short summer hiatus,Monitor Lodge met in September for itsannual “Sill Frukost,” a rather uniqueaffair that’s been happening for manyyears. Yes, that’s right, HerringBreakfast. No one goes away from thisfun day hungry since we do serve avariety of dishes for those not “into”herring! The day was made perfect bynice weather and a chance to spend timeat the Larson residence located in theSierra Nevada Mountains. About 50 peo-ple attended.

The recent Scandinavian Festival heldeach year in the Sacramento Area was ahuge success with many vendors, presen-tation of Colors for each Nordic Countryas well as food and dancing in keepingwith the theme and spirit of the day.Monitor Lodge is quite instrumental inworking toward this annual successfulevent.

I had the pleasure of explaining whyour lodge is called Monitor Lodge. Avisitor at the festival noticed my nametagand asked if our lodge was named after alocal high sierra pass called MonitorPass. It was fun explaining the connec-tion to Swedish engineer/designerJohn Ericsson who invented the CivilWar Ironclad Ship Monitor as well asbeing part of the development ofthe “Göta Kanal” which cuts from coastto coast in Sweden. On a recent tripto Virginia, my wife, son and I hadthe opportunity to view the turret, gunand engine mount that has been raisedfrom the bay and is on display at theMariners’s Museum in Newport News.Check out www.monitorcenter.org.

As with all lodges within Vasa,we have lost some long-time memberswho will be missed. We are fortunateto have new members joiningfrequently who will hopefully step in andfill the void left by those who havepassed.

We are busy planning for our 100thAnniversary coming up in 2012! It’snever too early to plan for such anauspicious occasion. Our Annual“Glögg och Julbord” was held in earlyDecember with children from TheSacramento Swedish School sharing aLucia Program.

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Cultural Leader Ann Tennis decided togive a “lecture” entitled “Facts, Fiction,and Jokes” about lutfisk. MemberKathryn Hughes then finished the topicoff with “Still More Jokes.” After that,everyone seemed to be in a good moodfor the business meeting.

Due to the illness of Stig Björk,Charlotte Weissenborn has taken over as

our “Swedish chef.” She has producedinteresting and delicious entrees for ourpotluck suppers. Charlotte is also verycomputer literate and produced beautifulflyers for our anniversary dinner and theDecember Lucia Fest. We are happy toreport that Stig is feeling much better andwas able to attend our anniversary dinner.

Submitted by: Ann Tennis

Tegnér Lodge #149Continued from page 14


Brahe Lodge #245Rockford, IL

We held a Holiday Bazaar in ourspacious Vasa Park in Rockford Illinoison a colorful Sunday, October 25, 2009.We were busy from 10 AM until closingat 4 PM for our public-invited event.There was no admission charge so shop-pers came throughout the day and had achance to check out our new lodge too.At one time there were 40 automobiles inour parking lot!

Twenty-three vendors were selling allsorts of items including Swedish andNorwegian imported gifts, Christmasdecorations, "tomtar", engraved rocks,wreaths, cards, dog treats, hand-carvedwood figurines, pumpkins, squash, handwoven rugs, blankets, quilts, gift baskets,bakery, "lingonberry" jam, embroideredtowels, scarves, candles, tote bags, bas-kets, glassware etc! For hungry visitorsand members we had barbecues, chips,pop, coffee and cookies with table's setupin our kitchen. A good time was had byshoppers while visiting with friends over

a cup of coffee. What a great turnout forour Holiday Bazaar! Maybe we will evenget a few new members as a result of thisevent?

At our Nov. 22 lodge meeting, officerswere elected for 2010. Vasa BraheMember Conrad Johnson, age 105, wasalso awarded a pin for his 65 years as amember of our Vasa Order of America!

Vasa Brahe Lodge #245 held our"Julfest" on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. Firstwe were treated to a delicious "smörgås-bord" prepared by our 32 lodge membersin attendance. Appropriately with it beingLucia Day, we were entertained with aprogram where Lucia was portrayed byMiss Morgan Waterson and her accompa-nist. Later we played bingo and manylodge members won prizes.

Twenty-seven Vasa Brahe Lodge#245 members attended our January 31,2010 meeting on a cold, snowy but sunnywinter day! Highlight of the meeting wasthe installation of 2010 officers by GrandLodge official Jake Gruel. Members thendiscussed plans for our Open House inApril in our Vasa Park, "Midsommar"activities, and other business items.

Submitted by: MemberDennis G. Eksten

Guests and members enjoyed our delicious “smörgåsbord.”

Skandia Lodge #247Rockford, IL

The regular business meeting ofSkandia Lodge #247 on Thursday,October 8, 2009, had many special guestsbesides our wonderful members. Guestspeaker, Julianne Rose gave a greatpresentation about her summer campadventure at the Viking Village.

We regret that the daughter of Miriam(and Earl) Berndes, Phyllis Dahl,passed away in Denmark on October 19,2009.

The Lucia Dinner and program washeld Saturday, December 12, 2009. Acatered Christmas party was sponsoredby the Swedish Club of Los Angeles atSkandia Hall. A full Christmas buffettable catered by The Food Perfected withSwedish chef Mikael was presented. Theevening included a “grog” ceremony, avisit from Lucia and her court, and enter-tainment by the Swedish Folk DanceClub.

Congratulations to Skandia sister, JaneHendricks, at the opening of her SANCO,Swedish America Gift Shop, in the AlpineVillage.

If you have a bicycle that is no longerbeing used and you have other plans forthe space, please contact ChairmanJackie. There is a local Boy Scout Troopmember who is working on his EagleScout Award by restoring and refurbish-ing bicycles which are then donated toShelters

Remember you are all alwayswelcome at our Lodge and in our hearts!

Submitted by: Jackie Ahlen,Chairman

Skandia members (from left to right), BettyHolm, Steve Rose, and Jackie Ahlen workingthe gate at Vasa Perk’s annual Autumnfestand “Marknad.”




Svea Lodge #296Erie, PA

Bo Carlsson installed Svea officers.

Our lodge has continued to enjoymeaningful activities and meetings. Wehave members who are able and willingto share their talents and lives with us.

Our member, Kathy Gustafson, is theorganist at St. John’s Lutheran Churchhere in Erie. She had the experience of alifetime to visit Sweden and play theorgan at several well-known sanctuariesthere. Her presentation showed a veryprofessional photography ability and wecould feel as though we were also on hertrip.

The next monthly meeting had a mostinteresting and informative presentationby another member – David Cope – hespoke about the New York World’s Fairin 1939 (no he was not there himself).The Swedish Pavilion must have beenexceptional. It was the favorite of EleanorRoosevelt. David has a special interest inExpositions, being quite an authority onthe Chicago Fair. He spoke about thebook “The Devil and the White City” atChautauqua last summer.

Mike Stickner of Cranesville, PA, with hisgrandmother, Helen Bellingham.

Sveaborg Lodge #449Concord, CA

Chairman Don Morrison (right) initiat-ing new member David Seaborg, an evo-lutionary biologist. David’s father, GlennSeaborg, received the 1951 Nobel Prizein Chemistry.

Submitted by: Bob Burman

“Polka Dots” band performing for the annual Oktoberfest. Members Ray Ternstrom (tuba) andEvelyn Ternstrom (clarient) and their son Dan (trombone) play in this group.

On a sad note, a 37-year member,Ingrid Hedlund, passed away at age 92.Hopefully her daughter Berit will shareher mother’s Swedish recipes.

But we can plan for youth memberstoo. Mike Stickner, grandson of HelenBellingham, shows much interest in allthings Swedish.

Our lodge started the year with instal-lation of officers. Bo Carlsson fromNobel-Monitor #130 presided over theceremony.

The following week the group met atthe home of Leona Carlson to plan theschedule for all upcoming meetings.

Submitted by: Linda Collin

Svea Lodge #469Longview, WA

On September 20, 2009, Svea Lodge#469 of Longview, WA, celebrated their84th Anniversary at the Red Lion Inn inKelso, WA. Theme for the dinner was“Just Plane Fun.”

Welcome and invocation were givenand our special guests were introduced.District Master Alice Iverson, Chairmanof Nobel Lodge #184 Jeff Klein, DistrictSecretary Carol DeSarr, ChairmanDistrict Membership Karla Anderson andElsie Norby.

Luncheon was served and recognitionof long-time Vasa members were present-ed certificates in honor of their years ofmembership.

A fashion show was presented by ourmembers, songs were sung accompaniedby Jeff Klein, birthday greetings weregiven and door prizes passed out. A goodtime was had by all.

Submitted by: Judith JonesRecording Secretary


Harmoni Lodge #472Portland, OR

Portland, Oregon’s Harmoni Lodge #472 strives to provide a variety of local activi-ties and programs for their members. Cultural Leaders Kristi and Denver James orga-nized a delightful lingonberry learning experience in November 2009.

Treated to pastries and Swedish coffee prior to boarding the rented van, we headedapproximately 60 miles west of Portland to Friendship Farm. It is located a few milesuphill from our mighty Columbia River in the Goble area of Rainier, OR. Terry andDinah Farr started their blueberry and lingonberry farm in 1995. Crops of the fairlyunique plants have flourished and jars of their specialty products are sold directly tothe public as well as a select group of retail distributors.

The owners not only provided us an informational tour of their farm and berry har-vesting and merchandising process, but also allowed those who wished to experiencepicking the miniscule mountain fruit aided by the clever comb-like rake apparatusesprovided. Many members were thrilled to secure adequate bucketfuls to make jamlater! With perfect Swedish hospitality prior to departure, Terry and Dinah welcomedus to their warm kitchen to partake of hot coffee and sumptuous lingonberry prepareddelicacies – take home recipes included!

They told us the best part of farming is the friendships they cultivate – thus theirfarm’s name was derived. This philosophy holds true regarding Harmoni Lodge too.Representatives of their name, they always succeed in encouraging camaraderie andfriendship by cultural insights to our local Pacific Northwest.

A dedicated slate of officers to lead us in 2010 were installed at the January busi-ness meeting. Our February Social gathering found us gathered for a crab dinner pro-cured and delivered fresh from Pacific Ocean waters to our table by member DougHanson. The “fun” in fundraising reigns as we combined the evening with competitivebidding on donated creative silent auction items.

The Vasa spirit of unity prevails in Portland – Harmoni rocks!!Submitted by: Alice Harris

Friendship Farm

Lindbergh Lodge #494Palo Alto, CA

October Fest was celebrated withmuch gusto. Ann Marie Van Horn sup-plied some beautiful Porcelain BeerSteins as ethnic decoration. She managesto come up with the décor of whatever

we are celebrating. Our talented membercooking staff made the evening completewith German bockwurst, Potato Salad,Sauerbraten, and rye bread, topped offwith apple strudel for desert. New mem-

bers were initiated … Martin andSusanne Omander and Jo-Ann Abie-Thurfjell.

Dean Babcock our Cultural Leadergave a history of the Lodge in 1927, firstmeetings held in Whiskey Gulch. Thename of our Lodge projects, the pridethat all Swedes felt at CharlesLindbergh's astonishing feat flying soloacross the Atlantic that year. The eveningended with Swedish music and dancing.

November was our traditional soupnight. Salmon soup is such a popular dishthat almost everyone makes a specialeffort to attend. Additionally we hadlentil and tomato soup and sandwiches.Desert was Swedish pancakes smotheredin jam and cream. There were at least 70members enjoying the meal. We alsoinstalled the officers for the coming year.Among them are a new Chair DavidJohnson, Vice Greg Meyers, SecretariesBea Andrews, Laila Thurfjell, T.J. Naim,Malle Lantz and Treasurer Sandie Hersh.The evening ended with members show-ing off their dancing skills.

Our January meeting is always a veryfestive one. Members bring their specialdishes for a pot luck bonanza. Attendanceis always large and the sampling of manytreats always a culinary event with muchlip-smacking and contented sighs.

The program was conducted by ourcultural leader Dean Babcock who gave areview of Bishop Hill and the VasaArchives. He discussed the history of itsformation and a general talk aboutSwedish immigration to this countryfrom the earliest days of New Sweden inDelaware and the eventual arrival of ErikJansson and his followers in 1846 toBishop Hill. Their goal was to establish anew utopia. The surviving buildings arenow listed on the National Register ofHistoric Places. It is a repository of infor-mation about the Swedish presence inthis country and a source of informationabout the Vasa Order of America and itsmany Lodges.

Submitted by: Muriel Nelson Beroza


Oak LeafLodge #685Thousand Oaks, CA

After celebrating Marknad in VasaPark in Agoura, CA, we had a wonderfultime at our Social/Anniversary with a“Western Night” complete with cow-boy/girl hats and blue and red kerchiefs,which were given to each member inattendance.

Our lodge was decorated as though itwas an old-time western saloon completewith “feed bags” and sarsaparilla (rootbeer floats). In November we held a won-derful “All American” Thanksgiving andDecember found us celebrating a goodold “Family Christmas” with TorkilHammer playing his “nyckelharpa.”

At our January business meeting weinstalled our new officers for 2010 andwe look forward to installing new mem-bers soon. At our social we had a largetable full of food and had a member tellof their trip to Sweden over the recentChristmas holidays, then just a lot of sto-ries, memories and jokes. We will behaving a huge garage sale in March. Wewill be serving meatballs and lingonber-ries at the Scandinavian Festival held atCalifornia Lutheran University on April17-18, 2010.

At our general meeting in Februarythe third generation of the Swann/Eckdahl family were installed into OakLeaf Lodge, Johan and James Eckdahl.

Submitted by: Judi Palmquist

Marian Swann, James Eckdahl, Karl Swann,Johan Eckdahl, Karin Eckdahl and ChairmanLorraine Parriott.

Torkil Hammer

Tucson Lodge #691Tucson, AZ

We have had a very busy fall 2009 mainly due to our participation in the TucsonMeet Yourself Festival. It was held October 9-11, downtown Tucson and this yearattracted around 80,000 people for the three-day event.

Thirty four (34) ethnic clubs served delicious food from their respective countriesand also treated the crowd to dance and music. Affectionately the event is calledTucson Eat Yourself.

The Tucson Lodge #691 served a sample meatball plate, apple cake with whippedcream, Ris a’la Malta, baked goods, raspberry saft, coffee etc and our Vasa membersthought it was a lot of fun to work the shifts in our “Swedish” booth. Our profit goesto several local charities.

The Vasa Swedish Folk Dancers performed together with the band, the CamarataAurora Borealis and really delighted the audience with traditional folk dances as wellas polka, waltz and schottische. Some members also showed their folk costume in theFolk Dress Parade.

At our lodge meeting November 20, after election of officers for 2010 and dis-cussing other lodge business, we made Swedish Christmas tree ornaments and had funjust visiting!

December 12 we celebrated Lucia. On January 16, we installed our new officersand enjoyed open face sandwich potluck and on February 19, a power point programabout" the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi" was held.

Lodge #691 activities can be seen on our blog: tucsonvasaswedes.blogspot.com oron www.Vasaorder.com (local lodges)

Submitted by: Ann-Marie Kinnison

The Vasa Swedish Folkdancers

Tre Kronor Lodge #713 celebratedGreta Marie Hedman’s 95th birthday atour regular lodge meeting on March 8,2009. Greta is a regular attendee at ourmeetings and is a joy to know.

Greta was born in Målilla, Småland,Sweden, on March 23, 1914. She madeher transatlantic voyage and transconti-nental travel by rail to Tillamook, OR, in1925.

On January 7, 2001, Greta became amember of our lodge and we are glad shedid. Her caregiver, not of Nordic ances-try, raves about the quantity and qualityof the food served at the regular lodgemeetings. I think Greta is on to some-thing. Happy 96th in advance Greta!

Submitted by: Barry Ostrom

Tre Kronor Lodge #713Salem, OR

Greta Marie Hedman


Viking Lodge #730Flint, MI

Under the leadership of LodgeChairman, Eric Swanson, we had anothersuccesful year. We often missed Bill andSheila Lundquist, busy with their respec-tive duties as VGM, Vasa Order ofAmerica, and DM of Lake Michigan #8.Following is a partial year in review.

Sheila Lundquist showed a video onSwedish fences during the April meetingfor which Ron Carlson constructed amodel fence. Bill Lundquist had receivedeight applications for $500.00 scholar-ships, and the lodge agreed to fund them.Bob and Marcia Pearson provided open-faced sandwiches.

The annual September fishboil wasagain successful thanks to Art Bendalland Nils Froberg who timed and cookedthe potatoes, onions and whitefish to theminute. The ladies served the fish alongwith a buffet of salads, breads anddesserts.

On September 26-28, twelve membersdrove to Bishop Hill, IL, in a 15-passen-ger van rented by Sheila Lundquist. Theytoured the village and Vasa NationalArchives to which Ron Carlson donatedhis model of a Swedish fence.

The December Lucia Festival and“smörgåsbord” held December 6 at theGrand Blanc, MI, Senior Center wasagain the highlight of the year with deco-rations, hot “glögg” on entry and greatfood. The colorful pageant featuredDenise Carlson as Lucia accompanied byher attendants. Howard Weaver playedhis button accordion for Christmas carols,and Jerry Peterson’s “Hey---Js” playeddance music.

Submitted by: Howard Weaver

Fishboil kibitzers

Our October meeting brought us twonew members and one dual membership.The first of the two new members isPayton DeMent, husband of and nominat-ed by Joanne DeMent, our Chairman. Thesecond new member is Del Ackley, hus-band of and nominated by Mia Ackley,one of our trustees. The dual member isLucille Jeppson, an aunt of our Chairman,Joanne Dement.

We were again honored by a visit fromour District Chairman, Vito Pantaleo andhis wife Louise. Vito gave a warm wel-come to our new members and congratu-lated Lucille on her 50 years of service toVasa.

Gunhild Albrectsen reported that herhusband Al is still on the road to recov-ery. She stated that cancer is a reallyscary disease when it hits one of yourloved ones.

At the conclusion of our regular meet-ing we had our annual pot luck meal (with“Glögg”) and White Elephant auction.The auction was conducted by DennisMalarkey and Payton DeMent. Therewere over 30 items donated by our mem-bers for the auction. Bidding went wellwith "$9.50 Bob" having the most suc-cessful bids.

Scandia Lodge #728 began the NewYear with the initiation a new member,Elaine Fahlman, wife of Ken Fahlman,who nominated her. He also convincedher to join the lodge by bringing her as aguest where she found the benefits ofjoining. The initiation was headed by ourDistrict Master, Vito Pantaleo and assist-ed by our Lodge Chairperson, JoanneDeMent and other lodge members fol-lowed by a Swedish pea soup social, host-ed by Pat Flippen and Debbie Helmer.This was followed by the formal meetingand the day was wrapped up with a pre-

Scandia Lodge #728Prescott Valley, AZ

Lucille Jeppson presenting her aunt with afifty year Vasa service pin.

sentation by Richard Docksteader wherehe described the life of his grandfather asa farmer in the Midwest during the earlytwentieth century.

Submitted by: Dennis Malarkey

JubileumLodge #755

Madison, WIWe had two fascinating Vasa programs

to go with our cold, rainy October andmild, dry November in Madison, WI. OnOctober 11, Ann-Britt Keillor presented“A Month in Sweden and Norway,” thestory of a trip she and her husband Philtook the year before. It was a bittersweetoccasion, as Phil had planned to presentthe talk the previous April, but died in atragic accident. Still, we were quicklyswept up in Ann-Britt’s stories and thebeautiful scenery, even though the com-puter projector in our meeting roomwasn’t working and we had to squint at alaptop sitting on a chair on the table.There’s always a way!

The journey started at Stockholm, bycar. High points included “Midsommar”Eve and the Carl Linneaus Garden inUppsala, the world’s first “green”McDonalds in Umeå, and the birthplace ofAmerican labor organizer and martyr JoeHill in Gävle.

Phil and Ann-Britt then continued bylight rail on the “Inlandsbanan” fromMora in Dalarna to the Arctic Circle townof Gällivare. This sounded like a delight-fully relaxing way to travel—the operatorsometimes stopped the train so the passen-gers could get out and stretch or photo-graph wildlife! In Härjedalen, Phil andAnn-Britt saw Viking tapestries from 700-800 AD. From modern genetic analysis,the curators knew the type of plant dyesused and therefore the proper reddish-brown colors. The church town and Samivillage in Vilhelmina were another high-light.

At Gällivare, they boarded the train forNarvik, on the Norwegian coast, and trav-

Ann-Britt Keillor



Nordic Red RockLodge #760

Sedona, AZ

eled under the midnight sun pastKebnekaise, the tallest mountain inSweden. The Norwegian journey was byboat, the MS Vesteralen of the HurtigrutenLine, through the Lofoten Islands, in andout of the Trollfjord, past the Seven SistersMountains and the Hole-In-The-Mountainto Bergen. After another spectacular rail-road journey from Bergen to Oslo, theyflew home. I want to go someday!

We think of Sweden as a peaceful(though well-armed) and staunchly neutralnation, but on November 8, we learnedfrom Scott Mellor of the University ofWisconsin Scandinavian Studies depart-ment that this was not always so. In“Sweden as a Great Power,” Scott beganwith the story of how Gustav Vasa led arebellion that threw off Danish rule in theearly 16th century, and then broke withRome and made Sweden the first officiallyProtestant (Lutheran) nation in Europe.

Sweden gradually came to dominate allthe land surrounding the Baltic Sea, andthen suddenly emerged as a EuropeanPower as a major ally of France during theThirty Years’ War (1618-1648). Under“The Lion of the North,” GustavusAdolphus (Gustav II Adolf), the SwedishArmy probably saved the German princi-palities from forced recon version toCatholicism.

Sweden’s fall from great-power statusbegan during the reign of Karl XII.Simultaneously attacked by Poland,Denmark, and Russia, he won some spec-tacular early victories, but was lured deepinto Russia where the Swedish army wasdestroyed in 1709. Karl XII survived,spent several years in Ottoman Turkey,and was finally killed, possibly by his owntroops, during a failed invasion of Norwayin 1718.

Scott Mellor closed with a story ofspeaking Swedish with his grandmother,much to the dismay of his Quebecois-French grandfather. She retorted, “I lis-tened to your French all these years; nowyou’ll listen to my Swedish!”

Our January speaker was Kristin StandGorton, a speech pathologist at theUniversity of Wisconsin. Like many Vasamembers, Kristin has made several trips toSweden in search of her roots. But on hermost recent visit, she also decided to seekout professional colleagues. Her proposedone-hour drop-in at DART, a speechpathology institute in Göteborg turned intoa three-day visit, during which she gavethree presentations and spent the evenings

Our October meeting featured somelively gnomes and trolls and we learned oftheir sometimes nasty habits. We wel-comed new member Ingama Barentheimand then draped the Charter for loss ofMack Brainard, observing a moment ofsilence for a Charter member.

By November we were anticipating andplanning for a festive Lucia Fest. ThenNadine Murphy’s program presentation ofthe development of Scandinavian lan-guages was well-received with membersadding their memorable experiences deal-ing with the language, especially dialects.

Thinking back to early December, whata good time our lodge members had atLucia. The Nordic scene was set with can-dle-lit tables, Lucia wreaths and colorfulprograms. Hovering down on ribbons overthe dining table were heart-shaped “pep-parkakor,” below, all the favorite “jul”food from the old country even a big dishof “korv,” handmade by Chuck andMarilyn Elston. After the fine dinner, theprogram included Chuck telling the storyof Sankta Lucia. As we sang her song inthe darkened room, our Lucia, lovelyblond Emily Adams, entered. At all thetables she bestowed “pepparkakor,” toeach of us.

We weren’t so lucky in January whenrecord snow in the high country and rainthat kept falling all over the rest ofArizona made the meeting quite inadvis-able. We anticipate being together again,planning for a big state meeting inOctober.

Submitted by: Nadine Murphy

Jubileum Lodge #755Continued from page 20

The Year 2010 is going to be a big yearfor our young lodge as we will be hostingour District Lodge Convention for the firsttime. The theme is “Scandinavian Folk Artand Culture.” As hosts of Convention, webegan our year with a Convention PlanningMeeting with 10 members and lots ofideas. We will be holding the convention inMichigan City, IN, May 14th-16th at theClarion Inn just off Interstate 94 and conve-niently located on Route 421 just 5 minutesfrom Lake Michigan and miles of beaches,sand dunes and woodland forests. Othernearby attractions includes the WashingtonPark Zoo, the Old Lighthouse Museum, theLighthouse Place Premium Outlet Mall andBlue Chip Casino.

Because our Lodge is closely knit withour Nordikid Children’s Club, we arehappy to be including our youngmembers at every turn. With the help oflodge members Phyllis Kalajian andBarbara Hannigan, they will be hosting aNordikids Camp for grade school chil-dren from 9-3pm on Saturday, May 15during adult convention meetings. Theprogram will be in the spirit of theSjölunden Swedish Camp they haveattended at Concordia Language Villagein Bemidji, MN. They will be sharing theirknowledge of the Swedish language,music, dance and hand crafts. A Vikingactor will also be on hand for furtherentertainment. All attendees are encour-aged to bring the young people in theirlives to this year’s convention to share theTruth and Unity of Vasa Order ofAmerica. The program is free and willinclude lunch. Reservations will go outwith the Convention ReservationForm. Direct questions regarding theNordikids Camp please contact PhyllisKalajian by emailing her [email protected].

If you wish to purchase an ad for ourprogram book, please contact AnneliseGingold-Nelson at (219) 922-9994 oremail at [email protected] pricing and details have been mailedout to district lodge secretaries and ourConvention Raffles will be coming to eachof our district members by March. TheAnnual Convention is a time when TheDistrict Lodges can come together to rep-resent and share their local lodges. Wehope you will all help support our conven-tion by purchasing an ad or raffle ticket.

Submitted by: Linnea M. Ogrentz,Recording Secretary

Nordic FolkLodge #761

Hammond, IN

with an institute staff member in her homeon Öckerö, in the Göteborg archipelago.Kristin felt right at home—many of thesame assistive technologies and therapiesshe uses in Madison, WI are also beingapplied in Sweden. At the end of her visit,she received a personalized send-off. Inher work with children in Wisconsin,Kristin often uses the song, “If You’reHappy and You Know It,” and the DARTstaff surprised her by singing the samesong, in Swedish, and then treated her to aseafood dinner. Perhaps some of youmight follow in Kristin’s footsteps, not lit-erally, but by exploring a vocational orprofessional connection as well as anancestral one on your next (or first) visit toSweden.

Submitted by: Robert Merrill,Historian

SWEDISH NEWS

På vårt Högtidsmöte den 30 januari,2010 på Hemgården i Viken var vi 87ordenssyskon som hade samlats. Tre sty-cken kom från Logen Nybyggarna Nr698 i Ängelholm och 29 st från LogenKärnan Nr 608 i Helsingborg. När gäster-na hade förts in hälsade vår O Sy EvyLindstrand oss alla välkomna till mötet.

Sedvanliga årsmötesförhandlingarhölls, varefter logens nyvalda tjänstemäninstallerades av DD Br Alf Nilsson medstab från Logen Kärnan Nr 608 iHelsingborg. Avgående tjänstemänavtackades med vackra blommor och BrRolf Juveus tilldelades 10- årsmärket.

Vid efterföljande bankett utbringadeskvällens första skål till Hans MajestätKonung Carl XVI Gustav varefterKungssången sjöngs.

Efter en utsökt måltid började dansentill tonerna av Niklas Larssons enman-sorkester. I pausen hade vi sedvanligt lot-teri med många fina vinster. Kvällen gick

LogenHöganäs Nr 634

We were four members from LodgeEskilstuna Nr 633, Carin and FolkeLundvall, Lillemor and Hans Karlberg,who made a trip to America lastSeptember. We intended to visit theareas, where most Swedish immigrantssettled around the years 1900.

We stayed a few days in Minnesota byLake Chisago, where we visited placesthat have become famous from the novel-epic of the Swedish author VilhelmMoberg. One Sunday morning we attend-ed the Lutheran church service, where wemet a couple, who most kindly guided usin the small church-museum and to allplaces of interest.

Another day we visited the AmericanSwedish Institute in Minneapolis.Everywhere we met descendants fromSwedish immigrants. An old man, NelsGronquist, told us many interestingthings about his first time in the newcountry, and he was still speaking sur-prisingly good Swedish!

We had got invitations from Judy andRoger Anderson to stay in their home inGalva during the “JordbruksdagarnaDays” in Bishop Hill, which we mostgratefully accepted. On Friday eveningwe visited the Vasa Archives and therewas a barbeque in the garden, wheremany people also from other parts ofAmerica were gathered. We met PGMLennart Petersson and his wife and manyother interesting people. There weremany delicious courses and we tasted abig birthday cake, which was made forJudy, who had her birthday this very day!This evening was really something toremember.

Saturday morning we went back toBishop Hill and had a wonderful daythere. We went to the Vasa Archives foranother visit. There were folkdances,Swedish food and lots of handicrafts tolook at in many workshops along themain street. Everywhere there were lotsof decorations for Halloween. Saturdayevening we spent in Judy’s and Roger’shome, where we also met Judy’s mother,their children and a grand child. We had avery nice time and a great way to end ourstay in Galva and Bishop Hill.

During our last week we went toSouth Dakota to visit Mount Rushmoreand the area in Black Mountains. We also

visited Deadwood and saw the show ofWild Bill Hickok in Saloon No 10. Onerainy and terribly windy day was spent inBadlands before starting our journey backto Chicago and our flight back home.

Just outside Chicago we had a verynice evening with Sten Hult and his wifeNancy in their home. We could talk aboutmany memories concerning Vasa andSten told us much about his coming toAmerica as a young boy. Our last day inthe USA we spent with Sten and Nancy,as they showed us the beautiful recreationarea called Lake Katherine not far fromtheir home.

Of course we have lots of photos tohelp us remember the many places and allthe people that we met during our trip toAmerica.

Submitted by: Lillemor Karlberg,Cultural Leader

LogenEskilstuna Nr 633

At the museum of Bishop Hill together withJudy and Roger.

Logen MalmöhusNr 643

Kvällens värdar från vänster. Br UlfBlomgren, Sy Ewy Blomgren, Br BertilCannerhagen, Sy Ingrid Cannerhagen, SyBirgitta Bohlin och Br Lauritz Bohlin.

Ann-Christin Prahl serverar.

Fredagen den 8 januari 2010 hade LLMalmöhus Nr 643 årets första logemöte.Vår Ordförande hade varit på semesterre-sa i Egypten och skadat sig, så VO IrisLundgren fick rycka in som Ordförandeför logemötet.

Efter mötet bjöd grupp 1 in oss tillmatsalen där det serverades en laxrättmed dillstuvad potatis. Våra kulturledareElisabeth och Gunilla stod för underhåll-ningen och lärde oss en del intressantasaker om våra vänloger.

Insänt av: KL Elisabeth Västerstjärna

fort och alla gick hemåt nöjda efter enmycket trevlig kväll.

Insänt av: KL Ingrid Berg Bild av: Hans Bogren och

Bodil Larsson




Logen Nybyggarna Nr 698Ängelholm

Välkomsthälsning i ton och bjällerklang.

Det är nytt år, 2010, och utomhus iSkåne, ja i hela Sverige har vi det kalltoch på många platser, ett vintrigt land-skap och då är det skönt att sitta inne ochförst önska alla ordensyskon, i Sverige,USA och Kanada, ett Gott Nytt Vasaår isina loger.

Det gågna året, för vår loge, avslu-tades den 12 december med val avTjänstemän för år 2010. KontaktAmerika, framförde en julhälsning frånSLKL Gun Lith och DKL MaureenBengtsson och Logen Nybyggarna.Mötesförhandlingrna avslutades med attKP, VO och FDO läste var sinadventsvers under det alla syskonen stodupp med ett tänt ljus i handen.

Efterkapitlet i gammal god jultraditionmed gott julbord, lucia med tärnor somsjöng och framförde dikter, tomten kommed stor säck, klappar till alla snälla“Vasabarn,” kvällen avslutades med lot-teridragning, med många fina vinsterinnan arrangörerna tackades för en trevligVasaafton.

Lördagen den 9 januari, började viårets första logemöte med att seEngelholmsrevyn, Svart på vitt, och vivar 34 ordensyskon som roades. Däreftergick vi till Odd Fellows Ordens lokal ochhöll årsmötesförhandlingar.

KL Gunnar, Kontakt Amerika, fram-förde en “tillbakablick” på grunderna avBishop Hill, som många ordensyskonunder årens lopp besökt, allt sedan pro-feten Eric Jansson från Biskopskulla iUppland kom dit med den första storasamlade svenska gruppen. Själv har jagvarit där tillsammans med min hustru, syKarin, år 2001 och det var en storupplevelse, bl:a att av dåvarandeföreståndare, Lillemor och Richard

Horngren, få en grundlig genomgång avden historiska byggnaden och nationellaarkivet. Vid detta tillfälle överlämnade viLogen Nybyggarna handmålade lergök,Ängelholms symbol.

Arrangerande logesyskon avtackadesoch en kväll i sann Vasaanda var slut.

Insänt av: Gunnar Hyberts,Kulturledare

Logen SundsvallNr 705

Logen Sundsvall har hållit sittårsmöte. Utöver sedvanliga mötesförhan-dlingar behandlades det gångna åretsverksamhet varvid kassören och styrelsenbeviljades ansvarsfrihet. 2010 års tjän-stemän installerades i sina respektiveämbeten av Distriktsmästarens represen-tant Kjell Hamrin som med sin 7-man-nastab från Härnösandslogen genomfördeinstallationen på ett stilfullt och vackertsätt. Flera hälsningar till Logen fram-fördes från både när och fjärran.

Efter mötet serverades en mycket godmåltid med alla tillbehör och mångauttryckte beröm över den välsmakandemåltiden. I pausen efter maten underhöllfem elever från Kulturskolan med enmycket uppskattad musikstund med vari-erat innehåll. Flera av lyssnarna uttryckteönskemål om återkommande besök Eftermusikstunden serverades kaffe och kakaoch ett par av logens medlemmar hyl-lades med var sitt presentkort eftersom deinträtt i “den gyllene åldern.” Kvällenavrundades med lotteridragning.

Submitted by: Jan Hellsing

Translation Services - ÖversättningstjänsterSwedish to English - Svenska till engelska

Correspondence, certificates, etc. - Brevväxling, intyg, osv.

First hour free for Vasa members - Första timmen

gratis för Vasamedlemmar

Rates negotiable - Priser förhandlingsbara

Please contact: - Var god kontakta:Cindy Coan

[email protected]://www.indexingbythebook.com

PO 12513, Tucson, AZ 85732-2513, USATel. (520) 750-8439

Translating Service: Spanish & Swedish to English

INDEXING “BY THE BOOK”


Welcome To Our New MembersOn behalf of the Grand Lodge and members of the Vasa Order of America, I am pleased to welcome you tomembership in these local Vasa lodges. If you are new to the Vasa Order of America we bid you welcome. Ifyou are transferring or are a dual member, your new lodge bids you welcome. We hope you will enjoy yourmembership and will participate in all of the activities planned for you.

Tore Kellgren, Grand Lodge Membership Chairman5971 W. Walbrook Dr.

San Jose, CA 95129E-mail: [email protected]

GRAND LODGE JURISDICTION NO. 0Carl Widen #743

David Borg

DL MASSACHUSETTS NO. 2Spiran #98

Fred PetersonJoanne Peterson

Nordic #611Christine Redfield

DL NEW YORK NO. 4Nobel-Liljan #64

Courtney HansenGote Lejon #84

Warren DyckmanKent Johnson

DL NEW JERSEY NO. 6 Arlington #62

Judith BeckRobert CapuanoKenneth KallmanWilliam KastningIgor KusznirczukKevin MieleJennifer NelsonNorm PenneySusan PenneyHeather Rollins

Lyckan #507Walter Clifford

Vagen #588Ann Marie ChristiansenSusan Christiansen

DL LAKE MICHIGAN NO. 8Brahe #245

Hazel LingelbachSvea #253

Cindy GastJames HookEija Vesterqvist

Linde # 492Karen Schneble

Jubileum #755Luther Morton

DL PENNSYLVANIA NO. 9Drott #168

Alison BennettJames BergeLois Berge Donald Brown Donna ClarkeMartha ClarkeJeannine DanielsonHelen FarmerGerri GrumJohn LangworthyJonelle LewisIone Jeanne LinkeLouise MeyerDon MorrisMarjorie MorrisKenneth NelsonJulie OlsonKaren O’SteenLinda SmithBruce SwensonStephen ThorenCarol Anne TraxlerMavis Vandegrift

DL GOLDEN GATE NO. 12Sveaborg #449

Raymond AndersonMarie GagliardiJean GeyerJohn GeyerDavid OlsonDolores Olson

Lindbergh #494Jessica DeMartiniMark DeMartiniEvelyn FilbeckLoren Filbeck

Gold Nugget #662John Gamberg

Norden #684Curtis Burford

Valhalla Scandinavian #746Alexis IrbyDeWitt Irby Jr.

DL PACIFIC NORTHWEST NO. 13Astor #215

Kim DowalibyMeg DowalibyTodd DowalibyColleen HensleyElsebeth JonssonCassandra LiljenwallGeoffrey Liljenwall

DL PACIFIC SOUTHWEST NO. 15Mayflower #445

Elliott CoddingHeather CoddingLilian CropperRichard StephensKristina Wozniak

Nordic Heritage #741Linda BagbyJane Lewis

Advertisein the

Vasa Star


CULTUREUngefär 40 km söder om Linköping

ligger Kisa samhälle med ungefär 5.000invånare. I ett rött gammalt trähus vidStorgatan finns nu Kisa Emigrantmuseumoch Café Columbia. Huset lär ha flyttatstill sin nuvarande plats på 1700-talet, ochdär inrättades ett apotek och ett laborato-rium.

Apotekare Carl Gustaf Sundius varfödd i Malmö och fick sin apotekarutbild-ning i Tyskland. Han arbetade iKöpenhamn och Vadstena och kom sedantill Kisa där han 1835 fått “privilegiumpå Kongl. Provincialapoteket.”

I Tyskland hade Sundius fått höratalas om nya liberala idéer och om emi-grationen till Amerika, vilket intresseradehonom mycket. Sundius startade därför1846 Sveriges första emigrantbyrå iapotekshuset. Där kunde de som funder-ade på att utvandra få råd och praktiskhjälp, t.ex. hur man bar sig åt för att köpabiljett.

Redan året innan hade den första grup-pen svenska utvandrare lämnat Kisa.Ledare för dem var Peter Cassel, som varfödd nära Kisa 1790. Han hade blivit godvän med Sundius, som starkt påverkathonom att emigrera genom att beskrivaAmerika som ett drömland med störremöjligheter till ett bättre liv än vadSverige kunde erbjuda.

Peter Cassel var en märklig man. Hanvar intelligent och arbetsam. Han varbonde, mjölnare och byggmästare. Hanhade uppfunnit och fått patent på entröskmaskin. Han kunde läsa och skrivaoch hade till och med studerat engelska.Han deltog också aktivt i kommunalpoli-tiken.

Efter många och livliga diskussionermed sin vän, apotekaren, om fördelarnamed att utvandra, bestämde sig den 55-årige, självägande bonden Peter Cassel.Han sålde sin gård. Tillsammans med sinfamilj, några släktingar, vänner och tjän-stefolk lämnade han Kisa en tidig maj-morgon 1845. De var ett sällskap på 25personer, som via Göta Kanal tog sig tillGöteborg. Där gick de ombord påbriggen Superb och efter åtta veckorssjöresa var de framme i New York.Därifrån fortsatte gruppen till Iowa, därde slog sig ner och grundade den förstasvenska kolonin, som de kallade NyaSverige.

Från New Sweden skrev Cassel entu-

siastiska brev hem till sin vän Sundiusoch beskrev sitt nya, underbara land.Breven lästes upp för kunderna påapoteket och spreds på Kisa Marknad ioriginal och avskrifter. Några av demtrycktes även i tidningen ÖstgötaCorrespondenten. Breven väckte enormtintresse och lockade många från södraÖstergötland och norra Småland attutvandra. Mellan åren 1845 och 1915utvandrade 1.361 personer från Kisasocken, som då hade c:a 3.000 invånare.

På andra våningen i det röda husetfinns nu Kisa Emigrantmuseum. Det ärett mycket litet museum, men ändå finnsdär mycket intressant att se. Där finnsmängder av brev, foton, kartor, tidningaroch urklipp. Det finns kläder, smyckenoch medaljer och några “amerika-koffer-tar” förstås. Man kan läsa intressantadokument, t.ex. det om Peter Casselsförsäljning av sin gård. År 1912 restenågra emigranter från Kisa med Titanic.Kopior av tidningsartiklar om katastrofenoch dödsannonser visas i en monter.

Cassels och Sundius´ propaganda föratt emigrera hade dock även väckt oppo-sition hos många. I muséet finns ocksåbroschyrer och häften, som varnar sven-skar för att lämna sitt land för ett nytt livoch en oviss framtid i ett okänt land.

På första våningen finns ett litet café igammaldags stil, Café Columbia. På vin-tern brukar en brasa vara tänd i öppnaspisen. Man kan köpa hantverk och pre-senter och karameller i strut och så njutaav gott kaffe med dopp (fika) förstås. Detvar 1921 som fru Dorothéa Florén komhem från USA, dit hon utvandrat i sinungdom. Hon öppnade sitt kafé, som honkallade Café Columbia. Det sägs atthennes café var ett av de första i Sverigesom serverade bryggkaffe, en nyhet hontagit med sig från Amerika. Hennes cafévar mycket populärt och blev snart ensamlingsplats, kanske delvis beroende påatt i Columbia kunde man lyssna på denallra första radion i Kisa, en kristallmotta-gare.

Sedan 1979 firas varje år i juni minnetav Peter Cassel och den första organiser-ade utvandringen, “Peter Cassel dagen.”Initiativtagare var Kinda kommun och LLFilbyter Nr 174, DL 19, av Vasa Ordenav Amerika.

Insänt av: Gun Lith, SLKLFoto: Ing-Marie Wallin.

Kisa Emigrantmuseum and Cafe

ColumbiaAbout 40 kilometers south of

Linköping in the county of Östergötland,is Kisa, a community with about 5.000inhabitants. In an old red wooden houseat Main Street you’ll find Café Columbiaand Kisa Emigrant Museum. They saythe house was moved to its present placein the 18th century, and on the first floora pharmacy and laboratory were installed.

Carl Gustaf Sundius, pharmacist, wasborn in Malmö, and received his educa-tion to become a pharmacist in Germany.He worked in Kopenhagen and Vadstena(a town near Linköping) before he settleddown in Kisa 1835, having been grantedthe privilege to run the “Royal ProvincialPharmacy” in Kisa.

In Germany Sundius had heard somenew liberal ideas and the emigration toAmerica. This had made him very curi-ous. In 1846 he therefore startedSweden’s first emigrant office in thehouse where his pharmacy was located.Those who were thinking of emigratingcould visit the office and obtain adviceand useful help, for example how to buytickets.

The leader of the first group ofSwedish emigrants leaving Kisa wasPeter Cassel, who was born near Kisa in1790. Earlier he had made friends withSundius who had strongly influenced himto emigrate by describing America as a“dream land” with greater possibilities tolive a better life than they could ever beable to do in Sweden.

Peter Cassel was indeed a special man.He was intelligent and hard-working. Hewas a farmer, miller and a master builder.He had invented and patented a threshingmachine He could read and write, andhad studied English too. He was also anactive participant in the activities of thelocal community.

After many lively discussions with hisfriend, the pharmacist, about the advan-tages of emigration, the landowningfarmer Peter Cassel, at the age of 55, hadmade up his mind. He sold his farm.Together with his family, some relatives,

Kisa Emigrantmuseum och Café Columbia



friends and servants he left Kisa on anearly May morning in 1845. There were25 people who, via Göta Canal, arrived inGothenburg. There they went on boardthe brig Superb and after an eight weeks´voyage they reached New York. Fromthere the group went on to Iowa, wherethey settled down and founded the firstSwedish colony which they called NewSweden.

From New Sweden Cassel wroteenthusiastic letters home to his friendSundius, describing their new, wonderfulcountry. The letters were read aloud tothe customers of the pharmacy and alsomade public at Kisa Fair, both originalsand copies. Some of them were alsoprinted in the Östgöta Correspondenten,a newspaper. The letters aroused greatinterest and tempted many people fromsouthern Östergötland and northernSmåland to emigrate. Between 1845 and1915 1.361 people emigrated from Kisaparish where about 3.000 people lived atthat time.

On the second floor of the red house isnow the Kisa Emigrant Museum. It’s avery small museum, but still there aremany interesting things to see. There arelots of letters, photos, maps, papers andcuttings. There are clothes, jewelry andmedals and some “America trunks” ofcourse. You can read interesting docu-ments, for example one recording the saleof Peter Cassel´s farm. In 1912 someemigrants from Kisa were on board theTitanic. Copies of newspaper articlesabout the catastrophe and deathannouncements are shown in a specialshowcase.

Cassel´s and Sundius´ propaganda foremigrating had however aroused opposi-tion from many people. In the museumthere are also brochures and pamphletswarning Swedes about leaving their oldcountry for a new life in an uncertainfuture, in an unknown country.

On the first floor there is a small café,old fashioned style, Café Columbia. Inwinter there usually is a fire in the fireplace. You can buy home made crafts,gifts and sweets in cornets (twists ofpaper). Of course you can enjoy a cup ofgood coffee and buns (fika). It was in1921 Mrs. Dorothéa Florén returned fromthe US and opened a café. She called itCafé Columbia. They say her café wasone of the first in Sweden to servebrewed coffee, an idea she had broughtfrom America. Her café was very popular

and soon a meeting place, maybe becausein Columbia you could listen to the radio,the first one in Kisa, a crystal receiverset.

Since 1979 the memory of PeterCassel and the first organized emigrationis every year in June celebrated in Kisa,

during what is known as “Peter CasselDays.” Initiators were the community ofKinda and LL Filbyter Nr 714, DL 19, ofVasa Order of America.

Submitted by: Gun Lith, GLCD Picture by: Ing-Marie Wallin.

Bilden är hämtad ur Turistbyråns i Kinda broschyr för 2009. Under bilden står: “KisaEmigrantmuseum och Café Columbia.

The picture is retrieved from the Tourist Information Bureau in the Kinda brochure for2009. Under the picture it reads:” Kisa Emigrant museum and café Columbia.

CultureContinued from page 25

In 1946, the Grand Lodge Conventionin Hartford, Connecticut, voted to estab-lish a scholarship fund. Initially funded at15 cents per member, the fund wasintended to provide scholarships for col-lege and university studies. From theearly offering of five $300 awards, theprogram has grown over the past 60 yearsto become a highly successful aspect ofthe Vasa community. In 2009, the GrandLodge was able to support the education-al goals of 16 promising students andsent 6 more to the Sjölunden LanguageVillage for a total contribution of over$30,000.

Unfortunately the future of Vasa’ssuccessful scholarship program is in jeop-ardy. As Vice Grand Master Lundquistreported in 2009, a declining return oninvestments made it impossible to offerthe full range of awards withoutencroaching on the principle. Then asGrand Master Bergman reported inJanuary, the principle itself, more than$400, 000, may have been lost through aninvestment broker who is now underinvestigation by the FBI.

While this loss is much regretted,Vasa have faced difficult challenges inthe past. The principles of our Order –

Generosity, Truth, and Unity – havedrawn the membership together toachieve many impressive goals. Indeed,the initial proposal to create a scholarshipfund from contributions of just 15 centsper member is one such amazing achieve-ment. While membership dues still con-tribute to the scholarship funds, at only$1 per member per year it would takemore than 30 years to rebuild the fund.

Since 1946, the scholarship fund isestimated to have provided a direct bene-fit to over 500 members and to have paidout more than $800,000. I am one suchmember. I am also fortunate enough to bein a position to pay forwards the amount Ireceived. To that end, I pledge to setaside $10 a week over the next two yearsto return the generosity shown to me byother members. If you are a past scholar-ship recipient, I ask you to considerwhether you are able to invest in futurestudents for the amount you received.

Through the unity of past scholarshipwinners, we can work to recover the$400,000 that was recently lost or per-haps even the $800,000 that was investedin us when we needed most.

Submitted by: Sandra Petersson,VDM DL 18

Rebuilding the Scholarship Funds:Pay It Forwards


HAPPENINGS

At a ceremony in the residence ofJonas Hafström, the Ambassador ofSweden in Washington, DC, on January26, 2010, Dr. Ulf Brynjestad was award-ed the Officer First Class of the RoyalOrder of the Polar Star.

In this way, the country of Swedenshowed Dr. Brynjestad appreciation forhis years of work promoting Swedishideas, culture and technology.

Dr. Brynjestad served as a commercialliaison officer for technology and trade atthe Swedish Consulate in San Diego,California, from 1986 to 2002. OnOctober 1, 2002 he was appointed Consulfor Sweden in San Diego and served untilhis retirement in December 2008.

In 1992, His Majesty King Carl XVIGustaf of Sweden bestowed upon him theGold Medal of the Royal Order of thePolar Star.

Dr. Ulf Brynjestad, PGM, Awarded Second Swedish Medal

Dr. Ulf BrynjestadConsul for Sweden, San Diego

Born in Göteborg, Sweden, September29, 1940.

He attended public schools and upongraduation served with the RoyalBohuslän Infantry Regiment inUddevalla, where he was commissioned2nd Lieutenant in 1960. After leaving theservice he worked as design engineerwith the Volvo Corporation, while com-pleting the requirements for his BSdegree in Aerospace Engineering, whichwas awarded in 1963.

On July 4th, 1964, he married JoAnneSpear in Göteborg and in September1964, they immigrated to the UnitedStates and settled in Southern California,

where he accepted a position as aResearch Engineer with NorthropCorporation, first with the AircraftDivision and later with the corporateResearch and Technology Center.

He became a US citizen in 1967.In 1977, the Brynjestads relocated to

the San Diego area where he had accept-ed employment with the GeneralDynamics Corporation. He worked intheir Advanced Systems Section and roseto the position of Deputy Director forStrategic Defensive Systems.

In 1985, he and JoAnne started theirown consulting firm, specializing inSystems Science, specifically OperationsResearch, Long Range StrategicPlanning, Technology Forecasting, andLarge Scale Systems Integration. Theirclients were largely US as well as foreignorganizations and corporations.

He attended University of SouthernCalifornia where he received MS degreesin Aerospace Engineering and later inSystems Management. He attendedUCLA for his Ph.D., specializing inOperations Research and MathematicalProgramming. He is one of few civiliansthat have graduated from the NationalDefense Management Course at theNational Defense University, Ft LeslieMcNair, Washington, D.C.

He was elected to public office in1983, when he ran for a position on theAlpine Planning Group, San DiegoCounty. He served until 1990, not seek-ing re-election.

He was co-chair for the San DiegoNEW SWEDEN 88 committee and chair-man for the fundraising committee. He isalso the Founding President of theSwedish-American Chamber ofCommerce, San Diego/Tijuana, and isstill serving on the Board of Directors.He also served on the Board of Directorsof the Swedish-American Chamber ofCommerce, US. In addition to theChamber Board of Directors, he servedon the Board of Directors for the OpticalSciences Company, Placentia, and theBoard of Trustees of La Jolla Institute forMolecular Medicine.

In 1992, His Majesty, King Carl XVIGustaf of Sweden, bestowed upon himthe Gold Medal of the Royal Order of thePolar Star.

In 1991, he founded Hygeia

Pharmaceutical, Inc. in San Diego, withthe mission to develop a new generationof human health products based on thetechnology of Human MonoclonalAntibodies, and targeted initially towardsthe field of human cancer therapeutics.He took this firm public in 1992, tradingon the Vancouver Stock Exchange. Hehas since started several joint ventureswith Swedish companies in the areas ofenvironmental technologies and medicalinformatics. In 1996 he foundedNovaTelligence, Inc., a medical informat-ics company specializing in artificialintelligence in health care. He served asManaging Director of InternationalResource Center, a business developmentconsulting firm. In addition, he is alicensed securities principal and monitorsthe investments of an asset managementfund.

He has a commercial pilot license andenjoys flying classical airplanes. He isalso a FAA Certified Flight Instructor.

His professional associations are theOperations Research Society of America(ORSA), American Pain Society and theAircraft Owners and Pilots Association(AOPA). He is also active in the SanDiego Association of BioTechCompanies and the UCSD/CONNECTentrepreneurial organization.

In 1986 he was appointed“Commercial Liaison Officer” at theConsulate in San Diego, assisting withTechnology and Trade issues. He wasappointed Consul for Sweden in SanDiego and Imperial Counties on 1October, 2002 and served until December2008.

Upon retirement, he moved to andnow resides in Cypress, TX.

Source: Larilyn Andre, Press Office,Embassy of Sweden, Washington DC.

(Picture by. Rolf Bergman, Grand Master,Vasa Order of America)

Swedish Ambassador to the USA, JonasHafström, presenting Dr. Ulf Brynjestad, PastGrand Master, with a jewel commemoratinghim as an Officer First Class of the RoyalOrder of the Polar Star on January 26, 2010,at the Ambassador’s residence.


Ann Charlotte Hanes Harvey

Emigrantinstitutet i Växjö i sambandmed Minnessotadagen 2009. AnnCharlotte var ju Årets Svenskamerikan2009 och hon håller i sin hand den tavlasom Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin överlämnadetill de båda svenska Distriktslogerna isamband med hans besök i Sverige närhan mottog utmärkelsen årets Svensk-amerikan 1970. 2009 var det 40 år sedansom han landade på månen. Tavlan för-varas på Emigrantinstitutet i Växjö.Texten på tavlan:

Anne Charlotte Hanes HarveyAt the Institute of in Emigration in

Växjö in conjunction withMinnessotadagen/Minnessota Day 2009.Ann Charlotte was Swedish-American ofThe Year in 2009 and is holding in herhand the picture that Edwin “Buzz”Aldrin gave to both of the SwedishDistrict lodges in connections with hisvisit in Sweden when he received hisnomination as The Swedish-American ofThe Year 1970. In 2009 it was 40 yearssince he landed on the moon. The pictureis kept at The Institute of Emigration inVäxjö. The text reads:

• This Flag and Patch were flown tothe Moon on Apollo 11, the firstmanned lunar landing, July 20,1969.

• To the VASA Order of America inappreciation for its contributions toSwedish American relations.

• Presented by Col. Edwin E. Aldrinjr. on the occasion of his visit to thiscountry, August 1970.

• Buzz AldrinSubmitted by: Gunnar Mossberg,

PGLMEB, DistriktslogenSödra Sverige Nr 20

Picture by: Gunnar Mossberg

Anne CharlotteHanes Harvey

Vasa Support Club10 Years

The Vasa Support Club, which wasfounded April 2, 2000, is a Vasa ActivityClub within the Vasa Order of America.

In the District Lodge South SwedenNo. 20, we support cultural activitieseither in the district or in contacts withUSA and Canada, as well as youth activi-ties, i.e., recruitment and youth exchange,Sweden-USA-Canada. We also grantscholarships to young people, primarilymembers of Vasa or their children andgrandchildren. Our program also includesinformation about the Vasa Order,recruitment of new members and otheractivities for the benefit of DL 20, thelocal lodges and its members.

The local lodges in DL 20 each pay anannual fee of SEK 100, and personalmembers SEK 30 per year to the VasaSupport Club. The number of membersvaries between 700 and 900 per year.

We are very optimistic and look for-ward to more years where we can con-tribute with our idealistic work for thebenefit of both lodges as well as singlemembers of the Vasa Order of America.

All our best wishes to all friends inUSA, Canada, and Sweden.

The Vasa Support ClubRolf Arnshed

Chairman

The Vasa Support Club, bildad den 2april 2000, är en Vasa Aktivitetsklubbinom Vasa Orden av Amerika.

Inom Distriktslogen Södra Sverige Nr20 stödjer vi kulturaktiviteter inom dis-triktet eller vid kontakter med USA ochKanada, ungdomsverksamhet exempelvisrekrytering och ungdomsutbyte Sverige-USA-Kanada. Vi lämnar också stipendiertill ungdomar, företrädesvis medlemmarav Vasa Orden av Amerika ellerbarn/barnbarn till dessa. I vårt programingår också information om Vasa Ordenav Amerika och rekrytering av nyamedlemmar samt övrigt som kan vara tillgagn. Lokallogerna i DL 20 betalar 100sv. kr och enskilda medlemmar 30 sv. krper år och medlemsantalet i Vasa SupportClub varierar mellan 700-900 per år.

Vi ser med optimism fram emot ytterli-gare år där vi med vårt idéella arbete kanglädja såväl loger som enskilda medlem-mar inom Vasa Orden av Amerika.

Med många hälsningar till våra vänneri USA, Kanada och Sverige.

Styrelsen för Vasa Support ClubRolf Arnshed, Ordförande

TIDBITS


Why Learn to Speakthe Language?

By Ann Marie Richardson, DL #12

I want to share two valuable lessons Ilearned that prompted me to learn tospeak Swedish, my father’s nativetongue.

This first incident happened on myfirst trip to Sweden when I was 14 yearsold. My older sister and I accompaniedmy father for five weeks, moving fromsummer “stuga” to summer “stuga,” fish-ing a lot and driving around looking formoose (well ok, DAD was looking formoose, WE were looking for boys).Being young teenage girls, we were dis-mayed by the fact that there were manycute boys around, and no convenientshowers, blow-dryers or electric curlingirons in these stages. Finally, my sisterand I could stand it no longer and oneafternoon, when my father was out on thelake fishing, we went into the cabin andscrounged around for shampoo or soap ofsome sort. We found some under the cab-inet in the kitchen.

Knowing we were headed back to civ-ilization that afternoon, we wanted tolook dazzling, and so braved the ice-coldwater to bathe. We got our hair wet, lath-ered in the soap and steeled ourselves forsubmersion in the cold water. The minutethe cold water closed over our heads, the“soap” hardened on our hair and solidi-fied into a gummy mess. Imagine ourhorror, when we were unable to rinse itout and had to return to our Aunt andUncle’s house with bandanas tied overour heads, not looking very glamorous.

My father almost keeled over laughingwhen he told us we had used floor wax inplace of shampoo. Had we learned a bitof Swedish, we could have figured outwhat “på golvet” meant, and avoided thisdisaster!

Now fast-forward to the year 2000.Again, my sister and I make a pilgrimageto Sweden; this time without our dearfather, who passed away a few yearsprior. We spent a wonderful two weeksvisiting family, eating and drinking a lot,living in summer “stugor,” and this time,when we drove around the forests, weactually looked for MOOSE and notboys. We also brought our own shampoowherever we went.


När Hollywood komtill Jämtland

Superstjärnan George Clooney harbesökt byn Singsjön strax utanför Öster-sund för att spela in en scen ur filmen“The American” och handlar om lönn-mördaren Jack, som gör ett jobb i Sverigesom går snett. Exakt vilken scen somteamet filmade hölls topphemligt. Underca en vecka befann sig ett filmteam på ca95 personer i det jämtländska samhället,däribland George Clooney.

Clooney landade på ÖstersundsFlygplats i ett reguljärt SAS-plan somalla andra och blev snabbt upphämtad aven svart Volvo. Han vinkade glatt tillfolksamlingen. Han stannade till vidHotel Clarion och med polis och säker-hetsvakter fortsatte de till en liten tim-merstuga i Singsjön i Brunflo. Där fannsockså en turnébuss till förfogande endasttillägnad Clooney.

Clooney såg ut att njuta av tillvarontrots kylan på ca 21 minusgrader, värmdesig gjorde man bl a med att ha snöboll-

Regarding 17 SwedishDesigners

I’m so glad that I read the Star coverto cover, starting at the back, as I alwaysdo! On page 34, the article on the 17Swedish Designers caught my eye as I Continued on page 30

As frequently happens to me when Iburn the candle at both ends, I camedown with a cold. It was a few daysbefore we were scheduled to return toAmerica, and I’d drunk all of the tea andorange juice in the “stuga,” huddled bythe fire (it was a cold and rainy summerin Hälsingland that year) and still didn’tfeel any better. So we drove into townand confidently strode into ICA to buysome vitamin C. We thoughtfullyscanned the shelves and tried to looknonchalant until we spied a tube marked“Vitamin C.” Bingo! Who says you needto learn the language!?

We left the store feeling very self-suf-ficient and pleased with ourselves, and asmy sister started up the car, I peeled openthe vitamin C tube. Hmmmm! These pillswere a lot larger than the ones I was usedto in America. This must mean they arechewable, like the ones I give the kids.So I put one in my mouth and began tochew. As my sister maneuvered the cararound the parking lot, she watched myface out of the corner of her eye.Suddenly my cheeks began to puff outand my eyes got big. This was unlike anyvitamin C I’d ever had before! I had tohurry and roll down my window and leanmy head out to spit…. Foam had filledmy mouth and was rolling down my chinand people were beginning to stare. Sheasked with alarm what was wrong and Imanaged to convey that this was somesort of effervescent tablet, and not achewable. She began to laugh uncontrol-lably, which affected her driving, and thelast picture Edsbyn had of us that yearwas our Volvo weaving recklessly out ofthe ICA parking lot, me hanging out thepassenger-side window with a vitamin Cfoam trail down the door and dotting thepavement. I learned the hard way what“lösa sig i vatten” means.

When I returned to California, Isearched out a Swedish teacher andsigned up for the very next class. Iencourage everyone planning a visit toSweden to do the same.

By Ann Marie Richardson, DL #12

Why Learn to Speak theLanguage?Continued from page 28

Thank YouDon Melin!

The term ofBrother Don Melinas chairman ofSkandia #549 willsoon come to aclose. With no dis-respect to dedicatedmembers of ourorganization, or tothose who camebefore him, I cannotrecall any individualthat has committed

more time, energy, and personal sacrificeto this position. It seems Don has beeninvolved everywhere, with everything, andeveryone. In the many years that BrotherDon has been chairman I have come torealize that his level of commitmentcomes with a high personal price. It comes

Don Melin

love art of most any kind. They had donea show in November at the ClevelandInstitute of Art, which I was sorry I hadmissed, so I decided to see if there wereany info/pictures on it from the web. Ipulled up an article which disclosed thatall 17 designers were women and itadmitted that fact wasn’t widely publi-cized, but only in fine print – I guess,with good reason. Read on. The articleincluded a few pictures of pieces that Ithought had really lovely, pleasingshapes, color and design. The article wenton to say, “A quick scan of images pro-vided by the art institute indicates there’sno reason to think the show will be anyless exciting than a show on Swedishdesigners of both genders.” I just had tolaugh! That poor writer, Steve Litt ofUniversity Circle Guide, must think weare still living in the dark ages thinkingthat women are less talented! We’vecome a long way from the Swedish artistand designer’s day, Carl Larsson, whenthey wouldn’t even let a woman into theirArt League! I guess you just have tochuckle in the end! :)

Anyway, the women’s work is great.If interested, here’s the article:http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2009/11/17_swedish_designers_debutsfr.html. Enjoy! And thanks for all yourextra work with the St. Lucia articles andthe rest of the magazine. Great work!

Sincerely, Linda SacrisonThompson, Three Crown Lodge No. 38,

Stamford, CT

skrig. Enligt källor såg det tydligen utsom om han tycker att Singsjön är denbästa platsen på jorden!

Marie Carlson, VSKälla: Vänner i Östersund samt

lokalpress i Östersund, Jämtland.

When HollywoodCame to Jämtland

Megastar George Clooney has visitedthe village of Singsjön just outside Öster-sund to play a scene from the movie “TheAmerican” which is about a murderernamed Jack that does a job in Swedenthat has gone wrong. Exactly which scenethe crew filmed was held top secret. Forabout a week the film team of approxi-mately 95 people stayed in the Provinceof Jämtland, including George Clooney.

Clooney had landed at the ÖstersundAirport in a regular SAS-airplane justlike everyone else and was quicklypicked up in a black Volvo. He wavedhappily to the enthusiastic crowd. Hemade a brief stop at Hotel Clarion andwith police and security guards he contin-ued to a small cottage in Singsjön inBrunflo. There was also a bus/trailer forhis personal disposal.

Clooney looked as if he enjoyed him-self despite of the cold at approximatelyminus 21 degrees Celsius, among thethings they did to stay warm was havingsnowball fights. According to sources, itlooked as he thought that Singsjön is thebest place on earth.

By: Marie Carlson, VSSources: Friends in Östersund and

Local Papers from Östersund, Jämtland.


IN MEMORY OFLeona Anderson

January 25, 1921 - June 19, 2009

Leona’s ancestors were from Swedenso it was natural that she would be inter-ested in the culture and you would findher energies being channeled to thoseareas. She was a member of The VasaOrder of America, Skandia Lodge #549,where she was Cultural Leader for anumber of years. She joined SkandiaLodge #546 in 1972. She was born inAgremont, AB.

I had the opportunity to work with heron certain projects. Leona Anderson,Evelyn Johnson, Verna Larson andmyself served as Reading Partners atNorwood Public School. We chose thisproject to recognize the first one hundredyears since the Vasa Order of Americawas founded in 1896. We spent 1994,1995, 1996 on Tuesdays with these chil-dren.

In 1997 a request came from nineteachers to speak to two classes atKendall School for Young Offenders.There were two classes of 40 and 25.Leona and I spent time with one groupand then switched. There was a lot ofcommunity action over the years.Erecting exhibits for Christmas at theFestival of Trees and Provincial Museumshowcases for the holiday season.

Citizenship Court at Canada Place -During the tour of the Citizenship courtJudge, Margaret Osbaldeston we servedcoffee and pastries for the 40-50 new citi-zens in each class During our member-ship in the Women’s Canadian ClubLeona and I served on the Board for twoterms – she was the Secretary and I han-dled Special Events

She was interested in the ScandinavianLanguages and as a member of TheScandinavian Studies Association wasactive in our fundraising. In 1994 wewent together to the Vasa Order ofAmerica Grand Lodge Convention inHartford, CT. In 1997 we made a trip toTurkey and Greece.

Leona never turned you down for anyvolunteer work unless she had a familycommitment or traveling. She likedMinot, ND, a lot of Scandinavian pres-ence and daily artists performing. Thankyou Leona for always responding withyour sincere, positive replies.

Submitted by: Linnea Lodgeand Verna Larson,

Skandia Lodge #549

Ralph Ohrn(1925 -2009)

Ralph Henry Ohrn was born onDecember 2, 1925, on a farm west ofCalmar, and attended Progress School, amile south of the home place. He passedaway on September 1, 2009 in Edmonton,AB. Ralph joined Skandia Lodge #549 onOctober 1, 1979.

After graduating from high school,Ralph chose teaching as a career, and in1946 began in Funnell School near Breton,later in Sunnybrook, Alder Flats, Mirror,and finally in Edmonton where he taughtfor many years at Bonnie Doon CompositeHigh School. Here he actually taughtBrother Don Melin, Chairman of Skandia#549.

As he was born and raised on the farm,he had a particular interest in tractors,especially John Deeres. He and his wifeMary enjoyed weekends and holidays attheir acreage east of Edmonton, and, ofcourse, there he made use of his tractor,preparing the ground for their garden.

Ralph loved to travel. He and Mary vis-ited many parts of Europe: England,France (and naturally Sweden), Egypt,Jerusalem, Colombia and most of thestates in U.S.A. At home he had hisfavorite hobbies – gardening and wood-working, He made multi-layered boxesand gave them as raffle prizes at Vasameetings, as well as gifts for friends andfamily.

For over twenty years Ralph and Marywere active in the Rundle Mission atPigeon Lake. It was a retreat/holiday cen-ter that was built to commemorate RobertRundle who was the first Protestant mis-sionary in the west.

Ralph was very Swede-oriented. Heattended Swedish classes starting about1973-74 under Marianne Lindvall. Hetook a summer course in Sweden, and alsotook occasional courses from theEdmonton Public School Board’sContinuing Education program wheneverthey were available. Ralph then decided tofill the void by organizing group lessons inprivate homes. He phoned all the Swedeshe thought might be interested, and agroup of about ten began to meet regularlyunder the guidance of Marianne Lindvall.This continued for several years, withRalph as organizer. About 1987 severalwho had attended various Swedish classesdecided that in order to maintain their lan-guage skills; it would be a good idea to

with more work than thanks... it comeswith more listening than being heard....andit comes with more giving than receiving.

But in between the meetings, events,and casinos… aside from the Swedishmeatballs, pancakes, and aquavit… andin spite of the bylaws, rituals, andceremony… there exists something muchmore valuable. It can be found in thestrength of his character, the quirkiness ofhis humor, the sensitivity of his heart, thegentleness of his spirit, and the depth ofhis caring and compassion for us all.

Don represents everything this organi-zation stands for. He personifies what isgood in all of us. With all the uncertaintyin this world, it is through him and otherslike him, that we find stability in the foun-dation of our community and in our lives.

From people like Don Melin I discov-ered the true strength of our organizationis not on the VASA calendar, or in thepride of what we accomplish, or in theenthusiasm of where we are headed.Our true strength waves no flags andmakes no noise. It resides quietly withineach of us....forever connecting us... inwho we are... where we have come from...and what we mean to each other. FromDon Melin I learned that everythingSkandia #549 needs to be... it already is.

I am privileged to have Don as mybrother... my neighbor... my friend. Thereare no gold stars, awards, or trophies todisplay for his efforts. So please acceptmy heart felt thanks Brother Don... on along and challenging job so very welldone... and most importantly... for beingso generous with who you really are… fortreating us equally... for listening openlyto opposing points of view....and forrevealing the true meaning of the words“Brother” and “Sister.” If ever youthought some of us never noticed....please know that we have.

Submitted by: Ray Wold, PastChairman of Skandia Lodge #549,

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Currently the District Deputy to

Skandia from District Alberta #18

Thank YouContinued from page 29

meet for lunch every Tuesday, at variousvenues in south Edmonton. This becamethe “Swedish Luncheons” and continues tothis day, but Ralph’s absence is verynoticeable.

Ralph leaves his wife Mary and threechildren, Douglas, Susan and Jocelyn.

Submitted by: Verna Larson andLinnea Lodge,

Skandia Lodge #549

She is survived by her daughter Louisa and her grandsonScott.

MICHIGANCATHERINE “KATE” NYQUIST FULLER passedaway October 24, 2009, in Benton Harbor, MI. Kate wasthe proud daughter of the famous Swedish Physicist HarryNyquist. Kate’s husband, Marv, passed away six monthsago. They were active members of Joe Harbor Lodge #534since April of 1996 and enjoyed attending district conven-tions.

OHIOEVELYN L. BROOCKER, age 94, passed away inMiddlefield, OH, on January 24, 2010. She was the belovedwife of the later Peter “Red” Broocker. Evelyn was born inHalland, Sweden, on May 8, 1915. She was an HonoraryLife Member of Nobel-Monitor Lodge #130, having joinedthe lodge on August 1, 1932.

JEAN (Campbell) JANKE, 83, passed away onNovember 25, 2009. She was an artist, potter, and musi-cian, as well as a Montessori teacher. Jean was dedicated tohome and family and was preceded in death by her husbandJoseph and her daughter Teresa Ann. She is survived bydaughter Jeanne (Paul) Catalano, and grandchildren John,Josh, Jean, Paul, and Genevieve. Jean was born on May 13,1926, in Cleveland, OH, and joined Nobel-Monitor Lodge#130 on February 13, 1994.

VIOLA HJELM (nee Berglund), age 90, died December16, 2009. She was the beloved wife of the late Sten, dearmother of Marie (Toby) Hammar, and Glenn (Patricia)Hjelm, grandmother of Tomas (Camilla) Hammar, Monika(Agnar) Dalbakk, Bryan and Gary Hjelm, great-grandmoth-er of Malte and Tyra Hammar and Markus and AmandaDalbakk. Viola was born on June 1, 1919, in Cleveland,OH. She joined Nobel-Monitor Lodge #130 on September27, 1935, and was a Life member.

PAUL E. JOHNSON passed away on January 31, 2010, atthe age of 89. He was born on June 26, 1920, inYoungstown, OH, and was initiated into Harmony Lodge#465 on June 11, 1964. He is survived by his daughtersKaren James of Canfield and Janis Markusic of Maryland.His wife, the former Sarah P. Petty, died on March 19,2005.

NORMA N. WILSON, passed away recently. She wasborn on December 3, 1919, in Akron, OH, and joinedNobel-Monitor Lodge #130 on May 2, 1987. She was thebeloved wife of the late William D., dear mother of LaurelWilson of Santa Cruz, CA, Carol Forsythe (Peter) ofDetroit, MI, and Mary C. Wilson of Northampton, MA,loving grandmother of James Forsythe, sister of Inez Beckand the late Ruth Frye.

OREGONMICHAEL (DOC) BUCHMAN passed away on January31, 2010, in Astoria, OR, at the age of 92 years. Michaelwas born in Winnipeg, Canada, on April 21, 1917, and wasinitiated into Astor Lodge #215 in Astoria, on May 14,1992. A kind and faithful member, he will be sorelymissed. Michael is survived by his wife, Jean, 1 son and 4step-children and families.

MYRTLE N. DREYER passed away on January 3, 2010,at the age of 89 years. She was a member of Astor Lodge#215. Myrtle was born on August 31, 1920, in Astoria, OR,and joined Astor Lodge #215 on November 10, 1983. Shewas a faithful member who never tired of promotingSwedish heritage, traditions and language. She served AstorLodge tirelessly on many committees, as lodge Treasurer,Cultural Leader, Vice Chairman, Master of Ceremonies,and Trustee. Myrtle’s passing is not only a loss to AstorLodge, but to the whole Astoria Scandinavian communityas well. She will be sorely missed. Myrtle is survived byher husband of 66 years, Clarence, a daughter Judith, andnumerous nieces and nephews.

PENNSYLVANIADOROTHY ANN STEN of Washington, PA, passed awayNovember 26, 2009, at the age of 80 years. She was bornJanuary 22, 1929, and was initiated into Balder Lodge #308on May 24, 1952.

WASHINGTONLILLY INGEBORG MOEN (Strand), member of FrihetLodge #401, passed away on December 31, 2009, at the ageof 88. Lilly was born in Spokane, WA, on June 7, 1921.She joined Frihet Lodge in 1985, and was a 1993 delegateto convention and former Chaplain. Other activities includ-ed: Swedish Women’s Chorus (since 1953), Vannerna

Circle (Swedish Club), Nordic Heritage Museum, and Sonsof Norway organizations. A highlight of her life was whenshe was the sole greeter and hostess to King Carl GustafXVI and Queen Silvia during their tour of the Museum.Lilly was preceded in death by her husband Anders Moenand son Jon Anders. She is survived by her brother RichardStrand, of Portland, OR. We will miss her.

WISCONSINMARION ANDERSON, age 88, of Madison, WI, passedaway on December 17, 2009. Marion was born inMilwaukee, WI, and moved to Madison after retirement.She was a member of Linde Lodge #492 since 1984. Shealso loved to travel and enjoyed needle working and quilt-ing. Marion is survived by sisters, brothers, nieces,nephews, and many friends. She will be missed by all.

RALPH H. “BUD” WESLING, of Ashland, WI, passedaway on December 10, 2009. He is survived by his wife,Alice, and other relatives and friends. Ralph was always agood and helpful person to his family and helped buildingstorages for our lodge. He was a member in Linde Lodge#492 since 1982. We will miss him.

CANADAALICE RAGNA SORENSEN was born on June 4, 1933,in Lindum, Denmark, and passed away on August 28,2009, in Victoria, BC. She joined Skandia Lodge #549, onMay 6, 1961. She is survived by her loving family, daugh-ter Joanne (Garth) and Linda (Roy), her grandchildren,Kelly, Lauran, Michael and Mitchell, her sister Sonja andbrother Benny (Lise), the loving family of Kief and manydear and wonderful friends. Over the past 50 years, Aliceloved spending time with her family and friends at thecabin at Vasa Park, Pigeon Lake, Alberta. She also enjoyedmany happy years living in White Rock and Victoria, BC.Alice loved dancing, traveling, cooking, painting, drawing,knitting, sewing, quilting, needlepoint, reading, doing puz-zles, playing Yahtzee and Scrabble. She was very graciousin showing our members how to make those beautifulopen-faced sandwiches. The service was conducted byPastor Scott Brown at Vasa Park Clubhouse, Pigeon Lake,Alberta.

ERLING ROGER WINQUIST was born in Edmonton,AB, on March 9, 1933, and passed away in Ft.Sasakatchewan on January 2, 2010. He joined SkandiaLodge #549 on July 2, 1960. Erling leaves his children,Carey (Donna Mae), Sandra, Jody (Donovan), Todd, hisadopted family Michael and Tamara Olynyk, 8 grandchil-dren, 4 sisters, June Young, Violet Watson, Sonja Sund andDoreen Heeks, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and alarge number of friends. A celebration of his life was held.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the VasaSummer Camp, checks payable to VOA Skandia Lodge#549, c/o Leslie Morris, 6412-102A Avenue, Edmonton,AB T6A 0R7. As a young parent he gave of his time to theKindsmen Club and was busy with the Rainmaker’s Rodeo,St. Albert, AB. After 40 years of age you step up to thesenior group known as K40. He and his family spent manysummers at Vasa Park, Pigeon Lake. He was employedwith the Province of Alberta, Department of Forestry. Heretired at age 55 and was able to purchase a two-storyhome at Vasa Park. He enjoyed fishing and often wouldsmoke these fish. During Camp Week at Vasa Park hewould contact Hole Greenhouses for some plants to beplaced in a flower bed located under the Vasa Parkentrance sign. Some of the students enjoyed designing thelayout for the new plants. Erling was a resource inventoryspecialist with Bartech Photogrammetric Surveys. Theyspecialized in air photo interpretation, mosaics, satelliteimagery and mapping. As president of Integrated RemoteSensing Ltd. (IRS) he was responsible for forest coverinterpretation, forest fire mapping and interpretation. Allthis work was carried out from Hangar 6A, MunicipalAirport, Edmonton, AB.

In MemoriamTill minne av hädangångnaordenssyskon genom vilkas

bortgång syskonkretsen gjorten kännbar förlust

In memory of our departedmembers who will be

sorely missed

CALIFORNIANANCY BAUER, passed away on January 4, 2010, atSonoma, CA. She was born in Winnipeg, Canada, on May27, 1929. She was very active in historical and volunteersocieties and in Linnea Lodge #504 for 23 years. Nancy issurvived by 2 daughters, 1 son, 2 grandchildren, nieces,nephews and many friends.

JOSEPH NUNES passed away on October 20, 2009, inSan Juan Capistrano, CA. He was born on March 18, 1920,in Faro, Portugal and joined Mayflower Lodge #445 onJuly 7, 1960. He received his Life Membership as well ashis 25- and 40-year pins.

LORETTA WENDELL passed away on January 15,2010, in El Segundo, CA, at the age of 80 years. She wasborn in Fond du Lac, WI, on July 13, 1929, and joinedMayflower Lodge #445 on December 20, 1956. She servedour lodge as Secretary for 15 years and was the DistrictLodge DLPSW #15 as Assistant Secretary. She receivedher 25-, 40-, and 50-year pins and was a Life Member in1995.

ELIZABETH ANN WOOLF passed away December 20,2009, in Rocklin, CA, at the age of 87 years. She was bornon May 3, 1922, in New Castle, IN. Elizabeth, betterknown as Betty, was initiated into Sierra Kronan Lodge#737 in June of 1997. Betty enjoyed photography, winetasting and singing in Sweet Adelines. She is survived byher daughter Sharry Green and grandson Rhett Butler.

COLORADOANNE LORRAINE FALK, 79, of Arvada, CO, passedaway in Arvada, CO. She was born April 14, 1930, inArvada, CO, and retired as a Denver Public School teacher.She was initiated into Enighet Lodge #178 on May 26,1996. Anne was also a member of The Swedish Club ofDenver, The Augustana Church Choir, and Board Memberfor the Arvada Cemetery.

SJODIN A. MATS, 84, of Denver, CO, passed away onFebruary 7, 2010. He was born on April 21, 1925, inResele, Sweden. He was initiated into Enighet Lodge #178on January 24, 1993. Mats is survived by his wife Helma, 2sons David and Arne, 2 granddaughters Sara and Amy.Mats was a founding member of The Swedish Club ofDenver in 1958, where he was an active member as well asThe Augustana Lutheran Church.

CONNECTICUTLILLIE G. FLODIN, beloved sister and aunt, passedaway peacefully on Christmas Day, (December 25, 2009),at the age of 84 years. She was born in New Britain, CT, onMay 18, 1925. Lil lived her whole life in Hartford, CT.After she graduated from Hartford High, she was employedby The Travelers Insurance Co., where she devoted herselfand stayed for 49 years. A lifelong member of EmanuelLutheran Church in Hartford, she was proud of herSwedish Heritage and belonged to The Vasa Order ofAmerica’s Norden Lodge #1. She loved the Golden Age ofMovies, English royalty, traveling and the arts. Lil is sur-vived by her devoted sister, Ethel T. Saaf of West Hartford,and also leaves her nephews, nieces and family to whomshe was always so inspiring and loving, Robert Saaf ofNYC, David Saaf and his wife Paula of East Hartford,Susan Currier and her husband Roger and daughter Sara ofNew Hampshire, Donald Saaf and his wife Julie and sonsIsak and Ole of Vermont, and Kristine and Ed Bittner ofGuilford, CT. She will always be remembered and lovedand missed very much.

CLARA SOMODY LARSON passed away on January10, 2010 at the age of 100 years. She was born onDecember 28, 1909, in Eleanora, PA. She joined ThreeCrown Lodge #38, Stamford, CT, on November 16, 1973.

MEMORIAL NOTICESshould be mailed with check or moneyorder to: Marie Carlson, 9560 CurberryDrive, Mentor, OH 44060. The fee is $8.00for 1 column inch. Longer obituarieswill be charged a flat rate of $25.00. Allnotices MUST be typed and WRITTEN ina format similar to those in this column.NO newspaper clippings.

Make the most of your time – fly smoothly and comfortably to your friends and family. By the way, Vänner means friendsin Swedish. Check out all our timetables and destinations at flysas.com/us. Welcome onboard!

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dealstoScandinaviaandFinland.

Vänner.Copenhagen Stockholm Oslo Helsinki Gothenburg Stavanger*

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US representative Marie Carlsonswedes-r-us.com

Michaela de la CourWear the Jewelry of the Stars

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