Publisher Margaret Grisdale Email news to --grisdale7018@shaw.ca Phone (403) 251-7018 Volume 1 issue 5 December 2006 The club s new phone line is (403) 214-1805 LEIF EIRIKSSON ICELANDIC CLUB EXECUTIVE President Ron Goodman Ph. 932-4331 Vice President Brent Grisdale Ph. 276-7053 Secretary Karly Thorleifson Ph. 228-1365 Treasurer Ross Oddson Ph. 281-0772 Membership Recorder Gwen Mann Ph. 242-9714 Dates to remember January 19, 2007 Dr. Brigitta Wallace January 26, 2007 Whist at Scan Centre January 28, 2007 A.G.M. February 18 & 19, 2007 Casino March 23, 2007 Julian Thorsteinson April 15, 2007, Vikingur Olafsson, Details TBA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING JANUARY 28, 2007 SCANDINAVIAN CENTRE 5:00 P.M. Pot Luck Dinner 7:00 P.M. Annual General Meeting PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Ron Goodman The Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club s Christmas party continues to be the best attended event of our club. More than 200 people, including over 60 youngsters enjoyed a fine meal together with Icelandic foods before the meal and Icelandic desserts afterwards. The play Have You Seen the Jólasveinar?, directed by Iris Torfason, reminded young and old of some of their Icelandic Yuletide traditions. The success of this party is due to the numerous volunteers contributing their time and effort. The Club has an ambitious program planned for 2007 including two speakers, a whist party and the classical musical concert by an Icelandic pianist. Details can be found in this newsletter or on our 24 hour information line (403) 214-1805 NANCY MILLAR FEATURED AT ANNUAL MEETING By Carol Blyth Nancy Millar, local Historian and Author, will be presenting a humorous, provocative rendition of her latest book, The Unmentionables That Won the West at the Annual meeting on January 28 th. The book can be described as undressing our western history- how underwear and other unmentionables affected the lives of women in the west. Featured will be a Readers Theatre-vignettes that Nancy Millar has written, which will bring to life the message of the book. Nine members of the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club will perform as part of the presentation. She will also have her books for sale It will be an event you will not want to miss!! Come and enjoy the potluck supper, the Annual meeting and Nancy s presentation, which is guaranteed to make us look at history in a different way. It will be fun and informative. Santa with Jasmine Sigurdson Garry Oddleifson, Pres. of INl, Fjallkona Julie Sopher & Ron Both photos by Karl Torfason The executive of the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club wishes one and all Merry Christmas Happy New Year Gleðileg jól Gleðilegt ár
CASINO On Sunday, February 18 and Monday, February 19, 2007 the club will be operating a Casino at the new Deerfoot Inn & Casino at 11500 35 Street SE, Calgary. We need volunteers for all positions for either afternoon or evening shifts so if you have not already signed up and would like to help, please phone Milt Brandson at 948-7319 or Brent Grisdale at 276-7053 to indicate how you can help in this fund raising activity. MEMBERSHIP Please welcome new members: Bekki Anderson Carol, Peter, Sean and Jen Elliott Mary & Tom Vanness, Montrose, B.C. I would like to thank all the members who have sent there 2007 memberships to me. This will help get my work completed before it s time to renew the subscriptions with the Lögberg- Heimskringla in the middle of January. For those that have not sent their membership renewals, they are due January 1, 2007. Please call if you need information:- Gwen Mann 242 9714 January 19, 2007 SPEAKER S SERIES Ron Goodman Dr. Brigitta Wallace - Senior Archaeologist (emeriti) Parks Canada, Halifax Leif Eriksson Slept Here: Situating L'Anse aux Meadows in the Vinland Sagas. See attached poster. March 23, 2007 Julian Thorsteinson - Freelance Communications Consultant/Writer/Translator/Editor, Vancouver, Translating from Icelandic to English: the Prose Edda. Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club of Calgary Distinguished Speaker Series presents Dr. Birgitta Wallace Senior Archaeologist (emeritus) Parks Canada, Halifax LEIF ERIKSSON SLEPT HERE: SITUATING L ANSE AUX MEADOWS IN THE VINLAND SAGAS The presence of the medieval Norse in North America has been hotly debated for more than 160 years. Work at L'Anse aux Meadows in northern Newfoundland by Anne Stine Ingstad in the 1960s furnished the first physical evidence of a Norse presence there c. AD 1000. Parks Canada added substantially to the evidence during excavations in the 1970s. Together with research in Iceland and Greenland the archaeology makes it possible to understand L'Anse aux Meadows within the context of the Vinland sagas. L'Anse aux Meadows is Leif Eriksson s base in Vinland and the Straumfjord of Erik the Red's Saga. The Norse presence in North America was confined to exploration and exploitation of resources. Vinland lay around the coastal regions of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, stretching from L'Anse aux Meadows and the Strait of Belle Isle and in the north to New Brunswick in the south. Dr. Wallace is an internationally known and recognized archaeologist. She worked for many years with Parks Canada at the Viking site found at L'Anse aux Meadows NL. 7:30 pm, Friday, January 19, 2007 Calgary Scandinavian Centre, Viking Hall 739-20 Ave., N.W. Calgary No Charge, Refreshments to follow (silver, collection) 2
CARE AND CONCERN Iris Torfason Best wishes to Lil Hiebert and Clare Bildfell who have both recently been in hospital and are now home. Thanks to Sigrun Magnason for taking such good care of Lil after her discharge from hospital. Get Well wishes go out to both of you. The Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club is sad to announce the passing of two of our Honourary members. We send our sincerest condolences to their families. Dean Constantine Oltean Dean Oltean, beloved husband of Eleanor of Calgary, passed away on Friday, October 20, 2006 at the age of 87 years. Dean came to Calgary in 1984. He was a long time member of the Icelandic Club in both the Regina, SK and the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club where he and his wife Eleanor were honourary members. Dean will be greatly missed by his wife of 58 years and by all his friends at the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club. Gudrun Davidson Gudrun (nee Johnson) Davidson passed away November 4, 2006. She was a founding member of the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club and one of our dear honourary members. Congratulations to Thordis and Nelson Gutnick s grand-daughter, Signy, who will be presenting a speech to the United Nations this month. Thordis is on her way to France to visit with her daughter and family and attend the United Nations program in Geneva, Switzerland. We are anxious to hear more of your visit, Thordis! LIBRARY New books arriving in the library in January include mysteries by Arnaldur Indriðason. For a last minute stocking stuffer how about a beautifully illustrated book by Svala Arnason Dunn, The Christmas Trolls of Iceland only $12.00. Call Christine at 244-1560. SNORRI PROGRAM The Snorri Program's application form has been updated on the website: www.snorri.is. The application deadline will soon be approaching; January 17, 2007. We prefer to have the applications in this month though. If anyone is interested in Snorri Plus please act fast because the spots for 2007 are filling up very fast! Best regards, Ásta Sol Kristjánsdóttir, Project Manager The Snorri Program and Snorri Plus Scholarships available from LEIC, call Ron Goodman at 932-4331. ICELANDIC CLASSES We have completed a very successful fall session, and we now invite you to join us for the next series of 10 classes beginning on Monday, January 15 th, 7 pm to 9 pm. Our instructor, Guðrún Jörunsdóttir, is extremely knowledgeable, the classes are always interesting, the participants are entusiastic, and we have fun while learning to speak, to read, to understand something of the Icelandic language and culture. Whether you know a little Icelandic or none at all, you will learn from and enjoy these classes. For more information please call Christine Stuart-Smith at 244-1560 or just come to the Scandinavian Centre on January 15 th at 7 p.m. Whist in the Valhalla Room The tentative date for our next Whist (card) party is Friday, January 26, 2007 from 1 to 4 p.m. The afternoon will begin with 12 rounds of Whist and end with refreshments being served and prizes awarded. There will be a nominal charge for tickets as this senior's event will be subsidized by Icelandic Club casino funds. We should have at least 16 people signed up for this to go ahead. If interested in adding your name to the list, please contact Linda or Lorne @ 241-0778. 3
BUS TOUR TO CHRISTMAS IN MARKERVILLE Kelly Flemming and Diane Van Iderstine On Friday, November 3rd, a group of thirty people consisting of LEIC members and friends boarded a highway motor coach bus bound for Dickson and the annual Christmas in Markerville event. During the trip to Markerville and on the return trip to Calgary, long time LEIC member, Margret Geppert, entertained the group by leading in the singing of Icelandic Christmas songs. She also related some delightful stories and jokes which were enjoyed by all. Tasty bag lunches of sandwiches, and juices were served on the bus, thus, the group had more time to shop and visit all the venues. The first stop was the Dickson Driving Range Gift Shop, now known as Classy Glass. Hot apple cider and hot chocolate along with home-baked goodies greeted the shoppers upon their arrival. The second stop was Gammel House Gift Shop in Dickson where shoppers could sample fresh veggies and a variety of dips. Both shops had a variety of Christmas gift ideas to choose from. Markerville was the next destination. The 6th annual "cookie walk" was the most frequented attraction for shoppers. Other venues visited were the Fensala Hall where venders had their wares beautifully displayed, Marlene's Krafty Korner and the Kemp House. Enroute back to Calgary, a stop at Innisfail Meats gave the travellers an opportunity to purchase fresh meats and other products, with the lamb meat section being the most popular! Back in Calgary, a group picture was taken and everyone headed home. It was a full day of activities for all. Many thanks to all the wonderful people at Dickson and at Markerville who helped to make our visit enjoyable. The Leif Eiriksson Club thanks Kelly and Diane for organizing such a fun day, Kudos to you! Kelly Flemming and Diane Van Iderstine at Gammel House Wedding Bells Ring in Foam Lake Linda Bjarnason On Saturday, October 7 2006, Anna Ingrid Thorsteinson married Jason Lyle Dagnall. The service was officiated by Terry Tompkins, who is a Justice of the Peace and retired minister. Anna and Jason were married in their Foam Lake, Saskatchewan home surrounded by immediate family and close friends. Anna has been a longtime member of the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club of Calgary. Her parents, Ray and Jean Thorsteinson, were founding members of this Club. Although Anna will be dearly missed by her Calgary relatives and friends, they are all extremely happy for her as she begins a new life in Foam Lake with Jason. 4
Calling all Scarf Angels! My dear Angels: Knitting needles and crochet hooks need only your hands to create more magic for our homeless friends at Inn from the Cold (IFC). The scarves you have made in the past have brought such blessings to the recipients. My contact at IFC has said that this simple act of kindness has brought tears of gratitude from many recipients. They have displayed a sense of wonder learning that people they don't even know would reach out in this special way. Can you lend your hands and hearts to the Angel project again this winter? I have all kinds of yarn that has been donated by Mary Stewart (and others) and will find a way to deliver it to you if needed. Personally, I prefer to make my scarves very long so they can be wrapped around heads and necks a few times to ward off the cold. I usually cast on about 30 stitches and make the scarves about knee length. ANY formula you use is gratefully received. If you know of anyone in your circle of friends or church group who would be interested in joining our Angel Brigade, which would be wonderful! Call me at 269-5413. All of you bring blessings, and ARE blessings to our street folk on the desperately cold days we've been having. God bless you ALL. Freda. L.E.I.C. CHRISTMAS BAZAAR Christine Stuart-Smith and Kelly Flemming Co-ordinators NOVEMBER 5 TH, 2006 was once again our annual Christmas bazaar at the Scan Centre and it was a great success. Members donated a nice variety of home baking, preserves, note cards, cookbooks, beautiful hand-sewn items, Icelandic needlepoint fridge magnets, and of course, we had our feature item, gift-wrapped vinarterta cakes made by our members at the October vinarterta bee. The newly printed 2007 Icelandic calendars were offered for sale at this event, as well. Shoppers were invited to sample vinarterta before purchasing a cake or to enter a draw to win an $18 vinarterta cake. $64 was taken in for the raffle. We had fewer cakes for sale this year as only 8 ½ cakes were made at our annual bee. One of these sheets was reserved for the Christmas party, half of a sixlayer cake was used for sampling and a quarter cake was used for the raffle. The proceeds from the sale will amount to approximately $800 when all the monies come in. Last year we made approximately $900, but we also had more vinarterta cakes for sale. It is nice to see last year s new customers head for our table to purchase the vinarterta introduced to them in 2005. Our volunteers offered information about our L.E.I.C. events, and answered questions about our Icelandic heritage. Many thanks to the members who donated items for the sale and to the volunteers who gave their time and effort to make this annual fund raising event a success and a fun time of fellowship. We have enjoyed another wonderful Christmas party at the Hungarian Cultural Centre. Thanks to Glen Narfason and his committee of Gwen Mann, Kelly Flemming, Drew Anderson, Ross Oddson, Mavis Marteinson, Gail O Dwyer, Iris & Karl Torfason, Ron Goodman, Victor & Marilynne Laxdal, Diane Van Iderstine and all the helpers. Thanks to all who prepared the special Icelandic foods and to Linda and Lorne Bjarnason for their diligent work in the kitchen serving up the Icelandic hors d oeuvre and desserts. A special thank you to Santa Clause and Mrs. Santa for making a special visit to our party. Thanks, Carol. Newsletter editor: Margaret Grisdale Phone (403) 251-7018 Dancing around the Christmas tree 5
L.E.I.C. PHOTO ALBUM Peggy Auchstaetter with her great grandchildren Lucas Redfern with Santa and Mrs. Santa Photo by Margaret Grisdale Kelly, Dale and Michelle Flemming with children Mrs. Santa with Brigette Grisdale Photo by Margaret Grisdale Ross Oddson with his family Meet the Jólasveinar with Mother Grýla and Father Leppalúði. Thanks Iris, Victor and children for a wonderful enactment of the 13 lads of Christmas. Photo by Karl Torfason 6