NYHETER FRA SOGNEFJORD SONS OF NORWAY SOGNEFJORD LODGE 5-523 A Congenial Society of Sons, Daughters, and Friends of Norway 420 Harvey St., Muskegon, MI 49442 Phone 231 777 1451 Volume 39, Issue No. 3 JUNE & JULY, 2011

Merle Hanson, President 660 Mitzi, North Muskegon, MI Dear Members, h 49445 Phone 231 744 9101 t email: [email protected] We just completed a very enjoyable Mai Fest. It takes a lot of workers ______8

Gordon Gutowski, Vice Pres. to put it on (see the list on the last page of the newsletter). It was well 5130 Davis Rd., Muskegon, MI

y worth the effort. I’d like to thank all the helpers. I convey a special 49441 Phone 231 798 4888 thank you to Barb Lahnala for all her work. Barb does an excellent job a email: [email protected] ______of organizing large events like this. Donald Matthews, Secretary M

Jordis Hutchins, Financial Sec. We had our spring cleanup at the lodge on April 30. Jerry Lahnala,

, Jane Gates, Treasurer Jerry Chambers, Gene Tietsort, George Lindblom, Nancy Stiles, Steve y Einar Ness, Counselor Lenney and Einar Ness helped. Thanks to all of you for getting the lawn a in shape after a long winter. Barbara Lahnala, Social Dirctr.

D Maurine Gutowski and Steve th

In June and July we feature two great meals. On June 10 we have

’ Lenney, Cultural Co-Directors Gordon Gutowski’s Polish Dill Swiss Steak Dinner. Bring a friend to s Tom Potts, Sports Director this meal. I’m sure they will enjoy it. Just let Gordon know how many r Eloise Cihos, Publicity Director are coming. On July 8th we have another Torsk (baked cod) and e Jerry Lahnala, Trustee Meatball Dinner. I missed the Torsk Dinner we had in April, so I get a h

t David Rudnick, Trustee second chance. Come to this excellent Norwegian meal. We only can

o Jerry Chambers, Trustee serve 40 people. Let Barb know early if you are coming so you don’t Lorna Wilson, Inner Greeter miss out.

M John Thorson, Outer Greeter Even though summer is just starting, the lodge is starting to think about y Jim Carr, Marshall our programs for next winter. We have had some excellent

p Carilon Carr, Assist. Marshall presentations and videos this past year. It is difficult to come up with Maurine Gutowski, Musician p interesting and entertaining programs. We want to know what your

a Jane Gates, Historian ideas are for programs. Of course we all like programs that relate to ______Bill Rood, Editor & Librarian Norway and the other Scandinavian countries, but they don’t all have to H Phone 231 726 2816 be. We would like some new ideas. Give Steve Lenney, Maurine e-mail: [email protected] Gutowski or me your suggestions. ______In This Issue: - 1 - Fra Presidenten Enjoy your summer. There is so much to do during the summer months 2 - Calendar; 3 - Birthdays, in this area. Try to include the lodge activities in your schedule. Litt av Hvert & Get Well List ______Our Sons of Norway Fraternally, Financial Benefits Counselor: Eric Nichols, 155 E. Commerce Merle Hanson #103, Milford, MI 48381-1973 [email protected] - 2 -

Sunday, June 5 Sunday, June 12 SUNDAY BINGO SCHEDULE Sunday, June 19 Help support our Sunday Bingo. We need more Sunday, June 26 players at our game. Ours is the longest- Sunday, July 3 running Bingo game in town. Players enjoy our Sunday, July 10 quiet, air-conditioned atmosphere. Bring your Sunday, July 17 friends, come, and help support our game. Sunday, July 24 Thank you. Sunday, July 31

JUNE & JULY COMING EVENTS

June 6 Mon 7:00 PM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS' MEETING

June 10 Fri 5:30 PM POLISH DILL SWISS STEAK DINNER, (Gordon’s Special Recipe) with mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots, salad and dessert; $8.00 per person. Please call Gordon Gutowski at 231 798 4888 with your reservation by Tuesday, June 7. This is one of our very favorite dinners of the year; so don’t miss it!

June 10 Fri 7:00 PM PROGRAM “King of the Ocean” with the Norwegian TV Chef Andreas Viestad preparing King Crab and Salmon outdoors, a 24 minute video with scenes from Finmark. THE REGULAR LODGE MEETING will follow.

June 27 Mon 5:30 PM THE HOLDING CORPORATION MEETING

July 5 Tue 7:00 PM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS' MEETING

July 8 Fri 5:00 PM TORSK (BAKED CODFISH) & MEATBALL DINNER, $14.00/person. Only 40 reservations will be available for this dinner; so, phone Barbara Lahnala at 231 865 3619 by Tuesday the 5th, to make your reservations; and if you can help with food or cleanup. Many hands makes less work. This is the dinner that was a big success on April 15th, so invite your friends and potential members.

July 8 Fri 7:00 PM PROGRAM “Viking Voyage” This 24 minute video shows a reenactment of Leif Erikson’s voyage to the New World. THE REGULAR LODGE MEETING will follow.

July 25 Mon 5:30 PM THE HOLDING CORPORATION MEETING - 3 -

LITT AV HVERT Sons of Norway wants to send to each member who has email, their new monthly newsletter called “E-Post.” It is brief, informative, and worthwhile. If you’ve not received it yet, call 800-945-8851 and give them your email address. We included the new pictorial directory with your April- May Nyheter. Tell your Editor if you didn’t get one. We JUNE BIRTHDAYS were pleased to receive a picture of Eivind Ericksen and 3 Kay Ollila included it in the directory, but the typo gremlin spoiled 6 Judy Rood the spelling of his name. Uff Da! Please fix it in your copy. 8 David Rudnick We apologize, Eivind. 9 Dewey Bringedahl The members voted to approve the purchase of a new rid- 11 Karen Simons ing mower, cost to not exceed $1200, at the May 13th 12 Dee Barber meeting. We have a large lawn area and the old mower is 15 Judy Jones worn out. Also at that meeting, Merle Hanson won the 19 Donald Matthews membership drawing of $15 and Don Matthews won the 19 Donald Ross attendance drawing of $5. 23 Doris Laban What kind of programs or activities do our members 25 Jane Gates want? Would you like to come to a Movie Night at your 29 Crystal Holtrop lodge where we would see a Norwegian movie (probably 30 Jim Carr with English subtitles)? This would not be on a regular meeting night. We’d have popcorn, lemonade, and coffee. JULY BIRTHDAYS Sound like fun? 2 Hazel Bujak Or, we could have a Wii bowling contest, using the Nin- 2 Rebecca Hutchins tendo video game controller known as a Wii game. We 9 Al Thompson could have several set up, for extra lanes of bowling. Do 11 Robert Bringedahl you have a Wii game that you could bring? 12 Gordon Gutowski Or, should we have a Euchre contest? 13 Donald Jorgenson These are some of the ideas we’ve been kicking around. 15 David Bubolz We’d like to know what you think. 22 Linda Hanson 23 Erik Sievertsen GET WELL LIST 25 Cheryl Bubolz Currently there is no one on this list. For this we are 28 Nancy Stiles grateful, of course. Tell Jordis Hutchins if you know of a 31 Shirley Manning member who is sick or recovering.

Til Minne - In Memorium - Another of our long time members passed away on April 21. Russ Dahl was one of the most congenial gentlemen you will ever meet. Proud of his Norwegian heritage (he loved his lutefisk) also the Chicago Cubs, and most of all his great wife of over 65 years, Sally. He served our country during WW II, owned and operated Dahl’s Five & Dime in Spring Lake for 20 years, and managed the Woolworth’s for many years. He is survived by Sally, their daughter Nancy Czinder, seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. We will miss you, Russ. - by Einar Ness - 4 - Kvæfjord Cake 2010 Milestone Membership The Norwegian Kitchen Anniversaries by Astrid Karlsen Scott

35 Years (joined in 1975)

Carl Hoyum

30 Years (joined in 1980)

Gordon Gutowski Marilyn Lawrence Roger Terryn • scant ½ cup margarine 25 Years (joined in 1985) • ½ cup sugar • ⅔ cup flour Chris Donohue • 1 tsp. baking powder Allen Jones • 3 or 4 Tbs. milk • 4 eggs, yolks and whites separated Judy Jones • 1 cup sugar Lorna Wilson • 3½ Tbs. chopped almonds Russ Dahl (deceased)  1 package (4 oz) rum or vanilla pudding mix 20 Years (joined in 1990) • 1¼ cups full fat milk  1¼ cups whipping cream Verda Hanson Preheat the oven to 350 F. Beat mar- 10 Years (joined in 2000) garine & sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stephen Lenney Sift the flour with the baking powder Nancy Stiles and add alternately with the milk. Judy Rood Pour into a greased 8 x12" pan. Beat the egg whites unil stiff but not dry. Gradually add the sugar & beat until stiff and glossy. Spread over the cake batter. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool and halve. Pre- pare the pudding according to the package directions, but use only 1¼ cups of milk. Cool. Whip the cream and fold into the pudding. Spread one cake layer with cream, then top with the other cake layer.

Remember your Lodge, in your estate plans, please. Bring a friend to a dinner meeting. - 5 - Norway’s Union with Sweden and the Fight for Independence

The Treaty of Kiel initiated Norway’s union with Sweden. The Treaty, signed in 1814, secured the transfer of Norway from its 439 year union with Denmark to a new union with Sweden. The Norwegians fought this new Swedish union in a short war, con- cluded by the Convention of Moss. The Nor- wegian Parliament ratified the Act of Union and Sweden’s Carl Johan was crowned as the King of Norway, and bound to the rules of the Norwegian constitution.

The two countries had differing views of the union. Sweden thought of the union as re- gained territory or compensation for their previous loss of Finland to Russia. Norway, The Norwegian Storting passes the "revolutionary" on the other hand, saw itself as the “little resolution. Photo: Wikimedia Commons brother” in the union. It also saw the union with Sweden as one with significant constitutional shortcomings. The King of Sweden, and head of Norway’s executive branch, controlled the foreign policy of both countries and ex- cluded Norwegian councilors' participation in such matters. Norwegians also quickly no- ticed that a political shift in Norwegian Parliament could not fully manifest itself, as execu- tive power resided in a bureaucracy in Stockholm.

Throughout the 19th Century, there was a consistent Norwegian push towards dissolu- tion. However, in the 1890’s the struggle for independence became a central and pressing issue. The Norwegians were prepared to fight for their independence but, fortunately, the union was dissolved peacefully and in actuality quite suddenly. Christian Michelsen, a Bergen entrepreneur and member of the Storting, masterminded the Norwegian political strategy toward independence. Michelsen led Norwegian delegates to Stockholm to present King Oscar II with a bill that would establish a separate Norwegian consular service. When King Oscar II refused to sign the bill into law, the Norwegian government dissolved. Oscar II was unable to establish a Ministry, as required by the Norwegian constitution, meaning that he failed in his duties as a constitutional monarch. Because of this failure, it was ap- parent that the union had come to an end. Oscar II recognized the collapse of the union and met with Norwegian government officials in Karlstad, Sweden, to negotiate the proce- dures for the union’s dismantling.

In June of 1905, Norway voted to dissolve their union with Sweden. Oscar II formally abdi- cated as King of Norway on October 26, 1905. Norway’s independence lead to a national debate over whether or not Norway should become a kingdom. The argument was resolved by a popular vote in favor of a Kingdom of Norway, which appeased the European monar- chies of the time. The Norwegian Parliament then asked the Danish Prince Carl, who later took the name Haakon VII, to be the country’s king. Haakon VII was married to Maud, the daughter of the King of England - a Norwegian ally. On a snowy day in November, Haakon VII, Maud and their son, Olav, arrived in the newly independent Kingdom of Norway. On June 7, 1905, the Kingdom of Norway had finally found its place among the other inde- pendent European states. - 6 -

Measuring Happiness Norway is once again making news through- 2010 Prosperity Index out the world for coming out on top of a Top Ten rather interesting study—a study measuring happiness. 1. Norway While ranking the happiness of a country 2. Denmark may seem like an overly subjective endeavor, 3. Finland an independent London-based think tank 4. Australia called the Legatum Institute did just that 5. New Zealand with the Prosperity Index. The study weighs a 6. Sweden variety of both subjective and objective crite- 7. Canada ria in determining happiness/prosperity. For 8. Switzerland instance, factors such as health, education 9. Netherlands and the economy are all measured by both 10. United States the statistical data supporting them and the perceived quality and confidence of the pub- 2010 PROSPERITY INDEX RANK lic. So what makes Norwegians so happy? Nor- Norway Canada United States way has the world’s highest per capita GDP Economy 1 5 14 of $53,000 a year. But Norway’s high rank Health 4 11 1 isn’t just about money, Norwegians also have the second-highest satisfaction with their Education 4 12 9 standard of living, with 95% saying that they Safety & Security 2 16 25 are satisfied with the freedom to choose the Personal Freedom 2 1 9 direction of their lives. Survey data also SocialCapital 1 8 12 shows that an unmatched 74% of Norwegians believe other people can be trusted. Governance 12 5 3 Entrepreneurship & The index also provides a few key markers of Opportunity 6 10 3 a prosperous country. For instance, only two Overall Ranking 1st 7th 10th (Singapore & Hong Kong) of the top 25 coun- tries in the ranking do not have an electoral democracy. It also may be beneficial to be small, as countries with smaller populations tend to have a more homogenous population. This idea is easily illustrated when consider- ing the rank of the United States, the only country with a population over 150 million to place within the index’s top ten. A positive outlook on hard work is also a vital element to a prosperous country. According to the in- dex, Denmark and Sweden rank 1st and 2nd in entrepreneurship but only 77% of Swedes and 84% of Danes think that working hard will get them ahead. In contrast, 9 out of 10 Americans believe that hard work will pay off. Life Member Hazel Bujak receives a Visit prosperity.com for additional details on plaque and pin from President Merle the Prosperity Index rankings. You can also Hanson commemorating her 70 years download a copy of the report or take your of membership in Sons of Norway. own personal prosperity quiz. Congratulations, Hazel! - 7 - Identity Fraud Precautions Affect Swedes in Norway Syden Swedish workers residing in Norway for more Norwegians have acquired a reputation than 6 months may find themselves feeling more as world travelers. Because the cold Norwegian due to new registration rules for for- and dark winter compels many Norwe- eigners in Norway. As of January 1, Swedes are gians to get away from the unforgiving weather, traveling at least once a year now required to register themselves with the til syden (literally “to the south”) has Norwegian population register (folkeregisteret) become a social norm. In fact, the con- and personally appear at tax offices to receive a cept of syden has greatly influenced tax card, unlike years past when foreigners Norwegian culture and everyday lan- could obtain a temporary social security code-- guage. often called a D-number--from local banks. The rule changes come as some 500 cases of false “D Even though the concept of syden has -numbers” were discovered by tax authorities in been influential, the term has a vague the past 3 years. definition. In fact, there is a light- hearted debate in Norwegian society Opponents of the change suggest that the new about the exact location and meaning requirements will deter the 28,000 Swedish of syden. If someone states “jeg skal til workers currently in Norway and forcibly trans- syden (I am going south),” a general understanding would exist. Yet, an am- fer them from the Swedish welfare system to the biguity would also arise over precisely Norwegian system, altering benefits they cur- where to and what will occur. Often rently receive from their home country. It is also during the depths of winter, travel believed that the changes would prevent Swedes agencies boast of their specials on sy- from receiving medical treatment in their home den tours and airlines offer deals on country, voting in local elections and driving tickets to popular syden destinations. cars with Swedish plates regardless of the Syden is a catch-all term used to refer length of time they intend to stay in Norway. to a warm southern vacation spot – sun and sand are a must – however, young Ernst and Young, an international auditing firm, children often mistake it for an actual spoke out against the changes saying, “people in country. There are preferred syden lo- Sweden are anxious to work in Norway. This cations. Favorite European syden desti- policy does not seem thought through…if a nations include the Mediterranean countries, Portugal’s Algarve coast or Swede lives in Norway and becomes sick, he the Canary Islands. Outside of the con- cannot travel home to Sweden for treatment and tinent syden might mean Brazil, the continue to receive sickness allowance.” Johan Dominican Republic, Tunisia, Morocco Killengreen, a partner at the firm, also suggests or Thailand, just to name a few. that the changes may create more disputes on taxable wealth and make more work for tax pro- There are a variety of definitions for fessionals, not less. Swedish politicians are also what it means to go on a syden trip. sharing similar concerns in regard to the Some understand the term to describe changes. an all-inclusive destination that caters solely to tourists with multilingual As of yet representatives from the Confederation menus, overpriced tourist shops and of Norwegian enterprise say that they “have not neon lights. Others understand syden received alarming feedback from member busi- simply to be a good descriptor of a va- cation destination that is sunny, warm nesses so far.” They also went on to say that the and relaxing. Regardless of syden’s new law changes shouldn’t affect seasonal work- meaning and location, it plays a signifi- ers in Norway since many of the changes apply cant role in modern Norwegian culture. after six months of residency. SONS OF NORWAY Sognefjord Lodge #523 420 Harvey Street Muskegon, MI 49442

05-24-11 JUNE & JULY, 2011

MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Sons Of Norway is to promote and preserve the heritage and culture of Norway, to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries, and to provide quality insurance and financial products to our members. SOCIAL DIRECTOR’S CORNER The Torsk and Meatball Dinner April 15th went very well. The fish was excellent and really enjoyable. Thanks to Barb, Bob, Gordon, Jane, Jerry, Nancy, and Steve for making this dinner a success. Thanks also to all of you that helped to cleanup after the dinner; Barb appreciates this very much. This dinner was such a success that we are repeating it on July 8th (in place of the Fish Boil - which we cannot do this year). Mai Fest on May 14th was enjoyed by 75 members and guests. The catered dinner was wonderful, as always; and the enthusiastic dance band prompted many to the dance floor. Door prizes and raffles were announced with a special flair by our own Don Matthews. Many thanks to those who worked on this dinner party: Bill Blanchette, Jerry Chambers, Eloise Cihos, Ron & Sheree Decker, Gordon & Tom Gutowski, Jane Gates, Chuck & Joann Hagen, Merle & Linda Hanson, Jordis Hutchins, Jerry & Barb Lahnala, Kim Lemke, George Lindblom, Don Matthews, Bonnie Medendorp, Mary Micka, Jan Mjovig, Einar & Carolyn Ness, Lucy Riley, Bill & Judy Rood, Steve Lenney & Nancy Stiles, and Gene & Ruthanne Tietsort.

Tubfrim is owned by the Norwegian Health Association. The profits are used to help handicapped children and youth in Norway, and to finance the efforts to eradicate tuberculosis. While helping children is probably incentive enough for our members, Sons of Norway does something else to thank those who participate by holding an annual drawing for a free plane ticket to Norway. For every pound of stamps collected, the member is entered into the drawing which is held every January. We have plenty stamps for you to trim and turn in as yours. Use scissors to clip stamps. Please remember to leave from a quarter inch to one half inch of paper around the edges. Don’t save damaged stamps. Put your stamps in one pound bags with your name and address on each bag. Jim Carr is our Tubfrim Chairman. He will be happy to tell you more and to receive your stamps. Please, do not throw away canceled stamps!