SynNor Brevet. September September Meeting to feature Storyteller Pati Kachel! Number 15:8

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1 SynNor Brevet Published monthly by Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge #1-008 WEB SITE: September 2015 Number 15:8 District 1 Lodge of the Year 2013 and Family Lodge of the Year 2006, 2008 September Meeting to feature Storyteller Pati Kachel! "Ya Sure, I m A Norvegin Luteran Pati Kachel shares captivating stories honoring her heritage as a Norwegian Lutheran. With songs, humor and historical information she tells tales of her pioneer ancestors immigration from Norway to their homestead by Paynesville. She has performed this show at The Mindekirken, numerous Sons of Norway lodges, and countless Lutheran churches around the Midwest. Pati is a founding member of the Pauline Fjelde Daughters of Norway Lodge #51 of Minneapolis. Do even Norwegian bachelor farmers love this show? Ya sure, you betcha! "I am thankful I had a grandmother who was full of stories," Kachel said. "She was a wonderful storyteller. She told us what it was like to grow up as one of 11 children on a small farm. The stories she told were wonderful." "My grandmother documented the family history," Kachel said. "She wrote down the stories she told us. I'm drawing from her gift of stories to build this story. It's not just history, it's about the traditions of our family. We're proud of our heritage and we laugh at ourselves. They never forgot where they came from." Kachel has been a storyteller most of her life. For many years, she juggled her vocation graphic arts designer with her avocation. "One paid my bills and the other gave me joy," she said. In addition to her program about Norwegian Lutherans, Kachel offers more than 35 different programs ranging from portraits of inspiring Christian women such as Mother Teresa and Ruth Bell Graham to seasonal stories such as "Move Over, Martha Stewart" and "Irish Tales and Other Blarney." "I write all my own material," she said. "It's a creative process for me. I mix it up. I try to have a variety of spoken word, songs. A lot of my programs are memories and reminiscences and as universal as possible. When Garrison Keillor tells a story, I'm laughing because he's describing my relatives." Kachel likes to end her programs by encouraging the audience to share their own stories. "Each of you have a wealth of memories to share," she said. "If I can keep you engaged and entertained, you can do that, too. Remember your stories and share your stories."

2 Scandinavian Culture and News By Don Halvorson ISLE OF LEWIS CHESSMEN The Isle of Lewis is the largest island in a group of islands off the west coast of Scotland, known as the Outer Hebrides. During and after the Viking era, between the ninth and twelfth centuries, these islands were under the rule of Norway. Early in the year 1831, in a sand bank of Ulg Bay on the west coast of Lewis, a stone box was unearthed, containing a large number of meticulously carved walrus ivory chess pieces and playing tables. When counted, there were 88 chessmen and 14 tables in all. Malcolm Sprot Macleod, the young man who found them, carried them back to his home in Pennydonald, a small hamlet not far from the coast. There he displayed them for a time in his barn before selling them to a Captain Roderick Ryne. Ryne then exhibited them at the Society of Antiquities of Scotland, a part of the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The chessmen were then split up. Eleven pieces were purchased by Kilpatrick Sharp, and the other 67 pieces and 14 tables went to the British Museum, London. Sharp then further sold his eleven pieces to a Bishop who in turn sold them to one Lord Londesborough. In 1888 they were sold again, back to the Society of Antiquities where to this day they remain on display at the National Museum of Scotland. How they arrived on Lewis is lost in time. The most accepted theory is that they were in the possession of a Norwegian merchant whose cargo was bound for Viking lords living in Ireland. Scholars believe that they lost their way. Or, for some reason, left their cargo there on that beach, and never returned. The origin of the chessmen is believed to be the work of a 12 th Century artisan in Trondheim. A broken queen of similar design was found in the excavation of the archbishop s palace there. Some sculpture motifs in the Nidaros Cathedral also follow the same style patterns. Chess pieces and a king piece found in an excavation on Hitra Island near the mouth of Trondheim Fjord also are of similar design. Several Icelandic scholars contend that the use of Bishops in a chess set originated in Iceland, and so the Lewis chessmen also had to originate there. But this theory is disputed by Scottish scholars who insist that the title of bishop originated in England. Still most scholars agree that their origin is undoubtedly Trondheim. Lewis Chessmen, Wikipedia The Enigma of the Lewis Chessmen, Gudmandur G. Thorarinsson, International Symposium at Skalholt Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge normally meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, usually at 7:00 PM at Gustavus Adolphus Church 1669 Arcade Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota (use the South entrance) For information, contact one of our officers. (See back cover for list.) Web Page: < On FaceBook, look for Synnove-Nordkap and Middel Lag Sons of Norway International: < SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 2

3 Lodge News Fra Presidenten Fra presidenten Hallo, hallo kjære medlemer til Sønner av Norge og Synnøve-Nordkap lag. Hello, hello dear members of Sons of Norway and Synnøve- Nordkap lodge. Here we are, standing before the door of the fall season, ready to kick off the next lodge year. As always, there is a lot going on in our lives at this time as we wrap up summer activities and get involved in those of the approaching autumn. Hopefully, you will all plan to attend our September lodge event, details for which are to be found elsewhere in the Brevet. Your board of directors has planned a wonderful evening of fellowship, fun and food. (Please check the Meet Our Member article concerning fellowship.) The aforementioned three-f s are basic to our lodge goals. In April, we heard from our financial representative, Greg Hovland, about the 3-F s of the Sons of Norway. Fraternal, Financial, Foundation are the three legs of the Sons of Norway stool. Each is important only as it helps support the other two. Our lodge, as a part of Zone 9 and of District One, needs to keep the f s and the F s in view as we strive to achieve our goals to continue the success of Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, and, in turn, the Sons of Norway. I challenge all of you to do your part in this effort. I wish you all the best as you transition from summer into fall, and I look forward to seeing you at our September event. Ha det bra! Ron We wish to thank Linda Holmstrom for her four years of service as an editor of this newsletter. Mange tusen takk, Linda! Also, we welcome Lynn Hoffmeyer as a new member of our lodge and as an editor of our newsletter. Lynn is a transfer from the lodge in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, where he served as lodge president for five years. Welcome, Lynn! Sunshine News Best wishes to Ruth Gibson who is recovering from a broken wrist. It is healing well, and the cast will be removed September 12 th. 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 at or dmutchler@q.com. - Thanks! SynNorBrevet, Synnove-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 3

4 Lodge News Board Meeting Minutes, Augest 11, 2015 Attendees: Ron and Susan Stow, Laura Sherman, Kathy Stevens, Kathy Manderscheid, Dianne Anderson, Pat Carlson, Dave and Mary Beth Mutchler, Sharon Amann, and Lynn Hoffmeyer. Ron expressed his thanks for the work that Linda Holmstrom has done on the newsletter for the last four years. Linda s last issue as an assistant editor will be the September newsletter. We thank her for her diligence on this job. Ron also welcomed Lynn Hoffmeyer to our lodge and as a member of the Board. A past president of the SON lodge in Black River Falls, WI, Lynn has agreed to help us with the newsletter and as a photographer. Welcome, Lynn! After a warm-up discussion of our summertime activities, we then discussed the lodge picnic on June 16. The picnic went very well, with many favorable reports on the catered meal by Magnolia s Restaurant. The games were a success, the Maypole looked great, and folks had fun. Except for the cool weather, everything went very well. With more than 80 people, this event is so well attended by families and guests that it could serve as a Membership Dinner. We previewed the September meeting, at which storyteller Pati Kachel will present Ya Sure, I m a Norvegin Luteran. We passed a motion (Mary Beth/Dave) to pay her $200 for her presentation. Dave will contact Bill Lund to be sure that we are on the Gustavus Adolphus calendar for this meeting so there are no surprises. Mary Beth verified that Roseanne Brekken is scheduled to do her wing walker presentation for our October meeting. This, too, is an excellent program which the Norsota lodge greatly enjoyed. Mary Beth contacted a fellow from the Olsen Fish Company for a possible program in November, but he cannot do so due to his family commitments. Lynn will contact a pastor who gave several presentations to their Wisconsin lodge. Another possibility would be the lady who gave the Nordic walking stick presentation at our lodge several years ago. Laura stated that the checks for college scholarships will go out later this week. She will contact Kathy M. when they do, so that Kathy can send letters to the recipients to let them know. Kathy led a discussion to add other people to the newly-formed Scholarship Committee. She got some good suggestions to contact as potential members. We discussed sending a letter of congratulations to Sons of Norway President Eivind Heiberg, who was recently named the honorary consulate general to Norway. Susan will write the first draft and send it to Sharon next, as they are the ones who expressed the idea. Susan had a Junior Lodge report. Her theme this year will be 3, 2, 1, Dance. They will also be finishing up the craft pins from last year, as only two pins were earned. It seems that if the project isn t completed at the Jr. Lodge meeting in a group setting, very few of the kids complete it on their own. The summer camp scholarship winners wish to thank the Senior lodge at the September lodge meeting. Ron gave a report on the New Land, New Life (NLNL) exhibit, which is currently in Wilmar. Unfortunately, three of the panels have gotten damaged and will need to be replaced, with that lodge bearing the cost for this. The next stop for the exhibit is Moorhead, with stops scheduled into Kathy M. informed the board that she prefers to be removed from Foundation director. She informed the group that due to conflicts with a church service committee and classes at Mindekirken that she would be very limited in attending Tuesday meetings the rest of the year. She intends to participate re board business via and continue to be director of scholarships. Dave led a continued discussion regarding unloading some of the various duties he has assumed over the years. He is willing to continue as webmaster, secretary, and keeper of the lodge s and directory, as these jobs are very closely related. He wishes to phase out of the newsletter by the end of the year. It is very fortunate that Lynn has stepped up at this time, but Lowell will need another editor if the newsletter is to remain at its present size. We discussed some candidates. Dave will give them a call. Sharon Amann is willing to take over making the name tags for new members. Ron Stow will use this year s Silent Auction to learn from Dave what is needed to take over this job. Some other tasks are still being worked. Laura gave a brief Treasurer s report to the Board. Submitted by: Dave Mutchler, Secretary The next board of directors meeting will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 1 in the Board Room in the Maplewood Library. SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 4

5 Tues. Sep 1 Sat. Sep. 5 Tues. Sept. 8 Sat. Oct. 3 Tues. Oct.13 Sat Oct. 24 Synnøve-Nordkap Board Meeting Maplewood Library Board Room) 3025 Southlawn Dr.(W. of Maplewood Mall Genealogy Group Meeting Maplewood Library - see box to right Synnove-Nordkap Lodge Meeting Storyteller Pati Kachel: "Ya Sure, I'm a Norvegin Luteran." See for a preview of this delightful presentation. Genealogy Group Meeting Maplewood Library Synnove-Nordkap Lodge Meeting Roseanne Brekken: Wing Walker from Richfield with Norsk roots. Torsk and Meatball Dinner and Silent Auction Heads up! Save this date! See the next page for more information. 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM 10:00 AM to Noon 7:00 PM 10:00 AM to Noon 7:00 PM 5:00 PM Genealogy Group At the September meeting of the Genealogy Group, we will continue our discussion of how to effectively search in the New Digitalarkivet. The meeting will be at the Maplewood Library, 3025 Southlawn Dr. (W. of Maplewood Mall) from 10 am to noon on September 5 th. An optional lunch at a nearby restaurant will follow the meeting. Mindekirken Events: Go to for more information on activities. Norwegian Language Classes (1) "Norwegian In Five Minutes A Month" series. Class 6:30-7:00 PM Tuesdays before lodge meetings. (2) Norsk Nordmenn og Norge Class will be held on the second and fourth Wednesdays in Sept - the 8 th and the 22nd from 6:30-7:45 PM at the Hayden Heights Library at White Bear & Arlington Avenues. Interested members please contact Crystal Bloecher, ALL ARE WELCOME! SynNorBrevet, Synnove-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 5

6 TORSK & MEATBALL DINNER, BAKE SALE AND SILENT AUCTION FUNDRAISER SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015 Synnøve-Nordkap Sons of Norway Lodge Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church ADVANCED RESERVATIONS ONLY DUE MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2014 One Seating at 5:00 PM Cost: $17.00 Adults $7.00 Child 6-10 Free Child 0-5 Reservations: Mary Beth Mutchler, or Non-refundable check payable to: Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge Mail check to: Mary Beth Mutchler 3496 Nancy Place Shoreview, MN Pick up tickets at door or enclose stamped self-addressed envelope with check. The meal consists of torsk (cod), meatballs, roasted red potatoes with dill, coleslaw, mashed rutabagas/carrots, lefse, rice pudding, cookies, coffee, and milk. Notes Regarding Torsk & Meatball Dinner Fundraiser Our annual Torsk and Meatball Dinner will be held on Saturday, October 24 th, at 5:00 PM at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church. We will also have our Silent Auction and Bake Sale. Sign-up sheets to work and ticket sales will begin at our September meeting. Start thinking now about how you can help and what you can donate to the silent auction and bake sale to make them a success. Need ideas? Silent auction: sweaters, books, greeting cards, CD s, crafts, collectibles, Scandinavian items, bunads, 1, 2, 3 hours of yard work or housework or instruction time in Norwegian baking, genealogy, translating help. These are just a few ideas. We re sure you can come up with others. Bake sale: pies, cookies, bars, breads and rolls, jams, jellies, candies, pickles, Scandinavian goodies, etc. SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 6

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8 Benefit News 2015 Medicare Annual Election Period - Part 1 The Annual Election Period (AEP) is an annual open enrollment period for Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug coverage that takes place from October 15 to December 7 every year. During AEP, you may: Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan. Switch from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare. Switch from a Medicare Advantage plan to different Medicare Advantage plan. Switch from a Medicare Advantage plan that doesn t include drug coverage to one that does, and vice versa. Join a Medicare prescription drug plan. Switch from one Medicare prescription drug plan to another one. Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage. You should carefully review your current Medicare coverage before AEP to see if it s still meeting your health needs. Now is the time to take stock of what health services you typically use and whether you re getting covered for them at a cost you re comfortable with. Think of it as an annual check-up for your Medicare coverage. For more information schedule a complementary Sons of Norway financial review. Greg Hovland Financial Benefits Counselor ltcfinancial@msn.com Meet Our Member, For Each Of Us Fellowship is one of the basics of the Synnøve-Nordkap credo. It is the glue which holds our lodge together. Of course, the fun and the food are important, too. However, I feel that the enjoyment of talking with other attendees at lodge events is what most members, and guests, comment on when asked what they like about Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge. It is with this in mind that I urge each and every one of you to seek out someone at lodge events with whom you are not acquainted and to greet them, to introduce yourself and to carry on a conversation, the topic of which is your choice. Who knows what can come of that? It can only be good. In this way, you can write your own Meet Our Member article, answering the question marks yourself. Can you imagine what life would be like if Ole had never gone over and introduced himself to Sven at the Sons of Norway meeting? -Ron SynNorBrevet, Synnøve-Nordkap Lodge, Issue Page 8

9 Corner Library By Trudi Johnson-Richards Editor s note: Trudi just got back in town and sent this article on Norway House. Her regular column will resume next month. Norway House. The Norway House recently opened at 913 East Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis. The complex is called the National Norwegian Center in America. Norway House is like the American Swedish Institute or the Danish American Center all of which show Scandinavian culture in Minnesota. The building is a remodeled credit union (12,000 square foot renovation) across from Mindekirken, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial. Mindekirken is the only scheduled U. S. Sunday services spoken in Norwegian. The project was started in 2004 by Royal Norwegian Consul, Thor Johansen, who wondered why Norwegians here did not have something like the American Swedish Institute. The building includes an art gallery, coffee shop, the East Lake Street Scandinavian market and a gift shop. The second floor includes office space for Norwegian-American organizations and other organizations. East Lake Street has rebounded and so has business. It was once a hub of Minneapolis-Scandinavian life. Two articles were written in the Minneapolis Star Tribune on July 1, 2015 and July 13, The first article was written by Neal St. Anthony entitled City block revamp has roots in Norway. The second article was written by Kim Ode entitled Skal! To Norway House. A little humor courtesy of Sharon Amann A senior citizen was clearing out his attic when he came upon an old painting and a violin. Thinking they might be valuable, he took them to the auction house to be valued. After studying them, the appraiser said, "Mr Cooper, I have good news and I have bad news." "What's the good news?" the senior asked. "The good news is that you have a Stradivarius and a Picasso," replied the appraiser. "Fantastic! What's the bad news?" "Well sir, the bad news is that Stradivarius was a very bad painter and Picasso was no good with violins.". Two older men were overheard talking about their health problems at church. "My new doctor doesn't just treat the symptoms, he treats both the mind and the body." "Hmm," the second man grunted and thought for a moment; then he asked, "Does he give a discount if the mind is already gone?" 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, Lynn, and Dave. 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 Ron Stow VICE PRES./MEMBERSHIP Sharon Amann SECRETARY Dave Mutchler MEMBERSHIP SEC. Trudi Johnson-Richards TREASURER Laura Sherman SOCIAL DIRECTOR Pat Carlson (cell) Dianne Anderson COUNSELOR Kathy Stevens JR LODGE/PEER GYNT DANCERS Susan Stow TRUSTEES Kathy Kaluza LaRee Opdahl MARSHALL Sylvia Vaala ASSISTANT MARSHALL Chuck Draheim SPORTS DIRECTOR Lowell Johnson HISTORIAN Lenore Jesness MUSICIAN Susan Stow GREETERS Shirley Brekke Maureen Austinson NEWSLETTER EDITORS Lowell Johnson Lynn Hoffmeyer Dave and Mary Beth Mutchler NEWSLETTER MAILERS: Axel Torvi & Scott Torvi NEWSLETTER STAFF: Trudi Johnson- Richards, Ron and Susan Stow, Don Halvorson PUBLICITY: Leif Erickson Jana Stow Velo SUNSHINE Mary Beth Mutchler LIBRARIAN Trudi Johnson-Richards GENEALOGY Cathie Reasoner Fred Matson NORSK CLASSES Crystal Bloecher WEBMASTER Dave Mutchler FOUNDATION [OPEN] SCHOLARSHIP Kathy Manderscheid AUDITORS Chuck Draheim Linda Holmstrom Wayne Bjorum (* 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 Sat. Sept. 5 - Genealogy Group Meeting Tues. Sept. 8 - Storyteller Pati Kachel: "Ya Sure, I'm a Norvegin Luteran Sat. Oct Torsk & Meatball Dinner and Silent Auction 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.