Sons of Norway, Mankato Site Map

Picnics are a great way to end the year. Please bring a dish to pass and join us for the potluck picnic at John and Sally Erdahl’s on Saturday, June 14th at 5:30. We even plan to have a bonfire like they do in Norway for their Midsummer Night celebrations. We don’t have social meetings in July or August, but will have many committee meetings.

Directions for getting to the Erdahl home at 130 Deer Place are as follows: Turn onto 3rd Avenue at the Pizza Hut corner, 930 N. Riverfront Drive. Notice your odometer reading when you go under the Hwy #14 overpass and go 2.5 miles beyond it. Watch for the large stone Stonehenge sign and Meadowbrook Stables sign. Turn left onto blacktop #302 to go by both of these places. Go one mile west. and turn right to go past farm buildings. The road to Erdahl’s is marked “private” and it goes between 2 columns. Go ½ mile to where the road goes downhill to their home. Bring your cell phone and call 388-1858 if you need help.

Our president, Joel Brude has been assured by Vibeke, the assistant to His Excellency Knut Vollebæk, Ambassador from Norway to the United States, that he is scheduled to come to Mankato September 12th and 13th and is looking forward to it. We will be sending you more information about this in summer newsletters. If you aren’t a member of Elvesvingen yet, do take advantage of our special offer. Up to two weeks before the banquet, pay the $31.50 yearly dues to join our lodge and you will be given a free ticket to the banquet, worth $15.00.

At our cultural fair on September 13th we will have several tables with displays of a great variety of things related to Norway, past and present. Businesses such as the Vesterheim Museum, will furnish their own workers, but we will have many other displays also. We plan to have at least one expert at each table and others to assist. Whether you are a member of Elvesvingen Lodge or not, we hope you and your children and grandchildren will help us. It is important to have people of all ages taking part.

This is the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod in America. The Otteson Museum at 4 Brown’s Court commemorates this event. On Sunday June 15th, after the Synod Sunday 2:30 opening service in Trinity Chapel at Bethany Lutheran College, a dedication service will be held at the museum. Those at the chapel will walk from there to the museum, which is next to the seminary building. This would be at about 3:30 p.m. If it is raining, the dedication service might be held in the chapel. Call 344-7308 for information.

Mange takk to everyone who helped with the garage sale in any way. We are pleased to report that we cleared about $450 on this project. So that we will have ample funds for the days in September when His Excellency will be here, we will have several other fund-raising projects. The dates for our hot dog and brat sales at Hy-Vee downtown are listed on the calendar after this newsletter. Please patronize the stand. Another fund-raising project is selling Panera Bread coupons. A set of six coupons sells for $12.00 and they can be used in Panera Bread stores in any location for a nice variety of breads, muffins, cookies, etc.

The people who went to Hanska on the Syttende Mai had a great time. The Norwegian meal was delicious, the tours of the Jorgenson Museum and the Stabbur were interesting and the music and jokes at the stage show were most enjoyable. Have a wonderful summer!

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Upcoming Calendar of Events

Now thru August 18. 2003 - "Norwegian Americans in the Civil War" in the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa.
June 14 (Sat.) - Picnic at John and Sally Erdahl's at 5:30. ).
June 15 (Sun.) - 3:30, Dedication of Ottesen Museum, 4 Brown's Court, commem-
orating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Norwegian Lutheran Synod in U.S.
June 20, 21, 27 and 28 - Hot dog stand at Hy-Vee downtown.
June 28 (Sat.) - Fishing Derby/Quilting Bee in Madison. Jim Oellien at 302-752-4757.
July 13 (Sun.) - Norway Day in Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis from 10:00 to 4:00.
July 20 (Sun.) - Lutefisk Golf Open in Owatonna. Contact Nina Zak at 507-451-5841.
July 24-26 (Thurs.-Sat.) - Nordic Fest at Decorah, Iowa
July 25 and 26 (Fri. and Sat.)- Hot dog stand at Hy-Vee downtown.
August 12-15 - Winnipeg Folklorama District 1 Tour. Gene Brandvold at 952-831-4361
August 15, 16, 22 and 23 - Hot dog stand at Hy-Vee downtown
August 22 (Fri.) - Kumla Klassic Golf in Des Moines. Howard Heggen at 515-279-9136

September 12 and 13 (Fri. and Sat.) Heritage and Cultural Fair and Banquet with His Excellency Knut Vollebæk in the Centennial Student Union at MSU.