November 2008 Newsletter
Ord Fra Presidenten
“The best evening we have ever had!”, “wonderful evening”, “fabulous
food, beautifully presented”, etc, etc, etc. The responses to our
Splendid Norwegian Dinner were outstanding. It was a great time. The
caterer teaches in the Culinary Arts Department at Glendale High School
and she was ably assisted by some of her students. The menu included
agurk salat, (cucumber salad), kålrabistappe (mashed rutabaga), kokt
laks (poached salmon) and
svinestek (roast pork).
The fiddlers and dancers were super with their informal demonstrations
of Swedish and Norwegian folk music and dances. We learned two dances
as well…..or tried to. A lot of laughs when our good sports got up to
dance. So, again you folks that have not been recently to any of our
neat events, you missed another great evening.
At our next Board meeting, we are going to start plans for the 2009
calendar. If you have any requests, ideas or would like to plan and
produce a cultural/social night any 4th Saturday of a month, please let
me know. The Social Committee would help out with the particulars of
setting and clearing up. The Board would be of great assistance in
helping to polish plans for you. Wouldn’t that be fun? We need your
ideas and volunteering soon in order to finalize the calendar in
December. Talk with your friends….
Fraternally, Jo
EDVARD GRIEG TROLLS HEARD FROM SOME HAPPY CAMPERS WHO WERE AT CAMP NORGE THIS SUMMER.
To: Edvard Grieg Trolls
From: Kourtney Land
Thank you for the scholarship. I learned so much at camp. I can’t wait for next year. I wish I could stay here forever.
Dear Edvard Grieg,
Thank you for the scholarship. Camp is so much fun. The hike was fun. I like crafts.
From Kristofer
Dear Edvard Grieg Trolls,
Thank you so much for the scholarship. I had a lot of fun, thanks to
you guys (and girls). I learned all about Norway’s past, made cookies
like krumkake and I also got letters and went swimming. The food was
so good that I could say my mom made it!
Love, Kailey Sand
To: Edvard Grieg Trolls
From: Alia Spring
I love you people because you gave me a scholarship which was not
wasted. I learned a lot. I love this camp so much. I have so many
friends and I have so much fun here.
Tusen Takk!!
LODGE ACTIVITIES
BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Peg Chereek, 423 Devonshire Lane,
Glendale. 818-241-6773
COOKIE BAKING
November 15, Saturday, 9 am to noon, at the American Legion Hall.
Norwegian cookie class preparing for Christmas. This is not a meeting
or social. It’s for the folks who want to learn how to make some
cookies. There will vafler, sandkaker, krumkaker, rosettes and
fattigmann – and possibly some other special treats - to sample and
learn about for holiday baking.
CHRISTMAS CAROLING
Thursday, December 4 at Solheim Lutheran Home. Be there by 6:15 p.m.,
so the singing can begin at 6:30. Wear something Christmasy, even
though it's still early! Solheim is at 2236 Merton Avenue, Eagle
Rock. From Colorado, go south on Eagle Rock Blvd. one block, turn
right on Merton - it’s in the first block. For information call Mim
Johnson - 626-574-9550
BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Jo Ness, 2619 Fairway Ave., Montrose. 818-249-8102.
JULEBORD
Saturday, December 13, at the American Legion Hall, 4011 La Crescenta
Ave., La Crescenta. Starting time: 6:30 p.m. Bring your family and
friends, children and grandchildren!
The Santa Lucia procession is an all-time favorite, and Julenisse
(Santa) will very likely put in an appearance! We’ll sing old
favorites around the Christmas tree. Everyone is asked to bring
smørbrød (open-faced sandwiches) and pastries - Norwegian, if you can
-- enough to serve 10-12 people. Questions?? Call Jo Ness at
818-249-8102.
DISTRICT ACTIVITIES
Norwegian Seamen’s Church Julebasar
Friday & Saturday, November 21 & 22 from noon to 6 p.m., and on
Sunday, November 23 from noon to 4 p.m. Sjømannskirken is located at
1035 South Beacon Street, San Pedro.
Norseman Lodge’s Julebord
Saturday, December 6 at the First Neighborhood Club House, 31830
Village Center Drive, Westlake Village. Cost - $25 per person.
Reservations are required by November 22. Call Sandee Kane at
805-522-8861.
NEWS AND NOTES
The members of the phone committee are very important to the lodge.
They call before special events, and also call to keep in touch.
Virginia Paulson recently spoke with Chuck Ackernecht. He and Carol
moved to Albuquerque some time ago. He appreciated the call, misses
the lodge and the good food, and extended greetings to everyone.
Virginia spoke with Shirley Peterson who lives in Fallbrook, and sends
greetings to her friends in the lodge. Virginia also spoke with the
Bartons who are in Monango, ND. They appreciated the call and send
greetings.
Vernie Fletcher recently spoke with Lynn Barry. She and Dennis send greetings to their friends in Edvard Grieg.
œœœ
We would appreciate getting the email addresses from members who would
like to be notified of events ahead of time. Please send them to Jo
Ness at JNess2619@sbcglobal.net and to Margaret Shuler at
alsvid1@hotmail.com
Renaissance Arts Academy
On Sunday, October 19th, Janet and I attended the Renaissance Arts
Academy 5 year celebration at 1800 Colorado Blvd. here in Eagle Rock.
This is a small charter public school that is tuition free, non
sectarian, and open to all students. They now have 300 students in
grades 6th thru 12th and there are over 200 on the waiting list.
Admission is by lottery and the only prerequisite is desire to engage
fully in the rigorous academic and performing arts training.
The music, dance and voice were performed so well. The students are
outstanding and very professional. It would be nice to have them come
to our lodge and give a program. The refreshments were delicious and we
had a tour of the addition they are working on. This is the building
that Pillars Department Store was in for years. What a great
opportunity for these young students and they have so much talent.
Virginia Paulson and Janet Couch
Bottom of Form
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Travel Report from Anne Marie Nassif
I thought I would share with the lodge about the great trip 5 members
of Edvard Grieg took. Berit Jansta, Anne Laity, Rita Gonzales, Inger
Dahlem and I just returned from 10 days in the Midwest.
We hooked up with a group from Grand Forks and traveled with them to
Hostfest for 4 days. Since we were part of a group, everything was
included: accommodations, admission, concerts. Every morning we were
picked up at the hotel, and taken back in the evening. We had the
greatest tour guides and bus driver, and we were so impressed with the
other passengers, too. What a nice friendly group of people.
The days flew by and there are things to do every minute -
entertainers, music, food and shopping. We heard Kenny Rogers, Charlie
Pride and Daniel O'Donnell on 3 different evenings and thoroughly
enjoyed ourselves. The audiences in the Midwest are very faithful and
the best.
We had Norwegian smorgasbord at Restaurant en-to-tre one day, all the
food we missed from Norway. And another day we had the gourmet dinner
at the same place, where they had flown in salmon and halibut from
Norway. This restaurant is run by two Norwegian chefs and they did an
outstanding job. Otherwise you could enjoy lutefisk and lefse,
meatballs, open faced sandwiches, pea soup, potato dumplings and rice
pudding in the Norwegian Pavilion. Sons of Norway was there with a
busy booth, passing out Viking magazines end membership forms.
After Hostfest, we rented a car and drove to South Dakota. We spent a
day at Mount Rushmore and a day at Crazy Horse. We were so impressed
with both places.
We are so happy we made the trip. The people we met are some of the friendliest and nicest people we have ever encountered.
Mim and Amon Johnson spent the summer at their cabin at Bemidji, Minnesota.
Here is the letter I have been meaning to write all summer. I had good
intentions (and you know where that road leads), but too many things
were happening here. Our children and grandchildren were here at
different times – some of their visits overlapped. We had good times
BBQ’ing, cooking, baking and visiting. Most of them spent time in Big
Bass Lake, too – but not me. We had wonderful weather all summer.
By the time this reaches you, we will be be back in Arcadia, arriving
on October 13. It’s getting a bit nippy in the mornings now, down in
the 30’s but it warms up to 60º in the afternoon when the sun is out.
The autumn foliage is just breathtaking everywhere around us now.
While visiting Amon’s sister in Alexandria, MN, we spent some time in
the Kensington Runestone Museum which houses the runestone found on a
farm 20 miles from Alexandria in 1898. The runes (a sort of Viking
alphabet) seem to present a story of a group of Norse explorers who may
have come to that area before the voyage of Columbus.
There has been much controversy about its authenticity ever since the
stone was found. Many books and articles have been published by
professors of Scandinavian languages, linguists, runologists,
historical societies and geologists. They do not all agree. Some are
convinced the stone was a hoax started by farmer Olof Ohman who found
the stone on his land. Others who have studied the runes feel they
provide proof that the stone is authentic. The museum has many
pictures and articles exhibited that give great visual information.
Translation of the runes on the stone:
(We are) 8 Goths (Swedes) and 22 Norwegians on (an)
exploration-journey from Vinland over the West. We had camp by 2
skerries, one days-journey north from this stone. We were (out)
and fished one day. After we come home (we) found 10 (of our)
men red with blood and dead. AV(e) M(aria) Save us from evil. (We)
have 10 of our party by the sea to look after our ship(s?) 14
days-journey from this island. Year 1362.
Will we ever know the truth? Studies are continuing.
We enjoyed our visit to the Kensington Runestone Museum – and our summer in Bemidji.
Mim and Amon Johnson ,,
Edvard Grieg Lodge #6-074
Board of Officers
President
Jo Ness
818-249-8102
JNess2619@sbcglobal.net
Vice President
Vacant
Counselor
LaVonne Kerfoot
909-599-3052
LaVonne@kerfoot.com
Secretary
Mim Johnson
626-574-9550
oviere@msn.com
Asst. Secretary
Elaine Lundby
818-848-4869
Membership Secretary
Virginia Paulson
323-254-2060
paulsonx@sbcglobal.net
Treasurer
Margaret Shuler
626-303-6465
alsvid1@hotmail.com
Social Directors
Vacant
Social Committee
Peg Chereek
818-241-6773
Yvonne Claypool
213-748-5612
Connie Guritz
818-249-3014
Kristen Guritz
818-249-3014
Tina Hartney
818-957-1294
Carl Voien
909-596-6339
Eileen Wirtz
818-848-1552
epwirtz@earthlink.net
Cultural Director
Cara Clove
818-249-7371
caraclove@earthlink.net
Editor
Margaret Shuler
626-303-6465
Publicity
Jo Ness
818-249-8102
Historian
Pat Savoie
626-794-8806
patriciasavoie@sbcglobal.net
Youth Director
Judith Gabriel Vinje
818-563-2526
JGabriel@thegrid.net
Sunshine
Yumiko Lovdokken
818-771-0887
YumikoLovdokken@ca.rr.com
Astrid Omdal
626-799-8211
Trustees
Amon Johnson
626-574-9550
Henrik Lovdokken
818-771-0887
Carl Voien
909-596-6339
Marshal
Milton Paulson
323-254-2060
Musician
Shelly Baum
626-797-8586
Foundation Director
Dorothy Bakken
818-244-2997
dartbakken@charter.net
Librarian
Fran Quick
818-507-6224
Zone 5 Director
Eric Herem
805-480-0937
eherem@verizon.net
Insurance Representative
Dennis Burreson
800-448-2499
EDVARD GRIEG LODGE WEB SITE
www.edvardgrieglodge.com
Dan Christensen, webmaster
6TH DISTRICT WEB SITE
http://www/sofn-district6.com
.,,
Our Treasure 2008 Plaque
Presented to LaVonne Kerfoot
at the Splendid Norwegian Dinner
How in the world do we describe this person and where do we start?
Well, first and foremost, she can be called the Doyenne of Edvard Grieg
Lodge and District 6, Sons of Norway. So now you can guess who our
2008 Lodge Treasure is. It’s fun to describe the honoree and then
reveal the name, but everyone would guess right away anyway.
LaVonne Kerfoot joined Edvard Grieg Lodge in 1974. Her first lodge
office was Social Director for several years. One of her famous events
was the Torsk Dinner with her big band and entertainers using “musical”
instruments, singing, dancing. Her band consisted of not only our
members, but folks from neighboring lodges. There were lots of laughs
during those programs.
In addition, she served as Secretary several terms. She then moved
into Lodge President, serving 3 times totaling 6 years. She has been a
great mentor for incoming social directors, secretaries and
presidents. Due to her extensive District work over the years, LaVonne
has kept the Board and Lodge abreast of the business of Sons of Norway.
At the District 6 level, LaVonne has held several positions. First it
was District Director, now called Zone Director, for a couple terms.
However, she is most well known and highly respected for her service as
District 6 Treasurer for 10 years. In the process, incoming Zone
Directors, as well as Treasurers and Presidents of other lodges have
been mentored.
LaVonne loves meetings, visiting lodges and conventions. She has
attended every District Convention since she became a lodge officer,
either as one of our delegates or as District Treasurer. She has been
able to attend several International Conventions, including Stavanger,
Norway.
LaVonne was born in Fargo, ND, and the family moved to California in
the mid 1930’s. She is 100% Norwegian, her father was born in Norway
and her mother born in Minnesota of Norwegian parents. She discovered
information about her father during her trips to Norway.
She grew up in Hollywood, graduated from Hollywood High School, and has
attended reunions regularly since 1949. She joined the Rainbow Girls,
a Masonic organization. She played violin at
Hollywood High; undoubtedly many classmates went into the entertainment
field and became famous. She worked in the insurance industry in the
accounting field and retired from Albert G. Ruben, entertainment
insurance in Beverly Hills, after 27 years. In the 1970’s she
persuaded the following to join our Lodge: her mom Mabel Heller, her
aunt Gladys Wiggins and sisters Marlys Boyer and Dorothy Lowande. She
has two sons, Scott and family (daughter in law, Gina, grandson,
Darren) and Roger, who lives in Oregon.
Although she would decline this award if we let her because “she’s not
finished yet”, we are very pleased and proud to present the Our
Treasurer’s Plaque 2008 to ”Madame Sons of Norway” LaVonne Kerfoot.
Last year’s, 2007 Our Treasures winners, famous Mel and Virginia
Paulson, were presented the lovely permanent plaque, at Ellis Island
Night in September. This permanent plaque is annually presented to the
immediate past Treasures winners. The current winners have to give up
the wonderful, gorgeous, rosemalt, large plaque at the end of their
year.
œœœ
New Marshall Statue in Oslo
The Norwegian government unveiled a new statue in Oslo, of US General
George C. Marshall – more than six decades after Marshall Plan aid
helped Norway and the rest of Europe rebuild after World War II.
The statue, located alongside the inner harbor
below the Akershus Fortress, was sculpted by
Asbjørn Høglund and formally dedicated by
Foreign Minister Johas Gahr Støre, who said it
honored 'a man, a vision and a mission that
changed Europe and Norway a half century ago.'
Marshall was Chief of the Staff of the US armed
forces during the war years, but his greatest claim
to fame came after the war. The recovery program
for Europe which bears his name, addressed the
shortages suffered during the post-war years, and
helped avert new conflicts.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded
Marshall the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. Fifty-five
years later, a statue of Marshall joins those of his
fellow war-year leaders Winston Churchill and
Franklin D Roosevelt in Oslo.
From www.aftenposten.no
NORWEGIANS IN HOLLYWOOD – III
Having provided in last month’s article snapshots of several actors
of Norwegian background who over the past fifty years and more have
starred in films and on television – many of whom can be seen in
re-runs today – we turn now to a number of women who were also part of
the Hollywood scene, during the past fifty years and more, whose family
forebears were of Norwegian descent.
We begin with the woman most prominent of all, but quickly
acknowledge that her Norwegian birthright is subject to some ambiguity
if not dispute, even as were the circumstances of her death, caused by
an overdose of drugs at the age of thirty-six. Norma Jeane Baker was
born out of wedlock in 1926. Although the identity of her father is in
doubt, her birth certificate lists him as Martin Edward Mortensen. It
is that Scandinavian name on the birth certificate which is apparently
the basis of the assertion that Marilyn Monroe was of Norwegian
heritage.
Her career in film, as well as her private life, are so widely
known that details need not be related here. Suffice it to say that
over a span of twenty-plus years she became the number one sex symbol
in films and for some a superb actress as well.
A photographer shooting pictures for an article about women working in
an airplane factory during World War II, recognized her stunning beauty
and recommended her to a modeling agency. From there it was on to
films and stardom. Along the way, to be sure, there were low points
and some notoriety. She remained very much in the public eye
throughout her life, not only for her film appearances, but for her
marriages to baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller
and for other rumored liaisons.
If the Nordic heritage of Marilyn Monroe may be somewhat tenuous,
there can be no uncertainty with respect to Liv Ullmann. Born in Tokyo
as the daughter of a Norwegian engineer, she grew up and attended
school in Trondheim. She has also lived in Oslo, appeared frequently
on Norwegian television, and maintains a home there today. With all of
that, however, she is frequently thought of as a Swedish actress,
rather than Norwegian, most likely because she made ten films with the
great Swedish director Ingmar Bergman, who is the father of her only
daughter.
At the height of her career in the 1960’s and 1970’s, she was
awarded no fewer than ten prestigious awards for her acting on both
stage and screen, and was twice nominated for a Motion Picture Academy
“Oscar.” But perhaps her greatest honors were bestowed by the King of
Norway. In 1977 she was made a Knight of the Order of St. Olav, and in
1994 was promoted to the rank of Commander in the Order. A year later
in 1995, she was named a Commander with Star, one of the highest honors
in her native land and one rarely awarded to civilians.
Also born abroad, in Berlin, of a Norwegian mother, Vera Zorina
(birth name: Eva Brigitta Hartwig) lived briefly in Kristiansand, and
began training as a ballerina during her early childhood. Soon
thereafter she turned professional, and made her first stage appearance
in 1929, at the age of twelve, when she was cast in “A Midsummer
Night’s Dream,” directed by the famed Max Reinhardt. Later she joined
the Ballet Russe, and for three years toured extensively as a prima
ballerina in both England and the United States. Her performance in a
leading role in “On Your Toes” at London’s Gaiety Theater drew rave
reviews, attracting the attention of Samuel Goldwyn, who brought her to
Hollywood in 1938 to star in “The Goldwyn Follies.” Zorina appeared in
six other films over the next several years, but it was evident to her
and others that she was much better suited to the stage and to dancing.
Following a series of hits on Broadway and in other venues, she
returned to Norway to direct the musical “Cabaret” in Oslo in the
1960’s, and was later appointed director of the Norwegian Opera
Company. Upon her return to the United States she resumed touring
until her retirement. In 1990 she moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where
she continued to direct local and regional opera companies. Vera
Zorina died in Santa Fe in 2003.
After being selected as the “Miss Rheingold of 1946” and appearing
in a popular beer commercial when she was eighteen years old and living
in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Arlene Dahl went on to a successful career
in Hollywood, where she appeared in more than thirty films between 1947
and 1969. She was also to be seen in a number of daytime soap operas
during that period and into the 1980’s, most notably the ABC television
series “One Life to Live.” Two parallels in her career and that of
Marilyn Monroe mentioned above, may be noted: both were featured, at
different times, in seductive poses in Playboy magazine, and both were
rumored to have had affairs with John F. Kennedy.
Gradually withdrawing from films, Arlene Dahl became a successful
business woman, establishing her own firm Arlene Dahl Enterprises,
selling lingerie and cosmetics. And in a related venture, she was the
author of Always Ask a Man: Arlene Dahl’s Key to Femininity, published
by Prentice Hall in 1965. And if that wasn’t enough for her second
career, she also became a syndicated columnist, writing articles on
astrology.
Another actress of Norwegian parents, whose film career was fairly
limited and who also went on to other pursuits, was Sigrid Gurie
(Haukelid), the twin sister of Knut Haukelid, who played a prominent
role in the Norwegian resistance movement in World War II. Billed as
the “Siren of the Fjords,” she appeared in about a dozen films over a
ten year period between 1938 and 1948. In the early 1940’s in
Hollywood, she began taken art lessons, and in 1961 she moved to Mexico
where she continued her painting and designed jewelry for the Royal
Copenhagen Company in Denmark. Gurie died in Mexico in 1969.
Carole Landis. born to a Norwegian father and Polish mother in
Fairchild, Wisconsin, on New Year’s Day in 1919, had a brief and
troubled life. Married at fifteen, she arrived in Hollywood a few
years later and appeared in approximately fifty films over about ten
years, many times in bit parts or as an unnamed “extra.” Never
regarded as a great actress, her beauty and curvaceous lines were the
hallmark of her Hollywood career. There were numerous affairs with
prominent actors and others in the film industry, and it is said that
an impending breakup with Rex Harrison was the reason for her suicide
in 1948. She was only twenty-nine years old.
Of the acting ability of Celeste Holm there can be no doubt. Born in
New York City in 1917, the daughter of a Norwegian insurance adjuster
and a mother who was an accomplished portrait artist, she studied
acting at the University of Chicago and went on to a distinguished
career on the stage, and in films and television. After starring in
two major productions on Broadway, she was signed to a film contract in
1946, and won an Oscar as best supporting actress for her performance
in “Gentleman’s Agreement” one year later.
Holm was active in films in the Seventies and Eighties and in the
Nineties turned more to television as a regular in popular dramatic
series on both the ABC and CBS networks. In addition to the many
honors received for her work as an actress,
she was made a knight of the Order of St. Olav, not for her stage and
screen accomplishments, but for her assistance in the preservation of
one of Norway’s national treasures, the schooner “Christian Radich.”
None of the actresses we have mentioned here is now active in
Hollywood, although many may be seen in television reruns and the
screening of films on the various movie channels. However, there is
one currently prominent actress whose mother, Kjellfried Andreassaen,
is of Lapp Sami origin. Renee Zellweger made her big hit in the 1996
film “Jerry Maguire” playing opposite Tom Cruise. She went on to star
in a number of other films and has been the recipient of more than a
dozen awards and nominations during the past ten years. Limitations of
space, however, preclude our providing more than passing mention here
as we conclude this series on Norwegians in Hollywood.
Richard C. Gilman
Pasadena, California
TUBFRIM
Postmaster Ditlef Frantzen in Nesbyen established TUBFRIM in 1928. The
aim was to collect and sell used stamps and use the proceeds to aid the
eradication of tuberculosis among Norwegian children. The first profit
was made in 1929 and amounted to NOK 1.500,-. Profits varied in the
following years from NOK 8.000,- in 1940 to NOK 25.000,- in 1947.
TUBFRIM has made good progress since from then and profits in 1970 were
NOK 150.000,- growing to NOK 620.000,- in 2007.
TUBFRIM is owned by the Norwegian Health Association
(Nasjonalforeningen for folkehelsen). Today the profits are used to
help handicapped children and youth in Norway, and to finance the
efforts to eradicate tuberculosis.
Used postage stamps and telephone cards are not to be thrown in the
waste basket, but should be sent to Margaret Shuler, 147 N 5th Avenue,
Monrovia, CA 91016. They will be taken to the Norwegian Seamen’s
Church in San Pedro, and then shipped to TUBFRIM in Nesbyen, Norway.
SONS OF NORWAY - LODGE #74
EDVARD GRIEG 'NOTES'
Margaret Shuler, Editor
147 North Fifth Avenue
Monrovia, CA 91016
GLENDALE, CA
NOVEMBER 2008
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