SynNor Brevet. Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge # October 2013 Number 13:9

Transcription

1 SynNor Brevet Published monthly by Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge #1-008 WEB SITE: District 1 Family Lodge of the Year 2006, 2008 October 2013 Number 13:9 The Land of the Northern Lights Though the northern lights are visible in several countries, Northern Norway's easy accessibility and optimal conditions make it one of the best places on Earth to see them. The northern lights, or aurora borealis, have always been an object of fascination for Norwegians, whether in connection with ancient myths or serious research. That is why we Norwegians like to regard the northern lights as being Norwegian. (From visitnorway.com) (Photo Left: Norway Postcard of Northern Lights) The October 8, 2013, Lodge Meeting will feature a program presented by Dr. Bob Lysak, of the University of Minnesota s School of Astronomy and Physics discussing the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. The aurora borealis, or Northern Lights have long been a subject of fascination in folklore and for those lucky enough to see them in northern latitudes. Professor Bob Lysak is a theoretician who has been studying the unique physics of aurora since the 1970 s. The classic model of the Aurora is that electrons trapped in the Earth s magnetosphere are accelerated by quasi-static electric fields that form parallel to the Earth s magnetic field and cause the light display. Lysak has created an alternative model of the Aurora which insists that Alfven Waves, an oscillation that occurs along the lines of the Earth s magnetosphere, play a part in delivering energy to the Aurora. Lysak s model was borne out by data from the FAST satellite, which showed that patterns of acceleration that were more consistent with the Alfvén wave picture than what was predicted by the standard model of aurora physics. Lysak has created a mathematical model to predict ionospheric "weather." Certain other space "weather" conditions such as the solar maximum, a cycle of Sun storms that peaks every eleven years, enable physicists and aurora enthusiasts alike to be able to see the strongest aurora in high northern latitudes, and correspondingly at high southern latitudes as well. The large energies required to form a visible aurora are only kicked up when a storm on the Sun hits the Earth s magnetosphere and disturbs it. Most aurora are diffuse and appear in the sky as a single colored haze. Occasionally more spectacular aurora will be visible that appear like a changing multi-hued light show in the sky. Lysak says that although we are now in the trough of the Sun storm cycle, physicists believe that solar activity is again increasing and Northern Minnesota will once again be a good place to observe the Northern Lights. To learn more and to see a video of the Northern Lights in Norway, go to:

2 Scandinavian Culture and News by Judy Stanke Norwegian Harvest It is the time of year for the harvest, and just as in Minnesota, farmers in Norway are becoming busy with reaping the fruits of their labors. However, the Norway Post dated September 17, 2013 reported that this year s grain harvest in Norway may be the poorest in 20 years. Eastern Norway was hit especially hard as a result of a late and wet spring. Norway therefore will be looking to import more grain for food and fodder. The greatest shortage is expected to be wheat. Norway s main grain crops include barley, oats, rye, wheat and potatoes. Berries are also grown, such as strawberries, blueberries, lingonberries and currants, but not all types are amenable to cultivation. The wild cloudberry (multer) is an important source of income in some areas. Despite its modern demand as a delicacy exceeding supply, the cloudberry is primarily a wild plant. Wholesale prices vary widely based on the size of the yearly harvest, but can reach 10 /kg. Though the growing season in Norway may be short, plant growth is markedly stimulated by the log days of summer. In addition, greenhouse crop production constitutes a major part of commercial horticulture, where tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce are grown. Harvest Moon: This year, September 19th is a day when the full moon is closest to the autumnal equinox and extends the hours of daylight into the evening. This full moon is known as the harvest moon. An important effort in preserving a wide variety of plant seeds as insurance against the loss of seeds in the event of a large scale regional or global crisis was spearheaded by Norway. In 2008, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen. The purpose of the seed bank is to store duplicates of all seed samples for the world s crop collections. The construction of the vault was paid for by the Norwegian government and operational costs are funded by Norway and the Global Crop Diversity Trust. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault ranked number 6 on Time s best inventions of 2008 and was awarded the Norwegian Lightning Prize for Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge normally meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM At Gustavus Adolphus Church 1669 Arcade Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota For information, contact one of our officers. (See back cover for list.) Web Page: < Sons of Norway International: < SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 2

3 Lodge News Fra Presidenten We had a great first meeting at Gustavus Adolphus. I'm looking forward to a long and happy relationship with the church. What a great evening it was with all of the Norwegian treats - and the photos of the trip to Norway. Some of the photos were of places that I saw when I was there and they brought back some favorite memories. The next meeting should be wonderful as well. We're going to learn about the Aurora Borealis. I've never seen this phenomenon in person, but it's on my list. Hopefully it's on your list, too. I'd like to tell you about one of the projects that is supported by Sons of Norway -TUBFRIM. Many of you know that Mary Beth Mutchler collects these stamps to be sent to TUBFRIM in Norway, but you may not know some things about this project. TUBFRIM is owned by the Norwegian Health Association, established in 1928 by the Postmaster at the time. The profits are used to help children and youth with disabilities and handicaps in Norway. Just cut the stamps off of the envelopes, leaving a slight margin (approx. 1/2 inch) to keep the perforation intact. Damaged stamps are worthless. This is an easy way to help this cause and one we can all do. Please consider participating in this effort. Kathy September Meeting at Gustavus Adolphus Celebrating September birthdays and anniversaries President Kathy welcomes members to our new meeting place (above). Sheryl Hove leads language lesson (below) Members watching photos of Norway trip followed by tasty Norwegian treats below. Sunshine News Congratulations to member Claire Keller, a winner of the King Olav V Norwegian-American Heritage Award. See page 20 of the October Viking for more information. Also, on page 28 of the October Viking, a picture of Junior Lodge members Liv and Kaia Larson, recipients of a District 1 scholarship to Skogfjorden Language Village. They are the daughters of member Sasha Aslanian. HELP US KEEP TRACK OF OUR MEMBERS! Mary Beth Mutchler is our sunshine person. If you know of someone who is sick, had surgery, etc., please call her at or her at mbe43@q.com and she will send a card from the lodge. Also, if your phone, , or address change, please let us know or dmutchler@q.com. - Thanks! SynNorBrevet, Synnove-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 3

4 Lodge News Board Meeting Minutes, September 3, 2013 Attendees: Kathy Stevens, Pat Carlson, Trudi Johnson-Richards, Linda Holmstrom, Laura Sherman, Sharon Amann, Mary Beth and Dave Mutchler. We still do not have a copy of the contract with Gustavus Adolphus regarding our use of the church as a meeting place. Kathy will contact them regarding this. As part of the Syttende Mai Committee Meeting report, Kathy wondered whether we should put a wreath on the Ibsen statue in Como Park for Syttende Mai. This led to whether we should go back to doing something at the Leif Erickson statue by the capitol for Leif Erickson Day. We discussed briefly and tabled the items for the next Board meeting. Kathy Manderscheid has accepted the position of Scholarship Director, and Axel Torvi answered the call for help with mailing the newsletter. We welcome them both to the team! Leif Erickson has agreed to be the person to send pictures in to the Viking Magazine. We should use him as the focal point for our submissions. The Torsk and Meatball meeting left us with many questions regarding the kitchen at Gustavus. Sharon Amann, Mary Beth, and Trudi and Jerry Richards got some very positive answers after a visit to the church. The only weakness is their use of the older type 50 or 60-cup coffee makers. Sharon Amann brought some rice pudding to try. It was easy to make and is very good. It will be used at the dinner in October. This fundraiser event will be held on Saturday, October 26, and will again be accompanied by a silent auction and bake sale. Regarding the September meeting, the following people have agreed to bring the goodies: Laura Sherman and Kathy Stevens 50 open-face sandwiches each Sharon Amann 2 kransekake Pat Carlson rice pudding Sharon Kalmes and Mary Beth and Lisa Mutchler krumkake Sue Halvorson sandbakkels JoAnn Hogenson rosettes There will be a number of bunads and a very special meeting to celebrate our new location. Tickets to the Torsk and Meatball Dinner will be sold, and orders for calendars will be taken. Dave had 900 stickers printed for changing our address on the brochures. Linda took a box of brochures and the stickers to keep her busy during TV time. The new business cards will wait for the next meeting. Submitted by: Dave Mutchler, Secretary The next board of directors meeting will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, October 1 at the Maplewood Library, 3025 Southlawn Dr. (W. side of Maplewood Mall) in the community program room. Lodge Meeting Minutes September 10, lodge members and guests attended our first meeting at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church. With several bunads present, there was a festive sense of new beginnings present throughout the meeting. We began promptly at 7:00 as President Kathy Stevens welcomed everyone and asked if there were any guests. Andrea (Andy) Halvorson and Martha Walski came as guests but joined our lodge that evening. Carla Amundson, Bill Lund, and Delores attended as guests. Greg Hovland addressed the group briefly regarding financial planning. Kathy expressed sympathy regarding the recent death of Bob Barduson s wife. Ron Stow read several announcements because he and Susan had just returned from their (extended) Norway trip early that morning. Sharon Amann put in a plug for the Torsk and Meatball Dinner coming up on October 26, and Dave Mutchler did the same for the accompanying Silent Auction and Bake Sale. Treasurer Laura Sherman gave a brief Treasurer s report. Sheryl Hove gave a language lesson of numbers, letters, and brief phrases of general use to travelers. Kathy had sports medals for Don Halvorson for swimming and for Sheryl Hove for walking (her second for that). Sharon Kalmes recruited people to bring treats at our upcoming meetings and circulated a signup sheet. LaRee Opdahl recounted several ways that our lodge has come up in the news from her winters in California. We thank Sharon Amann for the two kransekake, Mary Beth and Lisa Mutchler and Sharon Kalmes for the krumkake, Kathy Stevens and Laura Sherman for the open-face sandwiches, Pat Carlson for the rice pudding, JoAnn Hogenson for the rosettes, and Sue Halvorson for the sandbakkels. The food tasted as good as it looked. Mange takk! Submitted by Dave Mutchler, Secretary SynNorBrevet, Synnove-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 4

5 Tues. Oct. 1 Sat. Oct. 5 Tues. Oct. 8 Sat. Oct. 26 Tues. Nov. 12 Sat. Dec. 7 Tues. Dec. 10 Synnøve-Nordkap Board Meeting Maplewood Library conference room 3025 Southlawn Dr.(W. of Maplewood Mall) Synnøve-Nordkap Geanealgy Meeting Maplewood Library conference room 3025 Southlawn Dr.(W. of Maplewood Mall) Synnøve-Nordkap Social Event Bob Lysak of the Northern Lights and Cindy Olson of SON for Foundation month Luther Hall at Gustavus Adolphus Annual Torsk and Meatball Dinner and Silent Auction Fundraiser Luther Hall at Gustavus Adolphus Tickets are $16 and will be sold at the October lodge meeting. Synnøve-Nordkap Social Event Karen Weiberg: Norwegians sweaters, designs, and areas Luther Hall at Gustavus Adolphus Salvation Army Bell Ringing Byerly s near I-94 & Ruth Street HELP STILL NEEDED! See page 9. Synnøve-Nordkap Social Event Julebord! 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM 10:00 AM to Noon 7:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 AM To 6:00 PM 6:00 PM Mark Saturday, October 26 on your calendars! It s the date of the Torsk & Meatball Dinner and Bake Sale + Silent Auction fundraiser. Why not donate some of your Norske items to a good cause and take a tax write-off as your reward? Reminder! Members Providing Lunch for the October 8th Lodge Meeting: Chuck and Jean Draheim, Kathy Kaluza & Joanne Englund Mange Takk! Genealogy Group (Note location!) The next Genealogy Group Meeting will be on Saturday, October 5 at the Maplewood Library, 3025 Southlawn Dr. (west side of Maplewood Mall) in the community program room. The Roseville Library was not available. The November 2, 2013 Genealogy Group Meeting will be at the Roseville Library at the corner of Hamline Avenue and County Road B from 10 am to 12 noon. October is Foundation Month Think about giving to help SON scholarships and grants. The First District Bowling Jamboree will be held on Saturday, October 26, The event will be hosted by Oslo Lodge and Vonheim Lodge in Minneapolis, MN. Bowling will be held at AMF Southtown Lanes, 7941 Southtown Center, Bloomington, MN. Registration and coffee with rolls is at 9:00 AM, with bowling starting at 9:30 AM. Banquet at Fred Babcock VFW #5555, 67th & Lyndale Ave. S. At 4:00 p.m. For Information or Questions contact: GENE BRANDVOLD , or GENEGBRAND@AOL.COM Norwegian Language Classes (1) "Norwegian In Five Minutes A Month" series. Class 6:30-7:00 PM Tuesdays before lodge meetings. October 8: Lessons 12 & 13 (2) "Norsk Nordmenn og Norge" Class 6:30-7:45 PM Thursdays, 1/mo. SunRay Library, 2105 Wilson Ave., between McKnight Rd. & Ruth St., Date: October 10: Chapter 26 p For information, contact class co-facilitators: Sheryl Hove and Crystal Bloecher New participants welcome! Cultural Skills Unit 7: Language and Culture Group Date: Tuesday, October 8 following the SON Meeting. Location: Eat lunch together at the back corner table. Discuss Level 1 test. SynNorBrevet, Synnove-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 5

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7 Lodge News Junior Lodge Update Take one brand new Norwegian Krone, thirty inches of blue string and a bit of patience and what is the result? A Norwegian necklace! This was the opening project for the Peer Gynt dancers at our September 14 th meeting as you can see from our group photo. Peer Gynt is off to a great start for the season! We have some exciting new plans. One of these plans is asking moms, grandmas, aunts or anyone who likes to knit, make some Selbu votten, Norwegian mittens. We would like to wear these at the Winter Carnival Parade in January. Adults are invited to learn how to knit the mittens while the dancers are rehearsing. We will start at the October meeting on the twelfth. The pattern is in the September 2010 edition of the Viking if the idea is of interest. You will need a double pointed set of #4 needles, and three 50 gram skeins of yarn, two of one color and one a contrasting color. Red and white or blue and white yarn would be excellent combinations. Interestingly enough, one of the yarn brands recommended is called Peer Gynt. Emily and Matthew Fjestad were awarded their cultural skills medals for completing the youth folk dancing requirements. That means learning song, figure and couple dances plus completing an elective activity. Congratulations! Primarily, we worked on learning the Gammelreinlender, a tur dance or one with many repeated patterns. We tried the line dance, Sinklars Vise, which tells the story of a battle in Gudbrandsdal with Scottish troops. There is a line that is sung by the dancers, De kommer vel over den hede, meaning that they are coming up over the heath. Jomfru, Jomfru was the third dance we rehearsed. Mostly, this one is exhuberant, with lots of action and some singing på norsk. Taking a Trip around Norway is our program theme this year. We started with Kaia and Liv Larsen showing us how to make a map of Norway on our right arm. This was something the girls had learned at Skogfjorden, Norwegian camp this past summer. We focused on cool facts about Trondheim in September. Did you know that Trondheim is the first city in the world to have an elevator for bicycles? With a key card, the elevator will bring bicycles and riders from the river Nid bridge almost up to the Kristiansten Fort. We polished off three batches of freshly made Hjerte vaffler with crème and strawberry jam for our treats after all that dancing. - Susan Stow NORWAY TRIP AUGUST 2013 The deadline to submit items to the Brevet for the coming month is normally the 20th of the previous month. Please keep this time frame in mind, and keep those news items coming! Thanks, Lowell and Linda SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 7

8 Benefit News Why You Need A Roth IRA Investing in a Roth won t reduce next year s tax bill because Roths are funded with aftertax dollars. The payoff comes later. Once you re 59½ and have owned the Roth for at least five years, withdrawals are tax-and penalty-free. That s not the case with traditional IRA s and 401(k) plans. Investing in those accounts will lower your tax bill in the year of the contribution, but future withdrawals will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates, which currently range from 10% t0 39%. That makes Roths particularly attractive for younger workers. If you re just starting out, you re probably in a low tax bracket, which makes the upfront tax savings of a deductible IRA less valuable. A Roth, however, promises decades of tax-free earnings growth. And if you find yourself in a much higher tax bracket when you retire, your tax-free withdrawals will be all the more valuable. For more information schedule a complementary Sons of Norway financial review. Reference: Kiplinger s Personal Finance, September 2013 Greg Hovland Financial Benefits Counselor ltcfinancial@msn.com Middel Lag News This new group is for our younger members. For more information, contact Jana Velo at velo.jana@gmail.com or Sophie Gardner at sophialggardner@gmail.com. In October, we plan to have an orienteering activity with an experienced orienteer bringing equipment and teaching us how to use a compass and a map to find target points in the woods. We will be taking orders for the 2014 Paulstad Classic calendars at our October and November meetings. Cost is $12.50 each, payable when ordering. Delivery will be at our December meeting. Think stocking stuffer! Its not too early to think about language camp Concordia Language Villages Skogfjorden program schedule is already available on their website : Norwegian USA: Bemidji, Minn. Youth Exploration 1 Week Jun 09-Jun 14, 2014 Ages 7-11 Norwegian USA: Bemidji, Minn. Youth Exploration 1 Week Jun 16-Jun 21, 2014 Ages 7-11 Norwegian USA: Bemidji, Minn. Youth Immersion 2 Weeks Jun 09-Jun 21, 2014 Ages 8-12 Norwegian USA: Bemidji, Minn. Youth Immersion 2 Weeks Jun 23-Jul 05, 2014 Ages Norwegian USA: Bemidji, Minn. Youth Immersion 2 Weeks Jun 23-Jul 05, 2014 Ages Norwegian USA: Bemidji, Minn. Youth Immersion 2 Weeks Jul 07-Jul 19, 2014 Ages Please go ahead and register your camper directly with Concordia so that you might take advantage of any early registration discounts. Early bird saves $25 for 1 week and $50-55 for 2 week camps All registration and deposits can be done online. Concordia also offers a payment plan. Once again your lodge will be accepting applications for scholarship assistance which helps to offset the cost for your camper. Details on how to apply for the lodge scholarships are on the lodge website. Kathy Manderscheid SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 8

9 Corner Library By Trudi Johnson-Richards Norwegian by Night is not just a great title, it s also a soulful, humane and funny novel. Spend some time with Sheldon Horowitz and company in the Scandinavian wilderness. This is a Scandinavian mystery with a very different twist. This novel has an unlikely hero and a plot that grabs you and does not let go. Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller is a crime novel, but it is not just a crime novel. Sheldon Horowitz is a proud American and a Jew and 82 years old suffering from dementia. He is a man haunted by the ghosts of his former life and coping with daily frustrations of growing old. He was also a Marine in the Korean War, and a sniper. He was so proud of being a Marine that he made his son into a soldier too who went to Vietnam and was killed. He has always felt guilty about his son s death. Sheldon s wife has just died and he is alone. He raised his granddaughter and grudgingly agreed to leave New York and move in with his granddaughter, Rhea, and her new husband, Lars, in Oslo, Norway: a country of blue and ice with one thousand Jews. Home alone one morning, Sheldon witnesses a dispute between the woman who lives upstairs and an aggressive stranger. The assailant kills the mother, but Sheldon manages to protect the young boy. Sheldon reverts to his Marine days in Korea to escape detection by the police and the murderer. Sheldon seizes and shields the neighbor s young son from the violence, and they flee the scene. As Sheldon and the boy look for a safe place, his past and present weave together. Norwegian by Night introduces a number of unforgettable characters Sheldon and the boy, Rhea and Lars, a Balkan war criminal named Enver, and Sigrid and Petter, the brilliantly dry-witted investigating officers as they chase one another, and their own demons, both real and imagined, through the wilderness. Norwegian by Night is a complex story about nationality, war, loss and forgiveness, and yet, it is a bit of a thriller. Derek B. Miller s novel is refreshingly original. First written in English, the book actually was published in Norwegian before the 2013 English version s release in the United States. While at our cabin in the Black Hills, I read this book from the Grace Balloch Memorial Library in Spearfish, South Dakota. This book is available at the Ramsey County libraries. We wish to thank Axel Torvi and Bob Barduson for volunteering to help with the mailing of the paper copies of the Brevet. Axel will now lead the crew which includes Beryl Boe and Lenore Jesness. Sons of Norway headquarters encourages its lodges to participate in service projects of their own choosing. For many years, Synnove-Nordkap has chosen to do bell-ringing for the Salvation Army. This year we will again be ringing at Byerly s on 94 and Ruth St., Saturday, December 7 th from 9:00-6:00. Two volunteers will be needed from 11:00-1:00, 3:00-5:00, and one other person from 5:00-6:00. Call Mary Beth Mutchler at with questions or to volunteer for one of the shifts. Dear Sons of Norway Member, On October 1st the Sons of Norway Foundation will be launching its second annual on-line auction to support the Draxten Fund. This fund awards camp scholarships or, as we like to call them, "camperships" to assist Sons of Norway youth who want to attend District Norwegian language & heritage camps. This is a very worthwhile cause, so we are asking all members to help make this year's auction a great success. There are two ways in which you may help. First, you may donate* new items worth $50 or more to the auction. Items like gift cards, tickets to sporting events, Nordic hand crafted items and unique experiences make great gift donations. Second, we would love for you to bid on items when the auction goes live from October 1-14, It's just in time for holiday shopping and to find the perfect gift for family, friends and of course, you. On October 1st go to You'll be glad you did! SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 9

10 Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge #1-008 Sons of Norway 3496 Nancy Place Shoreview, Minnesota OFFICERS & COMMITTEE CHAIRS PRESIDENT Kathy Stevens VICE PRES./MEMBERSHIP [OPEN] SECRETARY Dave Mutchler MEMBERSHIP SEC. Trudi Johnson-Richards TREASURER Laura Sherman SOCIAL DIRECTOR Pat Carlson (cell) Sharon Kalmes CULTURAL DIRECTOR [OPEN] COUNSELOR Ron Stow JR LODGE/PEER GYNT DANCERS Susan Stow TRUSTEES Kathy Kaluza Jean Draheim LaRee Opdahl MARSHALL Chuck Draheim ASSISTANT MARSHALL Kathy Kaluza SPORTS DIRECTOR [OPEN] HISTORIAN Lenore Jesness MUSICIAN Susan Stow GREETERS Shirley Brekke Maureen Austinson NEWSLETTER EDITORS Lowell Johnson Linda Holmstrom Dave Mutchler NEWSLETTER MAILERS: Axel Torvi, Bob Barduson, Beryl Boe, Lenore Jesness NEWSLETTER STAFF: Beryl Boe, Lenore Jesness, Trudi Johnson- Richards, Judy Stanke, Ron and Susan Stow PUBLICITY: Leif Erickson ADOPT-A-SCHOOL COORD. Ruth Gibson SUNSHINE Mary Beth Mutchler LIBRARIAN Trudi Johnson-Richards GENEALOGY Cathie Reasoner Fred Matson NORSK CLASSES Sheryl Hove Crystal Bloecher WEBMASTER Dave Mutchler FOUNDATION [OPEN] SCHOLARSHIP Kathy Manderscheid AUDITORS Bob Smith Linda Holmstrom (* All area codes are 651 unless otherwise specified). SYNNØVE-NORDKAP SONS OF NORWAY LODGE #1-008 Gustavus-Adolphus Lutheran Church 1669 Arcade Street St. Paul, MN To: Upcoming Activities October Meeting at Gustavus Adolphus Church, October 8 Annual Torsk and Meatball Dinner with Silent Auction, Saturday, October 26 - Start Planning Now! More Info Inside The Mission of Sons of Norway is to promote and to preserve the heritage and culture of Norway, to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries, and to provide quality insurance and financial products to its members. Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge welcomes visitors and new members. SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 10