October 2009 Newsletter

SONS OF NORWAY LODGE NO. 6-074

Meeting Place:
American Legion Hall
4011 La Crescenta Avenue
La Crescenta, California
Map

OCTOBER 2009

Ord Fra Presidenten

Kjære Medlemmer (Dear Members),

Our Talent Show was a great success, thanks to Tina Hartney, the leader of the event. Performers were: Evan Hartney, guitar and song; Kari Davis and mom Beth Baird, song; Cara Clove, song; Judith Gabriel Vinje and husband Phil Mishkin, a excerpt from the play, “ I Remember Mama”; Carli Clove, modern jazz dance; Jo Ness, hula dance; the newly formed Edward Grieg Kazoo Band – singing? humming? kazooing? a variety of familiar songs. The Band, consisting of the audience who were presented with gift kazoos, will return next year by popular demand (!?) Phil Mishkin was the MC, and Cara Clove was the technician.

Our next cultural event will be the lefse party on Saturday, October 24, 9 am to 2 pm. We need lots of helpers. Here is a chance for our members who want to learn about lefse to participate, and help out the lodge as well. We need new and more lefse makers these days. Bring lunch or snack; we’ll make coffee. Takk.

District Six is conducting a Membership Recruitment Contest until May 2010. New members must be 50 years of age or younger. Individuals bringing in the most members can win first prize of a Sons of

Norway medallion; second and third prizes are lovely Viking pendants. Let’s get going!

A committee met recently to begin a membership recruitment and retention plan for our new Vice President and Membership Secretary (whoever they may be after elections). A lot of ideas, talk, issues, planning, and future directions came out, specifically relating to membership. It was very successful. Anyone interested in contributing, please let me know and come to the next meeting. PS: here are two offices that are very important, quite exciting, and assisted by the Edvard Grieg board. Please join us.

Takk, Jo



Gratulerer Med Dagen
October

7 DeNora Clinton
8 Diana Lorenz
9 Chester Weiche
9 Ken Putnam
11 John Danielson
12 Korey Madson
25 Peg Chereek
25 Jensine Phillips
26 Yumiko Lovdokken
29 Jan Luongo
31 Kevin Tvedt

God Bedring .
Get Well Soon

Annette Besvold
DeNora Clinton
Bill Davis
Vernie Fletcher
Brenda Hesse
Astrid Omdal
Jean Parks
Herb Wirtz


LODGE ACTIVITIES

LEFSE PARTY
October 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the American Legion Hall. This was the scheduled date for the Torsk Dinner which will be held in February 2010.

We will be making lefse for the Julebord and for sale. Already orders for lefse have come in. It’s a very popular thing for Jul as you all know. Our Lefse Party is a family affair, everyone can help and learn all the steps to its making.

FYI, Cost per package of 3 rounds is $7.00, commensurate with the price changes that other lodges have made recently. Our current #1 fund raiser is sale of lefse, did you know that? Please help us by buying several packages

BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, November 3 at 7:30 pm. at the home of Mim Johnson, 747 Fairview Ave., #B, Arcadia. (626) 574-9550. No Cultural Night in November because of Thanksgiving.

BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Jo Ness, 2619 Fairway Ave., Montrose. 818-249-8102. The membership is invited to enjoy a mini Jul celebration. Jo has special Jul decorations, food, including a traditional tree. Lots of goodies, candles and good time…after the meeting stuff.


JULEBORD
Saturday, December 12, 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall. Please see the article on page 3.

OPEN BOARD MEETING FOR THE NEW YEAR, January 5, 2010, 7:30 pm,. Location TBA – anyone volunteer? You don’t have to be an officer to host a board meeting.

CULTURAL EVENING WITH INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS AND POTLUCK. January 23, 2010, 6:00 pm, at the American Legion Hall.


DISTRICT ACTIVITIES
Norrøna Lodge’s Lutefisk & Meatball Dinners Friday & Saturday, November 13 &14, 4 – 8 p.m. at Norway Hall, 14312 Friar Street, Van Nuys.

Norseman Lodge’s Julebord
Saturday, December 5 at the First Neighborhood Club House, 31830 Village Center Drive, Westlake Village. Cost -$25 per person. Reservations are required by November 30. Call Lorelle Sondreaal at 805381-0507.


Julebord Lights Up Norwegian Heritage with Santa Lucia Procession and Julenisse Gifts
Kids and grandkids of Norwegian-Americans have the opportunity to participate in a traditional Yuletide festivity, complete with a Santa Lucia and Julenisse Pageant they’ll never forget at the Edvard Grieg Lodge annual Julebord on Saturday, December 12.

If heritage has a most important part of the year, certainly it is Christmas, particularly for Norwegian-Americans. This is the time to give your kids involvement and memories that will infuse them with Nordic pride throughout their lifetimes.

The traditional Sons of Norway Julebord begins at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in La Crescenta, to be followed by a Norwegian smorgasbord.
Kids who want to participate may show up as early as 6 p.m. to be outfitted in their garb as members of the St. Lucia procession. One girl will be chosen as St. Lucia, and others will be her Santa Lucia girls. Boys are welcome as well; older boys can be the sjternegutt (star boy) or magi, and younger boys and girls will be decked out in red capes and caps as Julenisser.

Following the candlelight procession, kids will be visited by Juleknisse himself, bedecked as the American Santa Claus, who will distribute gifts to all participants.

A gala traditional smorgasbord will follow, with each guest being requested to bring finger food, sandwiches or dessert.

December 13th, St. Lucia Day, begins the Christmas season in Sweden and since the 1900’s in Norway also. It is a celebration of festival lights and music. In the morning, the oldest girl in the family goes about the house serving saffron buns and coffee, while singing carols. Older children follow and sing, too

At the Edvard Grieg julebord, the Santa Lucia procession enters the room to the singing by Cara Clove, cultural director, the Norwegian lyrics to the melody of the traditional Italian song dedicated to the medieval Sicilian saint.

This is one of the few saint days observed in Scandinavia. So how did this Italian maid become the focus of Scandinavian winter festivities?

The Lussinatt, the night of December 13, was largely forgotten in Norway at the beginning of the 20th century, while still celebrated in some remote areas. It was not until after World War II that the modern celebration of Lucia in Norway was imported from Sweden, and became adopted on a larger scale. It is now again observed all over the country. According to the old Julian calendar, the night of Lucia was the longest night of the year.

The Julenisser wear red caps, red because birds of prey will not attack anything that is red. Julenisser were blamed for unusual happenings on the farm. To be on the safe side, every farm family would leave a bowl of rice porridge with a lump of butter in it on the doorstep or in the barn. Some people still practice this custom today. In the morning, the porridge is gone, so either a nisse ate it or the family cat had a treat.

The Julenisse, or Christmas elf, visits homes where there are children. He comes with his burlap sack filled with goodies. And he always asks the same question “Are there any good children here? And the Edvard Grieg Lodge Julenisse will have gifts for all kids participating.

Edvard Grieg lodge has staged a Santa Lucia procession for several years. One girl, usually the oldest present, will be Santa Lucia herself, and will lead the candlelight procession (bearing battery-operated candles), distributing spicy pepperkakker cookies to the gathered audience. She will be accompanied by other Lucia girls, as well as a star boy, or sjternegutt, and a gaggle of julenisser.

Members and friends with children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other young friends are encouraged to bring them to participate in this traditional Norwegian Christmas festival. Each kid who participates is a fully costumed, and photographable, star. All kids present will gather around the Julenisse to receive presents, before joining with all celebrants to circle around the decorated Christmas tree singing traditional Norwegian and American Christmas carols.

For further information, call Judith Vinje, Edvard Grieg Lodge Youth Director, at 818-563-2526, or contact her at jgabriel.vinje@gmail.com .


The Perfect Ending to a Great Summer
By SHAYNA NILES
Camp Norge/Edvard Grieg Youth Reporter


Summer is ending, school is starting, but that doesn’t stop us Norwegians from having fun. Every Labor Day we all go up to my favorite place for an every year event, Kretsstevne. The presence of the fresh High Sierras mountain air. The towering pine trees that give off that natural smell. In the fresh cut green grass, smacking the mosquitoes as they land on us. I’ve waited for this weekend all year long. Having gone to the Norwegian Heritage camp (Camp Troll Fjell) since I was a little girl, I’ve developed a very strong bond with a lot of the kids there. Texting, Facebook, MySpace, and by phone, we all made sure we would see each other by coming to Kretsstevne. All day at school before I left, I stared at that clock. It seemed like endless hours that went by. Finally, I was back at Camp Norge.

Jumping into the icy sensation of the refreshing clear blue pool, running down the stairs that seem to go on forever. Staying up till late at night laughing and having fun, surrounded in the darkness with the stars that cover the sky like a blanket. Sitting on the old rickety swing piling as many kids on as we can, hoping it won’t snap. Taking video after video, picture after picture. trying not to miss a priceless moment. Sitting at the campfire on the old wooden benches surrounded by the warmth of the fire as it gently touches our faces, singing camp songs. This is a weekend we wish wouldn’t end. It’s my escape from Polluted LA, a place, an atmosphere that I know is here to stay.

I remember one night they decided to have a pig roast. They then tricked us, saying that there was something cool over where they were cooking it. We went to go see what it was and it was two dead pigs that they were cooking for dinner. My friends and I named them (which of course made it even harder to think about eating) and refused to eat it. We then started calling pizza places from everywhere all over the Sacramento area, but of course no one delivered to Alta California. We finally got someone to go pick up a pizza for us and we donated all the money we had. We ended up having a pizza “party”. This weekend that all we kids wait for goes by so fast. Longing for the weekend to last for just one more day. Hugging till the last second before leaving, hiding hoping it will somehow make us stay longer. It never works but for some reason it always gives us hope.

Kretsstevne gives us a chance to see each other again. Of course, it’s nice talking to my friends every day through modern technology, but it’s even better seeing them in person. The people that I have met at this camp have become a second family to me. I can’t wait to come back next year and I will try my best to come up every year. All my memories from Camp Norge and with these amazing people will never fade and will stick with me my whole life.


Camp Norge

On September 12, 2009 Jo Ness and I went to Santa Barbara for the 80th anniversary dinner of Ivar Aasen Lodge #6-045. It was held at Mulligan's Café, a beautiful spot on a gulf course. We were greeted by Ron Oftenbro, the current president of the lodge and many other members. We had a very nice dinner with music by an accordionist. He even learned the national anthems of Norway and Canada so that we could sing them. After dinner the program included remarks by President Oftebro, a welcome by Janie Kelly, District Six president, and a very interesting history of Aasen lodge by a long time member, Curtis Solberg. I enjoyed going to a different lodge and learning about their history. I also enjoyed meeting many new and friendly people.

Yvonne Claypool


Northern Kretsstevne Draws Large Crowd

The Sons of Norway Northern California Kretsstevne on Labor Day weekend at Camp Norge in Alta drew one of the largest crowds in recent years. More than 200 folks of all ages attended, staying in tents, motor homes, campers and cabins.

A special guest this year was Cindy Olson, Foundation Director of Sons of Norway, who flew in from Minneapolis to lead several craft activities for kids. Cindy is co-originator of the Sons of Norway “Barnas Norsk Klubb,” a manual/program of Norwegian crafts, songs and language activities for youth directors. She also gave a presentation on the programs of the Foundation.

Also providing traditional crafts for kids were Penny Joseph Knutsen, teaching rosemaling, and Judith Vinje, inkle weaving and other fiber crafts (which drew in several adults as well.)

Other activities included bingo, campfires, horseshoe tournaments, games and contests for children, swimming, Scandinavian vendors, and dancing. The weekend’s highpoint was the long-awaited dedication of new Heritage Hall Saturday evening, with a pig roast and all the trimmings.

About 20 young folk, who had attended Camp Trollfjell, Language and Heritage Camp held every summer at Camp Norge, participated in Kretsstevne festivities, with a teen dance of their own, and performing Norwegian folk songs at the Sunday afternoon cultural gathering.

Norway again rated top country to live in.
Norway has again been rated as the best country in the world to live in on the United Nations Development Index. Australia is second on the UNDP ranking list, and Iceland third.
All the Nordic countries are found among the top 20 nations on the ranking list. Sweden is 7th, Finland 12th and Denmark 16th.
France rejoined the top 10 countries after dropping down for one year, while Luxembourg fell from the top 10.
The ranking among the 182 nations is based on life expectancy, level of education, and gross national product (GNP) per inhabitant.
The Norway Post – 10/5/2009

Traveling with Amtrak

On June 30, my first day as a retiree, I went to the travel agent to get tickets for a trip I had been thinking about for some time. I wanted to travel to Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon, by train. I have not done much traveling in the states and I thought this would be a good start.

The train left Union Station in Los Angeles on August 14, and arrived in Chicago on the 16th . I spent two days sightseeing there then took the train to Boston, and on to Portland. My cousin was waiting for me at the station and we drove to her home on Deer Isle. The house was their summer cottage but it has now been winterized and they live there year round. The location is fantastic, the weather was gorgeous and I spent five wonderful days there.

I took another train back to Chicago, then took the Empire Builder, which goes across the northern states to Portland and Seattle. My brother waiting for me at the Portland station and he showed me the city. For the next few days, while he was working, I had his car and was able to explore. From Portland, I took the Coast Starlight to Los Angeles.

I had bedrooms on all the trains except between Boston and Portland, when I had a seat in business class. I was impressed with Amtrak – the attendants were friendly and helpful, the food was good and I enjoyed the community meals, visiting with other travelers.

Our country is gorgeous – and so varied. From the trains, I saw desert, prairie, mountains and rivers. There were isolated houses, farms, ranches, villages and cities. I enjoyed my three week vacation – and I was happy to get home.

Margaret Shuler


HARALD ULRIK SVERDRUP (1888-1957)
PART I

With all the talk today about climate change and global warming, and with more than two thirds of the earth’s surface covered by water, scientific investigations of ocean currents and temperatures are proceeding at an increasing pace all around the globe. More than any other scientist, Norwegian-born Harald Ulrik Sverdrup, is regarded as the founder of modern physical oceanography.

Sverdrup was part of a prominent Norwegian family, active over several generations in the church, in government, and in education. During his younger years his religious upbringing created conflicts with his scientific interests, with the latter ultimately prevailing. Entering the University of Oslo in 1908, he was initially involved in the study of astronomy, but soon expanded into meteorology and physical geography. It became readily apparent during those early years that his future as an outstanding scientist was assured.

While pursuing advanced studies at the University, he was selected in 1911 as an assistant to the prominent meteorologist Vilelm Bjerknes in Bergen. He later accompanied his mentor to the University of Leipzig, where Bjerknes founded and served as the first director of the Geophysical Institute. It was during his three and a half years in Germany, from early 1913 to August 1917, that Sverdrup completed his work on North Atlantic trade winds, for which he received his doctorate from the University in Oslo.

The famed Norwegian explorer, Roald Amundsen, appointed Sverdrup as chief scientist for the multi-year north polar expedition, aboard the Maud. Departing Norway in 1918, the expedition lasted for a total of seven years. During that period, in 1921-22, while the ship was frozen fast in the Arctic ice, Sverdrup was able to spend ten months continuing his research at the Carnegie Institution in Washington. Finally, in December 1925 he returned to his native Norway after an absence of more than seven years.

In 1926 Sverdrup was named to succeed his former mentor, Wilelm Bjerknes, as Professor of Meteorology in Bergen, a position he was to hold for several years. However, during that period he returned in 1925-26 and again in 1930-31 to the Carnegie Institution in Washington for further work on data collected during his years aboard the Maud and in later explorations in the far north. On his trips to this country he also visited several universities and attended scientific meetings, thus becoming widely known among scientists here as well as abroad. In 1931 Sverdrup was again involved in studies in the Arctic as scientific leader of another polar expedition, and a few years later he spent two months making observations and compiling data in the snowfields on Spitsbergen, 400 miles from Norwegian mainland and within a few hundred miles of the North Pole.

From all indications Sverdrup was secure and satisfied in his position at the Geophysical Institute in Bergen, especially given opportunities to pursue field research and to travel for meetings with scientists in other countries. He had married in 1928 and adopted the daughter of his wife as his own. Family and friends were legion. He was well compensated and given considerable freedom to pursue projects of special interest and potential. Having turned down a number of invitations and opportunities, it was widely assumed in the United States that he could not be drawn away from his native land. And yet, that is exactly what happened when he was named Director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, on the coast of Southern California, a few miles north of San Diego.

However, in Sverdrup’s mind this was not to be a permanent move. He stipulated that he would serve for three years only, contingent upon being granted a three-year leave of absence from his position in Bergen. The University of California, of which the Scripps Institution was a part, and the authorities in Bergen agreed to this arrangement, and Sverdrup assumed his new position in 1936. At the time the Institution, which was established in 1905; was grossly underfunded and fairly limited in its approach to oceanographic research. As a former director of the Institution some years later described it when Sverdrup took over, the Institution was “a small rather remote and dusty marine station,” with very little support from the University, which appeared to regard it as “an irregular outpost.” Local citizens spoke of Scripps as an “intellectual shantytown” and the so-called cottages provided for the staff were described as little more than “dusty shacks.”

However, with strong support from University President Robert Gordon Sproul, Sverdrup was able to expand the financial resources of the Institution, as well as its curriculum and research activity. In particular he was able to obtain a research vessel for deep water research; previously, research was limited to the coastal waters. And perhaps more importantly, he broadened the teaching program from a primary emphasis on physics and biology to embrace physical oceanography, including meteorology, geophysics, and terrestrial magnetism. In the process Scripps became truly a research institution as well as a superb teaching environment. Largely as a result of the innovations and emphases introduced by Sverdrup and enhanced by his successors, Scripps today ranks as the premiere institution for oceanographic research in the world.

What was initially contemplated as a three-year commitment extended for a total of twelve years, and Sverdrup did not return to Norway until several years later. With the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939, the Geophysical Institute in Bergen extended his leave of absence for two additional years, and Sverdrup planned to resume his position there in 1941. The invasion of Norway in April 1940 made the prospects of an early return to his homeland very bleak, and in June 1941, Sverdrup, his wife, and his daughter all applied to become citizens of the United States and remain in this country indefinitely.

Beginning in the late 1930’s and continuing for nearly a decade, scientists at the Scripps Institution, including Sverdrup, were extensively involved in various projects relating to the war effort. These ranged from the underwater detection of German submarines, then creating havoc on merchant shipping around the world, to the studies of ocean currents and wave actions to determine the best times for amphibious landings on the beaches in North Africa, Normandy, and the Pacific Islands. In Part II of this article on Harald Ulrik Sverdrup we will discuss his activities and experiences here in the United States during World War II.

Richard C. Gilman
Pasadena, California

Fall Recruitment Blitz
Sons of Norway has announced a recruitment program. Starting on September 15th, lodges have three months to recruit new members to win a $500 prize.

Lodges will be divided into two categories based on size. All dues-paying, new members that lodge members recruit between September 15 and December 15 will count toward this contest. Two lodges—one from the small category and one from the large category—that have the greatest percentage of growth will each receive $500, to be spent as the lodge wishes.

Applications must be from new, dues-paying members and must be received at Sons of Norway Headquarters by December 15th. For complete details, please visit www.sonsofnorway.com.

Edvard Grieg Lodge #6-074
Board of Officers

President Jo Ness 818-249-8102

JNess2619@sbcglobal.net
Vice President Vacant
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 Astrid Omdal 626-799-8211
Trustees Amon Johnson 626-574-9550

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
www.sofn6.com


Happy Halloween

KALENDAREN

Saturday, October 24
Lefse Party
Tuesday, November 3
Board Meeting
Tuesday, December 1
Board Meeting
Saturday, December 12
Julebord


Halloween in Norway
Celebrating Halloween is a new tradition Norway. As recently as the 1990s the holiday was almost unheard of.
When “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” was translated to Norwegian the Great Pumpkin became the Old Man of Olsok. There are many theories as to how Halloween came to the country. Some believe that American candy companies marketed it, while others believe that it had something to do with American comic books.

The celebration in Norway resembles that in the US with a few exceptions. Children say “knask eller knep” or “dig eller deng” and both phrases have about the same meaning as “trick or treat.” Sometimes the “trick” part is taken a little too seriously. It’s not unusual to read about vandalism or egging after the holiday and many Norwegians find it annoying to have so many people coming to their doors. Because the holiday is relatively new, the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten printed a few tips on how to celebrate properly, among them:

Only October 31st is Halloween. (evidently there’s been a problem with people trick-or-treating for days afterwards)

Adults should accompany the smallest children.

Only visit neighbors and friends to avoid making people angry.

From Sons of Norway Newsletter Service