FJELL-LJOM.. (MOUNTAIN ECHOES).. BLÅFJELL LODGE 3-646
March 2015
President: Sharon Rohrback 540-774-0006
Vice President: Joann Barfield 540-380-2926
Secretary: Kathy Clark 540-977-2349
Treasurer: Robert Rohrback 540-774-0006
Editor: Robin Lambert 540-904-1817
____________________________________________________________________________________
Blåfjell's website: sonsofnorwayblafjell.org
Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/SonsOfNorwayBlaFjell
================================================================================
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Sons of Norway is to preserve and cherish a lasting appreciation of the
heritage and culture of Norway and the other Nordic countries.
================================================================================
Regularly scheduled meetings:
Fourth Saturday of each month, 3:00 PM,
College Lutheran Church, 210 South College Avenue, Salem
(except for special events)
================================================================================
NEXT MEETING:
SATURDAY, March 28, 2015 3-5 PM
College Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall
Program: Denmark and Sweden history and culture
Presentation: Nathalie Givens will tell of her experiences when visiting her cousin in Denmark
and Danish heritage and see a demonstration on how to prepare Swedish hash
Presentation: Michael Beck, Sons of Norway Financial Benefits Counselor
================================================================================
BLÅFJELL PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:
As I write this, I'm hoping we have no more snow or ice for the month of March. Rain is ok; I certainly
don't want a later drought condition. To paraphrase a message in another lodge's newsletter, I guess
Nordic people are supposed to be staunch and not fazed by rain, nor snow, nor sleet". But we are also
prudent, and for safety reasons canceled the February meeting because many members were ill or still
locked in by snow and ice.
March
The program and snacks will combine the February program on Denmark with the March program on
Sweden. We will hear about the culture of, and taste food of, both countries. It is always good to hear
about the other Nordic countries.
April
As chair of the program for the April meeting, I'm going to give an advance plug for our "Share Your Ancestry"
meeting. Blafjell Lodge members of Nordic heritage should bring a picture or two of their Nordic ancestors to post on a board,
any other items you may wish to display, and if you wish give a brief 5 minute talk. We will also have a map on which we will
use ribbon to show the immigration route of our ancestor: from the area in a Nordic country to the final area in America. We
hope to have a lot of participation in this; invite your friends to come.
Third District Website (3dsofn.org) I strongly encourage you to stay up-to-date with news from the Third District covering
lodges along the East Coast. Many ideas, pictures, and notices from Third District Board and 3D lodges are shared. There are
Page 1 of 7
many links to choose from. One I especially enjoy is the "District Newsletter" choice in the right hand column enabling us to
view the monthly Third District Today (TDT) publication.
Submitted by Lodge President, Sharon Rohrback
========================================================================
VICE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE:
Did you read "Recruit to Win: Is Your Lodge up to the Challenge?" (page 33) in the February issue of the Viking? This is our
opportunity to shine! (With the last two new members of 2014 not counted until 2015, we have a head start on the new year!)
For the third consecutive year, SON is sponsoring the Lodge Recruitment Challenge contest, which recognizes the best lodges,
based on net growth throughout the year ..
EVERY ONE RECRUIT ONE!
To launch our Blåfjell Lodge participation in this competition, our Board is planning a Prospective Member Breakfast event on
the first Saturday of April at Famous Anthony's on Highway 460 East in Roanoke. This will be an informal fellowship event to
give prospective members a brief look at our organization, who we are and what we do.. Let’s have every member treat a
prospective member to a nice breakfast and a time to get acquainted .. We need to have a count by the last Saturday of March in
order to make a room reservation .. Give your numbers to Sharon or Joann!
MEMBERSHP BONES
Someone has said that membership in every association is made up of four kinds of bones:
There are WISH BONES who spend their time wishing someone else would do the work.
There are JAW BONES who do all the talking but very little else.
Next there are KNUCKLE BONES who knock everything that anyone ever tries to do.
Finally, there are BACK BONES who get under the load and do the work!
From SON, District 3, Membership
Submitted by Lodge Vice President, Joann Barfield
================================================================================
CULTURAL DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:
ALL ABOUT SWEDEN
Sweden is on the program for our next meeting and I have been there as an exchange teacher to
witness a "love of learning" in babies, children, adults, and old people. It seems Swedes have a
thirst for learning that carries them through their entire life, which gives them the title,"
lifelong learners." Children in school learn to cook, sew, and work with metals in their early
years. As a culture, they learn to be independent, self- sufficient, efficient, and take care their
people because everyone is entitled to a certain standard of living. This means they also pay
higher taxes.
Here are some terms that you will hear about:
Volvo…Vikings…Electrolux...Lutheran...St.Lucia....Dalarna...dynamite...matches....Sami....Linnaeus....Stockholm....lemmings....
moose.....hedgehogs.
SONS OF NORWAY YARD SALE is in APRIL this year. It's time to start collecting items to sell in the yard sale. We take
anything that is clean and in good condition. We ask that you price the items you donate with reasonable prices and nothing
under a quarter. Bring your items to Cheri Johnson's house at 2239 Pommel Drive, Roanoke, Va. the week before the sale. We
will need volunteers to work the day of the sale. Items left over will be used for the fall sale in September. Items that are popular
are: toys, linens, kitchenware, Holiday decorations, books, DVD's, electronics, children, teen, and adult clothes, tools, sports
equipment, fishing/hunting, and furniture/ antiques. Remember a yard sale is PURE PROFIT. Board members should donate at
least 50 items....regular members 10 items. We need a quantity of items to draw people to the sale. Thank you for helping our
organization.
Submitted by Lodge Cultural Director, Cheri Johnson
================================================================================
MINUTES OF FEBRUARY MEETING:
The February meeting was canceled due to weather and illness.
====================================================================================
MEMBER NEWS:
Gratuleer Med Dagen
March birthdays: Georgia Carr 3/5
Anne Hoose 3/10
Holly Hartman 3/15
Page 2 of 7
CONDOLENCES:
The Blåfjell Lodge extends our sincere condolences to Cheri Johnson and family for the loss of her nephew on Feb. 23, 2015
after a long illness and to Bob and Sharon Rohrback for the loss of Bob’s uncle.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Prayers of continued healing for Lisa (Marlin's daughter) whose outpatient ankle surgery lasted two hours and she went home,
but she is in a lot of pain, on heavy-duty medicine.
2. Prayers of thanksgiving for Vernon Ferguson and friend William, who moved to Blacksburg
the end of February for a much easier commute to school and to work.
GOLDEN MEMBER:
Karen-Solvi Smiley receiving your Golden Member 30 year pin at Blåfjell Lodge’s 18th
Anniversary Dinner on October 25, 2014. This picture was published in the Third District
Today (TDT) March 2015 newsletter. Congratulations!
View entire TDT magazine online: http://www.3dsofn.org/documents/TDTMarch2015.pdf.
=========================================================================================
Getting to Know You:
Blå Fjell - Creation of a New Sons of Norway Lodge
Arvid Myklebust
Wally Post contacted me in 1996 about the potential creation of a Son's of Norway
Lodge in the Roanoke area. I don't recall how he located me or how I learned about it
but a brief history of my immigrant experience may show why I happily assisted with
the challenge.
In 1949 I came with my father, mother, sister, and brother from Bergen, Norway to
New York aboard the S/S Stavangerfjord of the Norwegian-America Line. She made
her last ocean crossing in July 1974 and was retired as a freighter in the east. We
immediately took a train to Miami, where our immigration sponsors (required in those
days) operated a large dairy farm, Edgemere Dairy. They were second generation
immigrants from my father's family in Uskedal, Hardangerfjord, Norway. The farm
was sold in 1957 and became the extensive set of shopping malls known as Palm
Springs Mile on the outskirts of Hialeah.
In the 50's there were perhaps seven or eight Norwegian immigrant families in
Miami. We knew nothing of the Sons of Norway, but we formed a small group we
called the Norwegian club. I fondly recall the Christmas dinners and dancing
around the tree singing carols. Before long many of these families moved north to
Ft. Lauderdale or Palm Beach. Unlike the Chinese, Irish, or Italian immigrant
communities we were very isolated and Sons of Norway had not extended so far
south.
In 1974-75 I returned to Norway at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH)
on a Post-doctorate Fellowship from the Royal Norwegian Council of Scientific
and Industrial Research. On returning to the US, I held posts at University of
Arkansas, Florida Atlantic University and finally Virginia Tech. There seemed to
be very few people of Norwegian descent in these places so I was very interested
to hear about a possible Sons of Norway lodge, even though I was very busy with
my career and farm.
At first, Wally told me we might not have enough members to qualify to form a lodge. So I enrolled my mother,
sister Gunn, her husband and daughter who were in Orlando, and my son, Torolf, who was in New York. My son
and mother have long since moved back to Norway. I enrolled Jan Helge Bøhn, another Norwegian at Virginia
Tech, whom I had hired to eventually take over my research and teaching laboratory, the VT CAD Lab. I also
Page 3 of 7
recruited the VT president, Paul Torgersen whom I knew to be of Norwegian descent on both sides of his
family. He had hired me when he was Dean of Engineering.
As you can see in the attached Blå Fjell Lodge Institution brochure, we did
succeed in recruiting a sufficient number of members anyway. Although I had
little time available to participate in the lodge events, I had experience running
conferences through Virginia Tech so I volunteered to organize the Institution
ceremony and banquet at the Hotel Roanoke on October 12, 1996, with a block of
rooms for the visiting SON dignitaries.
It was a grand event, with tuxedos or Bunads suggested, and a fair number of
Bunads showed up. The initiation ceremonies were dignified and meaningful. The
menu included Prime Rib or Salmon entrees.
They didn't know how to make a Bløtkake but
the dessert was fine nevertheless.
I recruited the Reed Island Rounders to play
local music for us. I knew the fiddler, Betty
Vornbrock, from a Waltz fiddle class at the
Augusta Festival. She was a winner of the
famous Galax Fiddlers Convention.
The hit of the show though was Professor John Hitchings of Radford Music
Department who played four Slåttar of Johan Halvorsen. He was recruited by
Wally. Oddly I knew him before through a Vietnamese couple we both knew but
never realized he could play Norwegian Slåttar.
It is amusing to realize that both Wally and I missed perhaps the best
entertainment available, Dan Tyminski, who had joined the lodge with his wife
Elise Stigum Tyminski. At the last moment Dan was called away for a gig and
only his wife attended. Some of you might recall that Dan and his group became very famous after doing the music
for the Coen brothers movie "O Brother".
One of our Sons of Norway visitors, Former International Vice President Richard Tønnesen, had many fine words to
say about the loyalty of members and the value of the society. For my part, after many years feeling like a lone
Norwegian in the South, I was pleased to learn the Norwegians are all around us. It was quite a wonderful
experience.
And as they say "A good time was had by all".
Submitted by Lodge Member, Arvid Myklebust
=========================================================================================
Book Corner:
The People of Hemsö (Swedish: Hemsöborna) is an 1887 novel by August Strindberg about the life of people
of the island Hemsö in his beloved Stockholm archipelago. Hemsö is a fictional island, but it is based on
Kymmendö where Strindberg had spent time in his youth. Strindberg wrote the book to combat
his homesickness while living abroad in Germany and France.
It is a feat of straightforward folksy storytelling. Written during a difficult period in exile from Sweden, the
novel paradoxically has a strong sense of place. Mrs. Flod, a widow of some means, hires Carlsson to run the
farm on the island. As a newcomer and a landlubber among sailors and fishermen, Carlsson is implicitly distrusted by the locals
as they try to discern whether Carlsson is a slippery confidence trickster preying on the lonely widow, or an honest, hard-working
man revitalizing the neglected farm.
In 1955 a movie based on the novel was shown and in 1966 a TV series based on the novel was produced.
====================================================================================
Page 4 of 7
Nordic Recipe:
Swedish Hash (Pytt I Panna)
Serves 4 to 6
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ¼ inch pieces ( 4 cups)
1 pound roast beef or lamb diced into ¼ inch pieces (2 cups)
½ pound smoked or boiled ham diced into ¼ inch pieces( 1 cup)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
2 medium yellow onions finely chopped(1 cup)
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
4 to 6 fried or poached eggs
To make this traditionally, make sure the food is diced uniformly. Peel the potatoes and dice. Drop into cold water to prevent
discoloring. When ready to use, drain in a colander, spread them out on paper towels and pat dry. Dice the meats. Melt butter
and oil in a heavy 10-12 inch skillet over high heat. When the foam subsides, add the potatoes. Lower heat to medium and fry
the potatoes for 15-20 minutes, turning them with a spoon until crisp and tender. Remove potatoes and place on paper towels. If
needed add some more butter and oil to skillet. Cook the onions until soft but not brown. Add the diced meats, raise heat slightly
and fry about 10 minutes. Stir the fried potatoes into the meat and onions and cook briefly. Sprinkle hash with parsley. Add salt
and pepper to taste. Arrange servings on plates and make a depression into hash and lay the egg on top.
Submitted by Lodge Secretary, Kathy Clark
==================================================================
Nordic Humor:
Det var to svenske snekkere som bygde et hus. En av dem åpnet en pakke med spiker og spurte den andre: "Hvorfor ligger
halvparten av alle spikrene i feil retning?"
Da svarte den andre: "Din idiot, de skal jo brukes på den andre siden av huset!"
There were two Swedish carpenters building a house. One of them opened a pack of nails, and asked the other: "Why are half of
the nails lying in the wrong direction?"
The other replied: "You moron! They are supposed to be used on the other side of the house!"
==================================================================
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
January 10, 10–2 pm
SON Meeting
Location: Kathy Clark’s home
Open meeting for all active members
Annual planning meeting for the year 2015
January 24, 3-5 pm
SON Meeting
Location: College Lutheran Church
Program: Installation of Officers by District 3/Zone 7 Director Dirk Hanson
Presentation: History of Sons of Norway by Cheri
February 28, 3-5 pm
SON Meeting
Location: College Lutheran Church
Program: Denmark history and culture by Cheri - Cancelled due to weather
March 28, 3-5 pm
SON Meeting
Location: College Lutheran Church
Program: Learn about Sweden & see a demonstration on making Swedish hash
Program: Denmark history and culture by Cheri
Presentation: Michael Beck, Sons of Norway Financial Benefits Counselor
April 18, 8am-2pm
Annual Yard Sale fund raiser at the home of Cheri Johnson.
Page 5 of 7
April 25, 3-5 pm
SON Meeting
Location: College Lutheran Church
Program: Share Your Ancestory
Lodge members and friends to bring pictures, written documents, or whatever
to explain their ancestry of immigrating to America.
Each member will bring a snack to share or recipe of the country of heritage.
May 16, 9am-5pm
Local Colors
Location: Center in the Square/Roanoke. (In lieu of May meeting)
June 27, 3-5 pm
SON Meeting
Location: College Lutheran Church
Program: Biography of Snowshoe Thompson
Short movie related to skiing
July 18, 9-5 pm
D-Day Memorial Family Day (in lieu of July meeting)
Location: Bedford, VA.
Program: Poster Displays about 99th Infantry Battalion, Children’s craft etc.
Representative from 99th Infantry Battalion Foundation will be at booth.
August 15, 4-6pm
Blåfjell Lodge picnic.
Location: Site tbd.
September 26, 3-5pm
SON Meeting
Location: College Lutheran Church
Program: Nordic Auction/sell baked goods.
October 24, 3-6 pm:
Blåfjell 19th Anniversary Dinner
Location: The Glebe (date to be confirmed)
Program: TBD Cost including meal, dessert and tip $16.00
November 21, 3-5 pm
SON Meeting
Location: College Lutheran Church
Veterans Recognition
Program: Presentation on the 99th Infantry Battalion by Erik Brun
December 5 or 12: 3-5 pm Yuletrefest Annual Dinner and St. Lucia procession
Location: College Lutheran Church (Date to be confirmed)
MARK YOUR 2015 CALENDARS NOW
THIRD DISTRICT/INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
For President’s letter, see the Third District Events Calendar: www.3dsofn.org/newsletter/index.html
District 3 events: www.3dsofn.org/eventscalendar
Land of Viking (LOV) camp and conference center in Pennsylvania: www.3dsofn.org/lov or www.Landofthevikings.org
New Sons of Norway E-Post: sonsofnorway@sofn.com
Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington: emb.washington@mfa.no
Nordic News from the Icelandic Embassy: http://www.iceland.is/us
NEWEST NEWS: New newspaper ... Welcome to Norway Today: www.norwaytoday.info
FULL LISTING OF EVENTS around the U.S: wwwnorway.org/calendar
SONS OF NORWAY MEET ON THE FOURTH SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH !
PLAN TO ATTEND EACH AND EVERY LODGE MEETING AND ACTIVITY!
==================================================================
For the Love of Norway!!
Page 6 of 7
Page 7 of 7