The Vasa Star
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THETHE VASA VASA STAR STAR Vasastjärnan Publication of THE VASA ORDER OF AMERICA OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2011 www.vasaorder.com StavkyrkanStavkyrkan - - Pg. Pg. 21 21 TwoTwo Swedish Swedish Giants Giants - - Pg. Pg. 23 23 MyMy Swedish Swedish Connections Connections - - Pg. Pg. 24 24 The Grand Master’s Message Bill Lundquist Dear Vasa Brothers and Sisters, had made even a nominal donation! The Grand Lodge Board is happy to announce that one Grand Lodge My role as Grand Master allows me the unique opportunity Scholarship will be offered in 2012. Our goal is to increase to visit District Conventions across the US, Canada and the number of scholarships each year. There is a new oppor- Sweden. Districts differ from each other but they all cele- tunity to contribute to the Education Fund. I am happy to brate the things that make us Vasa; the things that unite us as announce “The Vasa Store” available on thevasaorder.com an Order. I continue to see attention to detail, parliamentary web site. All proceeds for purchases are directed to the procedure and caring attitudes of all District officers and del- Education Fund. I think you will enjoy the products avail- egates. It is obvious officers put a great deal of time and able. study into recommendations and motions acted on. Since my last article the Grand Lodge Executive Board held I knew when I was elected Grand Master in July of 2010 my its first meeting in Portland, Oregon in conjunction with work needed to concentrate on improving the health of the Pacific Northwest No. 13’s bi-annual convention. To stay Order through the rebuilding of Funds and that can only hap- within the budget approved at the 2010 Grand Lodge pen with the help of the entire Vasa membership. One indi- Convention many decisions, some difficult and unpopular vidual can’t do it alone. Honest communication is the key. had to be made. All travel expenses for the Grand Lodge Although I share information in my articles in the Vasa Star, Board members has been temporarily suspended, financial I’ve found the best way to communicate is “one on one” at support for programs was suspended and several issues of District conventions. I’m counting on all of you to share the Vasa Star must be offered only on line. The Board was information you receive from me with the members of your unanimous in supporting these tough decisions in order to Local Lodges who I may never have the opportunity to meet. leave the Order on solid ground at the end of the term. The financial report has been mailed to all District Secretaries, I want to thank you for your continued generous donations to will appear in this issue of the Vasa Star and is available to the Vasa National Archives and ask that you to support your any Vasa member upon request from the Grand Treasurer, Districts as they donate annually. Donations now exceed Keith Hanlon. This fulfills my commitment to transparency $100,000.00. We have a long way to go but together we can within the Order. get there. I am constantly amazed by unified efforts. Thank all of you who have contributed to the annual Heritage and In closing, I stay excited about the future of the Order. Jul Gran Fundraisers. Contributions to these fundraisers pay Although we continue to deal with challenges we have the operational expenses of the Vasa National Archives become more creative and innovative. We are currently including the Archivist’s salary, utilities and upgrades. recruiting a new Vasa Star editor. We all wish our past edi- Much of the work at the Archives is done by volunteers. The tor, Marie Carlson success as she transitions to her new results of the 2011 Jul Gran Fundraiser aren’t available as I career in Sweden and thank her for her many years of service write this article but the timeliness of the mailing has already to the Order. made it a success. In Truth and Unity, I’m happy to inform you the Education Fund which includes Bill Lundquist, Grand Master the Scholarship Program has been restored to over $125.000.00 since July, 2010 through careful investing and donations. This year the Stamp Fundraiser, directed to the Education Fund brought in $12,580.00 a gain of over $6,000.00. Sadly, those donations came from only 500 Vasa members. Membership in the Vasa Order is over 10,000 in the US and Canada. Imagine the difference if every member THE VASA STAR (USPS 657-020) THE VASA STAR OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2011 October-December 2011 Vol. 104, No. 4, Serial 848 AN IMPORTANT REMINDER Published by: CHRISTMAS GREETINGS AND Vasa Order of America vasaorder.com CHECKS FOR CHRISTMAS GREETINGS Please send Christmas Greetings and checks for Christmas Greetings to Grand HEADQUARTERS: Secretary, Joanie Graham, 5838 San Jose Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804. Phone c/o Joan Graham 510-526-5512. E-mail: [email protected]. Grand Secretary 5838 San Jose Avenue New members: Send to GS, Joanie Graham. Richmond, CA 94804 Phone: 510-526-5512 All address changes and subscriptions as well as all address changes should be E-mail: [email protected] sent to the Circulation Manager listed here on Page 3. Grand Master: Bill Lundquist Please send pictures of good quality in order for them to reproduce well in The 1456 Kennebec Rd. Vasa Star. Electronically submitted photos should be scanned in JPEG format at a Grand Blanc, MI 48439 resolution of 300 dpi. Phone: 810-695-3248 For submitted Lodge articles, please add city and state. Thanks! Cell Phone: 810-845-5065 E-mail: [email protected] IN MEMORIAM Editor: Please read instructions on how to send and pay for Obituaries. Marie Carlson 9560 Curberry Drive Mentor, OH 44060 Phone: 440-255-4665 E-mail: [email protected] Deadlines for The Vasa Star: Circulation Manager: Spring deadline is Jan. 1; Summer deadline is April 1; (All Address Changes) Joan Graham Fall deadline is July 1; Winter deadline is Oct. 1 5838 San Jose Avenue Richmond, CA 94804 Deadline for Christmas ads is Oct. 1 Phone: 510-526-5512 Price for Christmas Greetings – $30.00 column inch E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Deadline for Lucia articles is January 1 Send bottom section of white copy of application for new members to her. Picture and article, 200 words or less. Membership Chairman: Art Bjorkner 31 Vasa Drive, Hackettstown NJ 07840-5314 USA VASA DIRECTORY Advertising: OFFICIAL ADDRESS LIST Only electronic submissions Send to: Marie Carlson It is the listing for every lodge in the Vasa Order, with meeting locations and offi- E-mail: [email protected] cers, and addresses and telephone numbers for all Grand, District, and Local lodges Invoices will be submitted electronically (via e-mail) as well as all Children’s Clubs and Activities Clubs. In an effort to cut costs, the Vasa Directory will be provided to every district and Advertising Prices: local lodge via an email attachment. It has been re-formatted so that it can be print- Full Page Black and White $500.00 ed on your home printer, on 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Please take it to your local office sup- Half Page Black and White $275.00 ply store to make copies for those in your lodge who don’t have computer capabili- Quarter Page Black and White $150.00 One Column Inch $ 30.00 ty. It can be copied “double sided,” and put into a binder or notebook. If no one in Half Page Color $500.00 the lodge has the capability of printing the Vasa Directory, please contact the Grand Full Page Color $800.00 Secretary Joanie Graham, and a paper copy will be sent to you. Available only for inside front cover, inside back cover or back cover. DIRECTORY IS ON THE VASA WEBSITE 10% discount for Vasa Lodges and Members You can also check the Vasa website www.vasaorder.com to locate Grand, District, and Local Lodge information. THE VASA STAR (ISSN 0746-0627) is published bi-monthly by the Vasa Order of America. Periodicals postage paid at Richmond, CA, and additional Cover: entries. Stave Church in Lillsjöhögen, Jämtland, Sweden. POSTMASTER: Send address changes Stavkyrka i Lillsjöhögen, Jämtland. to The Vasa Star, 5838 San Jose Ave., Richmond, CA 94804. Picture by: Göte Falkman, Lillsjöhögen, Sweden Vasa Star October-December 2011 www.vasaorder.com Page 3 Letter from the Editor Before we arrived in Sweden, I had looked at several schools for our youngest son Michael to attend, the third for him during the past year in three different conti- nents!!!! But he has done extremely well, and accepted every challenge. He is in a pri- vate school, and it is a beautiful school close to a forest. There are lots of private schools to choose from nowadays in Sweden, and it does not cost anything. They have limited space but we were lucky to be able to get him in. Most of all, he is very happy there. Our daughter Eva had a wonderful study abroad experience this past spring in Granada, Spain, and she would really like to go back after she graduates from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, this spring. Our oldest son, Kristoffer will graduate early December from KTH (The Royal Institute of Technology), in Stockholm, with a degree in Computer Science. Needless to say, we are very proud of all our children. PAGE 10 Back in May I filled in a couple of job applications while still in Mentor, in August I had my first interview and they offered me the job as (Hemspråks personal) a Home Language/(Mother Tung) teacher in English.