third district today january 2015 happy new...

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3D Third District Today January 2015 Happy New Year Published by Ron Martinsen, 3D Pub. Rel. Dir. 3D SofN Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/TheThirdDistrictoftheSonsofNorway The mission of Sons of Norway is to promote and to preserve the heritage and culture of Norway, to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries, and to provide quality insurance and financial products to its members. 1 Fra Presidenten, Mary B. Andersen Complacency is the eighth deadly sin. Author Unknown It is a New Year! Happy New Year to all! I love the start of a New Year. It is a time to think about all the things you would like to accomplish in the coming year trips to plan, books to read, people to see, the list goes on. The New Year can also be a time for reflection. I heard the phrase “complacency is the eighth deadly sin” awhile back. An internet search revealed that phrase used in a number of situations with no known author. But, I like it. It can apply to a number of things in our daily lives e.g., New Year’s resolutions start off with a bang but fizzle out, just like our diet and exercise plans that last for a few weeks but then become history. We sometimes become complacent without realizing it or perhaps we realize it too late. Does complacency happen to your lodge and even to our Order? There are a few people who seem to respond to the call for help every time a call goes out. Each year the same dedicated people handle the Julebord. Each month the same people set up the lodge meeting room. What if those people move away? Have we allowed our thinking to become complacent because we know they will always do it? If they move away, will anyone know what they did or how they did it? To paraphrase the US Marine Corp, we are always looking for a few good people. I know we have them. I work with a group of them. I can’t say enough about our District Board members and local Lodge Board members. Board members give us their most precious possession, personal time. We learn; we do our best to take care of the business of the District and we try to have some fun doing it. We often forge lifelong friendships in the process. Many District Board positions are term limited. Some local lodge positions are vacant or are filled by members who have held the position for years. Let’s be careful about the eighth deadly sin rearing its head in our wonderful Third District. We need all hands on deck and rowing to keep our strong Viking ship afloat and moving forward. If your lodge has a vacant position, pick up an oar and help row the boat! Think about a District Board position in 2016. If complacency rears its head, there may be no boat to row. I know you can do it! Vinter hilsener, Mary

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3D

Third District Today January 2015

Happy New Year Published by Ron Martinsen, 3D Pub. Rel. Dir.

3D SofN Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/TheThirdDistrictoftheSonsofNorway

The mission of Sons of Norway is to promote and to preserve the heritage and culture of Norway, to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries, and to provide quality insurance and financial products to its members. 1

Fra Presidenten, Mary B. Andersen Complacency is the eighth deadly sin. Author Unknown

It is a New Year! Happy New Year to all! I love the start of a New Year. It is a time to

think about all the things you would like to accomplish in the coming year – trips to plan, books to read, people to see, the list goes on.

The New Year can also be a time for reflection. I heard the phrase “complacency is the

eighth deadly sin” awhile back. An internet search revealed that phrase used in a number

of situations with no known author. But, I like it. It can apply to a number of things in our

daily lives e.g., New Year’s resolutions start off with a bang but fizzle out, just like our

diet and exercise plans that last for a few weeks but then become history. We sometimes become complacent without

realizing it or perhaps we realize it too late.

Does complacency happen to your lodge and even to our Order? There are a few people who seem to respond to the call

for help every time a call goes out. Each year the same dedicated people handle the Julebord. Each month the same

people set up the lodge meeting room. What if those people move away? Have we allowed our thinking to become

complacent because we know they will always do it? If they move away, will anyone know what they did or how they did it?

To paraphrase the US Marine Corp, we are always looking for a few good people. I know we have them. I work with a

group of them. I can’t say enough about our District Board members and local Lodge Board members. Board members

give us their most precious possession, personal time. We learn; we do our best to take care of the business of the District

and we try to have some fun doing it. We often forge lifelong friendships in the process.

Many District Board positions are term limited. Some local lodge positions are vacant or are filled by members who have

held the position for years. Let’s be careful about the eighth deadly sin rearing its head in our wonderful Third District.

We need all hands on deck and rowing to keep our strong Viking ship afloat and moving forward. If your lodge has a

vacant position, pick up an oar and help row the boat! Think about a District Board position in 2016. If complacency rears its head, there may be no boat to row.

I know you can do it!

Vinter hilsener, Mary

2015 3D Goals 2 By Mary B. Andersen, 3D President on behalf of your 3D Board

Your 3D Board agreed to the following goals for 2015:

Increase communication

Each lodge to invite a Financial Benefit Counselor (FBC) to at least one lodge meeting in

2015

Volunteerism

District goals should support the Order’s mission. We believe our goals are in alignment with

the overarching tenets of the Order – financial, fraternal and foundation. We believe the 3D

goals are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time bound).

We will be emailing local lodge officers with more detail regarding a communication strategy.

If you don’t hear anything at your lodge meeting, raise your hand and ask about it!

Include time for an FBC visit in your 2015 calendar. You can do it! Don’t forget to ask your

FBC what they can do to help you with your member recruitment efforts as well as providing

sound financial products.

Have you ever heard the Winston Churchill quote “we make a living by what we get, but we

make a life by what we give”? It is the essence of the reason the Sons of Norway was formed, a

group of people joining together to help each other in time of need. Being a fraternal

organization is more than the social aspect of our Order; it is giving back to the community.

Many of you do it already with little fanfare on either a local lodge level or an individual level.

At the Fall Board meeting we discussed:

Martin Luther King day

Earth day

Habitat for humanity

Pick a charity

October 9th

( Leif Eriksson)

Our goal is that the Third District comes together and gives back as a District. A District wide

volunteering will take effort and many hands in the planning. We are asking for members to

volunteer for a District wide committee. A chair will be chosen from the volunteers. Ideally

each Zone should be represented on the Committee. Please submit your name to your Zone

director by January 31st and indicate your area of interest. Given that Norwegians are generally

active, outdoor people, we are aiming for Earth Day as the District wide volunteer event. It can

only happen if members volunteer to be on the committee; it will be up to you. Maybe we will

be able to have two District wide events! (that is an aggressive goal!)

In the interim, think about giving an hour or two on Martin Luther King Day and let your zone

director know about it!

Charitable Trust - Kathy Dollymore - Counselor 3

3D

District Lodge No. 3 • Charitable Trust Fund Katherine M. Dollymore, Counselor

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Charitable Trust is unique in Sons of Norway to our District 3. Responding to a fraternal and financial need

in 1971 and for more than 40 years since, the Charitable Trust has provided modest support to District 3

members with subsistence critical to their physical, social and psychological wellbeing. The need could be as

simple as helping with the very high cost of prescription drugs or it could be a little help getting back on your

feet from a devastating loss. You may only need assistance for a few months or sometimes a little longer. Our

donations are used to help feed those less fortunate, who simply cannot afford the basic essentials of life.

It's a great cause, and I'm proud to be a part of it.

This year, I am asking for monetary donations to help. With the current state of the economy, it's become even more

important to raise money to keep the good work of the C.T. going. The goal is to have 100% participation from lodges to help

those in need. Will you please consider a monetary donation to the Charitable Trust? Individual and lodge donations, estate

planning, and fund raisers, whether you are having a golf outing, a fashion show, a Bingo night, in honor of a birthday or

other celebration or event, all these are ways to ensure the Charitable Trust keeps doing the good work it does.

All funds have been and will continue to be invested appropriately to ensure protection and longevity.

To learn more about the Charitable Trust please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have now or in the

future at [email protected].

Fraternally and with warm regards, Kathy ******************************************************************************************************* I invite you to fill in the form below and mail form with your check

Donations: Lodge:______ Individual Donation______ Name _______________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________ Amount $ _____________ Lodge Gift - Memorial Gift - In Honor of – Dedicated to - Congratulations to

Name: ______________________________________________ Acknowledgement to be sent to: Name _______________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________

Checks: Payable to -- District Lodge No. 3 Charitable Trust

Mail to ---Counselor Katherine Dollymore - 1015 Edgerton Rd. - Secane, PA 19018-2905

The Charitable trust is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit - All donations are tax deductible on federal and state returns to the fullest extent of the law.

1015 Edgerton Rd • Secane, PA 19018 • 610-626-2260 • [email protected]

State of LOV Report - Roy Berntsen, LOV Chair

November and December has been quieter than the previous months. Our fire extinguishers were updated and approved, our largest project of the plumbing looks more promising, and we’ve had guests stay since the “Manager’s House” is up and running. It will still need some minor repairs to fix the ceilings where the water pipes and heating pipes had exploded, but that can be fixed in a work weekend or two. We had hunters stay in the house and we got some income which helps pay for the heating and electricity that is needed to keep the alarm system live and the sensor spot lights active. The hunters were successful and want to come again next year, so, we hope the word spreads to bring back this income. Right now, they bring everything they need, linens, towels and food, but, to come back to a warm building is nicer than a tent. I have been asked by some skiers if they can also rent the house and they will have the same type of deal, but it will be nice to know the house is operational. As in all business you seek out more than one bid for any project. This is not lost on our attempt with the repair/replacement plumbing. I have been requesting additional quotes from plumbers for the project. I ask for your patience in understanding why the plumbing has not started, as we want to find the best deal that we can and hopefully have a plumber that we can assist to keep the costs down also. Our goal is always to do the best job, financially and skillfully, we can for LOV. The LOV Board has been working since October but our first LOV Board meeting will be January 10th. We are holding it at LOV in the manager’s house. The board is working on the business plan and timeline to secure we can open. I have started the agenda for the meeting and each of the board members will add their own comments and projects they have been working on. If anyone has any thoughts or questions they would like us to discuss, please feel free to contact me. It is important that we all know what is happening and what our future plans will be. The State of LOV Report will have a summary and highlights from that meeting. It is important to us that the money you are so very generously giving is spent on LOV and not on our traveling or board meetings. There are definite expenses that 3D Ltd. and LOV must spend to keep it functioning – but as any board member knows, there will be expenses from our own pockets. So we are bringing our own foods and linens, and will keep our costs to a minimum for the January board meeting plus any other board or regular meeting. I remember the good old days, when any officer must pull their own weight and expenses to serve the membership. If we can keep that in our thoughts, we can all make this the success I know it can be. Barbara and I have been visiting various lodges, right now on Long Island, as it is easier with our holiday schedule, but we are venturing out to various lodges especially here in the north. I have a couple of lodges on my calendar for 2015. If you would like me or any member of the LOV Board to visit please let me know. We will be glad to spread the newest information on what is happening until that point. OR if you would like the updated news for you to bring to the lodge, you can either use these reports or contact me at: [email protected] and I will send you the newest news. Please contact me with your name and email address if you want to be on my LOV Volunteer Work List. We welcome everyone at every skill level. If you can swing a hammer, paint a wall, install crown molding, prepare a meal for 20 + or hold a broom; when the time is right we will have a job for you. There is a lot of work to be done and WE WILL DO IT!

Land of the Vikings 4

Gail Martinsen, Cultural Director

It’s unknown when the Runes were first used, but, they were found in caves dating back to the Bronze Age (1300’s) and are mentioned in the bible. The people writing the Runes thought they were given magical and religious powers through the Runes. The word Rune comes from the Norse word Runa, which means a secret or mystery. The Runes represent the gods, animals, people, objects, ideas and

happenings of the time. The Runic alphabet became widespread in Northern Europe around 200 A.D. They were used in all the Germanic countries of the time including Germany, England, the Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and all of Scandinavia. Most of the runes found in existence today are on bones, stone or metal with a few pieces on wood. The early Scandinavian runemasters and mistresses used vertical and angled straight lines to carve or burn in the wood. Some other places the runes can be found are on jewelry, tools, weapons and in some Stave churches! The Eddas said that Odin was hung on the World Tree when he read the runes and stole them to try to gain wisdom and wellbeing. It, also, states that Bragi, the master of the skalds and a great storyteller, had the runes tattooed on his tongue! The Vikings never cut down a living tree to use for their runes. They used the branches or trees that fell due to the winds or some form of nature. The Elder Futhark was used in Scandinavia until the 8th century when the Eddas were written. The name Futhark comes from the first 6 letters of their alphabet: F, U, þ, Á, R and K. There were several variations of Scandinavian runes, they were long branch, Danish, Norwegian, dotted and so on. The Kensington Runestone was discovered in Solem, Minnesota by Swedish immigrant Olof Olsson Ohman in the year 1898. The stone was named Kensington after the nearest settlement. He found the stone after clearing his land of trees and stumps to be able to farm. It was claimed by Norwegians as a Swedish hoax and the Swedes as a Norwegian hoax. One hundred years later, more discoveries have proved that it is the real deal! It is thought to have been left there by Knights Templar and Norse Vikings in the 1300’s! Since then, there have been 2 other runestones discovered, one found in Kansas City, Missouri and one near Heavener, Oklahoma.

Godt Nyttår!! Happy New Year! Gail

Karin Mathisen Fossum 5

Karin Fossum was born Karin Mathisen in Sandefjord, Norway on November 6, 1954. Her writing career started with a career as a poet. Her first collection was “Kanskje I morgen” published in 1974 at the age of 20. It won the Tarjei Vesaas’ debutantpris Award. After that she went on to work in hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers for drug addicts until writing her series of crime novels featuring police detective, Inspector Konrad Sejer. Unlike many other heroes in Scandinavian crime novels, Inspector Sejer isn’t a drunk and he doesn’t have any emotional problems. He is a quiet, mild-mannered widower with a grown daughter. He takes his job seriously and believes in justice. Also, he gets along with his boss and his fellow detectives. She shows respect for the police in her novels and the beautiful Norwegian countryside shows an important role in her books. Karin has won numerous awards for her novels, including the Glass Key Award for the best Nordic crime novel, among other winners of this award are Henning Mankell and Jo Nesbø. Her books have been translated in 25 different languages and published in over 30 countries!

“The Indian Bride’ by Karin Fossum

This past week a package was delivered at our door from Ron’s sister, Randi Martinsen! When I opened it what a wonderful surprise!! In the box were 3 books by Jo Nesbø, “The Indian Bride” by Karin Fossum, a book by Henning Mankell and a book by Karin Alvtegen! Of course, I had already read all of Jo Nesbø’s books! So, I will donate them to the troops. I chose to read Karin Fossum’s book first. It was excellent! The story takes place in Elvestad, a small village of 2,000 people. One of the villagers discovers the body of a woman brutally beaten to death. She was so badly beaten that she couldn’t be identified. But, there were no women in the town missing. Inspector Konrad Sejer is sent to the crime scene, which is the worst one he has ever seen! The woman’s face is completely damaged beyond recognition! The small café in town is the hangout for all the villagers young and old. But, no one can figure who she could be. She is dressed in a silk outfit not common to Norway, sandals and a solje pin? Most of the villagers don’t want to get involved or accuse anyone in town after all none of them could be guilty of such a horrible act?? Through much investigation Sejer discovers that 50 year old, Gunder Jomann had traveled to India a short while ago for 2 weeks. Gunder is a little slow and has been living alone most of his life. His only visitor was his sister, Marie who watched out for him. She gave him a book about the people of the world and he fell for the ladies in India. So, he called in sick for work and went to India with the hope of finding a wife! He met Poon in Mumbai and they married. She had loose ends to clean up at home, so, he came back to Norway and prepared for her arrival. The day she is to arrive he gets a phone call that his sister was in a car accident and is in a coma. Her husband is out of town so the hospital asks him to come. He is torn, but, decides to go to his sister and has the local cab driver pick up Poona at the airport. When Gunder comes home Poona isn’t there yet? He calls the cabbie and he said he couldn’t find her at the airport. Gunder hears about the murder but, that can’t be his Poona? He keeps thinking she will turn up, but eventually he has to accept this must be her. He goes to police headquarters and identifies her by the solje pin. This story shows that what course you choose to take could have consequences! Many of the villagers were afraid to speak up and made wrong decisions. At the end Inspector Sejer finds the killer, but, the ending might leave you with a few questions. I am looking forward to reading more of Karin Fossum’s Inspector Sejer crime novels. 6

The 10 states with the top % of Norwegians. Minnesota – 851,000 Wisconsin – 456,000 California – 436,000 Washington – 368,000 North Dakota – 193,000 Illinois – 179,000 Iowa- 167,000 Oregon – 147,000 Texas – 119,000 South Dakota – 115,000

North Dakota – 33% Minnesota – 20% South Dakota – 17% Montana – 12% Wisconsin – 10% Washington – 8% Iowa – 6% Alaska – 6% Oregon – 5% Wyoming – 5%

Vige, A Very Wise and Special Dog One of the Viking kings in the Snorre Sturlasson sagas was Olav Trygvasson. In 988, Olav sailed from Sicily to Ireland. There he met Gyda, an Earl’s widow and the sister of Dublin’s king, Olaf Kvaron. She was looking for a husband who would be strong, hardworking and honest. She chose Olav and they lived in England. Olav and his men sailed in his Viking ship often to Ireland. On one such trip, his men came ashore in search of food. They came across cattle and drove them to beach. A peasant showed up begging for his cattle to be returned. Olav told him they would be returned if he could find his cattle among the many hundreds they had stolen. The peasant’s sheep dog found all of his cattle among the hundreds of poached cattle. The Vikings were impressed by how smart the dog was and Olav asked the peasant if he could have the dog? After the peasant agreed, Olav gave him a gold ring and they became friends. The dog was named Vige and he was the smartest of all dogs! Vige and Olav returned to England. There Norwegian, Tore Klakke found Olav and talked him into returning to Norway. At this time the Norwegians were rebelling against Regent Hakon Jarl. The rebels welcomed Olav with open arms, since he was a descendant of Harald Harfager. Once Hakon was defeated Olav became King. Many of the chiefs in Northern Norway rebelled against Olav. In one of the battles against Chief Tore, Olav, Vige and his men followed Tore and his men to shore. Olav saw Tore running away and he followed him with Vige. Olav shouted to Vige “Take the deer, Vige.” Vige ran after Tore and jumped unto him. At the same time, Olav threw a spear at Tore and Tore stabbed Vige with his sword! Tore was dead on the spot, but, they carried Vige unto their Viking ship. No more is known about Vige. But, a dog worth a gold ring was very special! 7

Kongesuppe (Royal Soup) From “The Complete Scandinavian Cookbook” by Alice B. Johnson 1 small onion, minced 2 carrots 2 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. flour 2 qts. Beef stock or bouillion ¼ cup cut-up celery

2/3 cup cooked peas 1 tbsp. chopped parsley 2 tbsp. sherry wine Salt to taste Dash of cayenne pepper Tiny balls of forcemeat

Peel carrots, cut into tiny cubes and brown very slightly in the butter. Add flour and stir until smooth. Add the beef stock or bouillon slowly. Add celery, cut into very small pieces and cook until soft. Add cooked peas, salt, cayenne pepper, parsley and sherry. Add the tiny meat balls, cook 5 to 10 minutes longer and serve. 8 or more servings.

Kjøttfarse (Forcemeat Balls) 1 lb. lean chopped meat 2 tbsp. potato flour or cornstarch (ground several times) 2 cups cold boiled milk 1 tsp. salt 2 oz. suet, grated or ground During the final grinding of beef add potato flour or cornstarch and salt. Add very gradually the milk, which has been boiled and cooled, 1 tsp. at a time to begin with, increasing the amount as you go along. Finally work into tiny balls and add to the Royal soup. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size of meat balls.

Ron Martinsen, PR Director Website: Most of the website you do not need a password to access. You can get the President’s & Vice

President’s messages, TDT, newsletter contest, district forms, LOV information, calendar of events, photo

gallery, etc. at http://3dsofn.org/home.html To go on the blog or to list an event you need a password. You

can get that through registration in the right sidebar on the “Calendar of Events” page. If you

have a problem with your password, contact me at [email protected] Once your password is set, you

can enter events. If your calendar information is submitted correctly, I will approve your entry. Photos:

Some photos I am receiving are not suitable for the Viking Magazine. Something to do with

their resolution? Maybe it’s those camera phones (try to get .JPG photos). You can get the

requirements on the website at the Publicity page for photos for the Viking Magazine.

Anyway, they are OK for the TDT. The deadline is the 15th of the month for the TDT.

Click for How to Submit Your Photos from Viking Resource I need photos for the Viking Magazine. Mostly from Northern Lodges. Check out the 3D website at the web address above and look for information on “Constant Contact”

e-mails when you receive them. From now on the TDT will only be sent out on Constant Contact or you

can access it at the website above. The Third District of Sons of Norway now has a Facebook Page. See below. 8 https://www.facebook.com/TheThirdDistrictoftheSonsofNorway Check out the “Calendar of Events” on the website and the zone reports in this TDT. Lodge editors, please try to send photos to me by the 10th of each month.

If you have a new e-mail address or are changing your e-mail address, call Sherry Gorse at Sons

of Norway Headquarters at 1-800 945-8851

Thank You, Ron Martinsen, 3D Pub. Dir. [email protected]

News You Can Use From the Law and Resolution Proposals of the 2014 International Convention: Here is a brief summary of the proposed changes to our Sons of Norway laws and procedures that were submitted at the recent International Convention in Jacksonville, Florida in August. A proposal forwarded by the International Board (IB) will now entitle each District Lodge to send two delegates plus one delegate for each 300 members rather than one for each 400 members as in the past. The goal for this change was to make it possible for more delegates to attend and thereby increase participation in our convention and governing process. Another successful proposal from the IB was to require that "Bids to host the International Convention must be forwarded to the International Board of Directors at least 30 days prior to the opening of the International Lodge meeting". This will give the IB time to review the bid in advance of the convention. Charter & Constitutions (C&C) paragraph 2.11.4.1 was amended such that nominations for both International officers and directors, going forward, will be submitted to a Nominating Committee no later than 2 weeks after each District Convention. Additionally there will be no nominations from the floor for International officers and directors. The reason for this change is that IB members must be vetted in advance to ensure they possess the proper qualifications needed to serve. A new paragraph 3.7.7 was added to the C&C creating a nominating committee for each district to utilize to "identify, review and recommend eligible candidates" to run for International Director. Following the guidelines as established in the change to paragraph 2.11.4.1, as outlined above, the nominating committee will have time to assess the qualifications of each candidate, based on the application submitted, to determine whether they meet required eligibility requirements and are qualified to be candidates for that office. Similarly, C&C paragraph 3.11.5 was re-written to create a nominating committee for those running for district offices and directorships. The candidates for District office must also meet eligibility requirements as determined by the District Lodge. I will be working with the District President's Council starting this fall to try to define the eligibility requirements and procedures for the new nominating committees to follow. A clarification to Par 3.6.4.2 will now allow an officer or director, not re-elected to an office, to remain a member of the district lodge until the next regular district lodge meeting begins. Since a director or officer is a voting member, as is any delegate, combined with the fact that a delegate is still a delegate until the next district lodge meeting convenes, the same privileges were spelled out for officers not continuing in office. This would most likely only come into play if a referendum vote or special meeting becomes necessary between regular district lodge meetings. Additionally new paragraph 3.6.4.3 was adopted which allows a district officer from a suspended lodge to continue to serve as long as they remain in good standing with SON. A clarification to 3.9.5.3 reinforcing the fact that delegates from the last convention continue their responsibilities in the case of a special meeting being held between conventions. And, lastly, clarifications were made to 2.6.2 and 2.9.5 regarding special meetings. Resolutions that passed included one outlining procedures for the merging of two lodges and one for voluntarily dissolution of a lodge. Also clarified is the status of elected delegates to convention whose lodges have been suspended, merged or dissolved. A resolution passed asking International to inform a District Board of any pending action to dissolve, merge or institute a new lodge within their District. Lastly a resolution passed that calls for a committee to be appointed by the Int President to investigate a simplified dues structure that can be applied consistently throughout the order. Among defeated proposals were those that would have amended par. 3.11.2 to set a deadline of two weeks prior to the district convention for nominations for District office to be forwarded to the nominating committee and to limit nominations from the convention floor. Another defeated law change was an attempt to grandfather in lodges holding property such that they would not have to meet the requirement of creating a (c)(2) corporation to hold their lodge real estate if it was already held by a non-profit corporation. This would have grandfathered non-compliance with IRS regulations, a move that was not something within the power of the convention or SON. A proposal to allow a suspended lodge to send delegates to the district lodge meeting was also defeated. A resolution to standardize SON numerical coding for lodges was withdrawn and another resolution, to standardize SON abbreviations, was defeated. The resolution to establish a parent 501(c)(2) organization for our lodges owning real estate failed as there is no provision for this in the IRS code. A lot of changes for one International Lodge meeting to be sure, but ones that will help clarify processes and heighten our level of

governance throughout the organization.

Mark Agerter

President, District Two

9

Carol Anderson, 3D Sports Director Don’t look now, but 2015 is just around the corner. So let’s not just

make those empty New Year’s resolutions, how ’bout we actually do

something about it - OH NO! that includes me too. I’m embarrassed to

admit that I have been a SoN member for 20 plus years now and I have

not earned one sports medal. Yes, I try to stay active to keep my 73

year old body in shape, and I talk a lot about how I have to do a better

job and start walking or biking, but I have never committed to actually

doing it. So I’ve been all talk and no action. Now, I am committing to

you that I will take either the walking or cycling challenge - I dare you to do the same.

Next month look for information on the 2015 bowling tournament.

The following form will also be emailed to all 3D lodge Presidents and Sports Directors.

2015 ZONE GANGMERKE (WALKING) CHALLENGE

OR

2015 ZONE SYKKELMERKE (CYCLING) CHALLENGE

HERE IS A CHANCE FOR YOUR LODGE MEMBERS TO COME TOGETHER TO SHOW THE STRENGTH AND

PRIDE IN YOUR ZONE WHILE GETTING FIT AND HEALTHY AT THE SAME TIME, NOT TO MENTION

“STICKING IT” TO ALL THE OTHER D3 ZONES. HELP YOUR ZONE EARN THE MOST WALKING AND/OR

CYCLING MEDALS IN 2015! ZONE DIRECTORS, GET BEHIND YOUR LODGES AND START CHEERING THEM

ON.

DATES: JANUARY, 2015 THROUGH NOVEMBER, 2015 10

PARTICIPANTS: ALL CURRENT DISTRICT 3 MEMBERS

RULES: 1). ASK FOR LODGE PARTICIPANTS

2). DISTRIBUTE WALKING AND/OR CYCLING MEDAL CARDS

3). BEGIN JANUARY, 2015

4). NEW PARTICIPANTS MAY BE ADDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

5). MEDALS MUST BE EARNED BY NOVEMBER 30, 2015 TO BE COUNTED.

6). SUBMIT FORM BELOW TO ME VIA EMAIL OR U.S. MAIL

7). PLEASE DO NOT SEND MEDAL CARDS TO ME.

8). ONE ZONE COULD WIN FOR BIKING AND ANOTHER FOR CYCLING.

WINNERS: THE ZONE DIRECTOR(S) AND PARTICIPANTS WILL BE FEATURED IN

THE JANUARY, 2016 TDT.

**********************************************************************

HELP ME BOOST THE CHALLENGE BY REPORTING PROGRESS TO ME ON A MONTHLY BASIS. IF YOU

WOULD, PLEASE EMAIL THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO ME AT [email protected] OR PRINT THIS

FORM AND MAIL TO ME AT CAROL ANDERSON, 3D SPORTS AND REC DIRECTOR, 1062 CHARLES ST,

CLEARWATER, FL. 33755.

CIRCLE ONE BIKING OR CYCLING. IF YOUR LODGE IS PARTICIPATING IN BOTH CHALLENGES, PLEASE

SUBMIT ONE FORM FOR EACH.

BIKING CHALLENGE ZONE ______ CYCLING CHALLENGE ZONE ______

LODGE __________________ CONTACT NAME _________________ DATE___________

PARTICIPANTS DISTANCE TO DATE PARTICIPANTS DISTANCE TO DATE

_______________________ ________ _______________________ ________

_______________________ ________ _______________________ ________

_______________________ ________ _______________________ ________

_______________________ ________ _______________________ ________

_______________________ ________ _______________________ ________

_______________________ ________ _______________________ ________

JUST DO IT! GET OUT AND START GETTING HEALTHY- GOOD LUCK.

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www.willysproducts.com e-mail [email protected]

Willy's Products 1601 NW 38th Ave. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 office: (954) 316-1350 Fax: (954) 316-1375 Mobile: (954) 461-3985

Scandinavian Foods

Click below for photos from the Third District Convention

https://www.facebook.com/SonsofNorway3rdDistrictConvention2014

Zone Reports 11

Zone 1 - Karen Olsen-Helmold –Director- [email protected] Click here for Zone 1 Report

Zone 2 - Peter Hanson – Director Zone 2 wishes all District Three members God Jul and Godt Nyttår. It is that time of year when Lodges have

had their Julefests in celebration of the Christmas season. On top of all that, elections have been completed,

Christmas bazaars/fairs have been held, business meetings conducted and planning for the annual installation of

officers has begun and will continue for the next month or so. It is truly a busy season for all our lodges. As a

Zone we encouraged all of our various lodge members to support each other by attending events throughout the

Zone.

After we catch our breath from the business of the holiday season and enter the New Year we are hopeful for a

renewed sense of exploring our Norwegian heritage through lodge cultural events. I know that there are many

hardworking members planning for the future in each of our lodges.

Rather than write about each of the lodges Julefest celebrations I will share a few pictures that capture the story.

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Zone 3 – Paul Kornbrekke – Director Many of zone 3 lodges had elections I will be getting a new list of officers and pass it along. Freidhiem will meet on January 10th to plan its calendar, Pleasant Point had a wonderful Christmas party and will be meeting in their new location Holy Cross Lutheran church in Toms River, Nor-Bu lodge January 11th Sunday dinner 2pm, January 16th meeting installation of officers, Noreg lodge January 2nd installation of officers, Nansen lodge January 16th anniversary and installation of officers, Bernt Balchan does not meet in January and February next meeting March 15th 2pm

Zone 4 –Kari Williams – Director The Holidays are almost over, and we are starting a new year, 2015. The lodges in Zone 4 celebrated Christmas in style. I visited Fram Lodge’s Christmas Luncheon at a Country club just south of Albany,

NY. On Friday, December 12 and the snow outside was beautiful. The other lodges in Zone 4 had their own Christmas celebrations, too, and I hope to see some pictures when they meet again in January. A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

FRAM LODGE 3-564: The lodge will not have a meeting in January. HUDSON VALLEY LODGE 3-432: The Lodge’s Winter Week-end is January 2-4, 2015 at Winter Clove Resort in Roundtop, NY. No lodge meeting in January.

TROLL LODGE 3-476: The lodge will meet Friday, January 9th for a business meeting. OSLO LODGE 3-438: On January 10th, the lodge will have a “Souper Bowl meeting” with installation of new officers for 2015/2016. NORRONA LODGE 3-467: Saturday, January 10th is “Teen New Year’s Party” NORSEMEN LODGE 3-572: The program for Saturday, January 10th is “ Around the World” with foreign foods by members. SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE LODGE 3-433: The lodge meets January 17th to hear a Christmas Story from Trondheim, Norway, by a member.

Submitted by Kari Williams, Zone 4 Director.

Zone 5 – Gail Martinsen – Acting Director In Florida, all of our lodges had a wonderful Christmastime!!! At this special time of the year, we all celebrate the birth of Christ. But, we, also, remember and celebrate our families and their traditions, such as hanging Christmas stockings, Santa, sharing memories and, of course, the delicious Norwegian food, especially the desserts, riskrem, kransekake, Julekake and all of our absolutely yummy varieties of Norwegian cookies! Ron & I missed Gateway to Florida’s wonderful Annual Julefest , since Ron was still under the weather. But, they all had a fun time at the Omni Jacksonville Hotel. Chicken breast and roast beef with all the trimmings were served, plus a delicious cheesecake with a lingonberry sauce for the dessert. Gulf Coast Vikings’ members enjoyed a God Jul party at the Plantation @ Somerset. They all enjoyed a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. The members brought a large variety of desserts to share. Karen Torkelson-Solgard was their special guest. She is a singer, Hardanger fiddler, a songwriter and a story teller. She entertained all of the guests attending the party. Wow, it must have been a wonderful time! At Gulfstream’s Julefest the menu was roast pork and all of the trimmings. Glogg was served in 2 different versions, the Swedish Glogg was prepared by member, Sally Berquist and the Norwegian Glogg by member, Jean Wamnes. I bet that both versions were popular! Members were asked to bring wrapped gifts valued at $15 for a Christmas Swap. Canned food and dry goods were collected for the House of Hope at their Julefest. In October and November alone Gulfstream members donated a total of 126 pounds of food for the House of Hope! The Nordic Needles ladies met at Ester Fidje’s home in December to make delicious kransekake. Congratulations to Shirley Vincent for winning $1,000 (second prize) in the 3D Raffle!

Gulfstream’s Kransekake Shirley Vincent & Charley Nilsen Carleen Hannah – Suncoast 13 Gulfstream Lauderdale met at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church to enjoy a festive Norwegian Christmas meal cooked by Chef Willy and his kitchen nissen. Port Orange is in the process of deciding if they should stay as a lodge or not. Many of their members are up in age and can’t drive and get around anymore. Sarasota’s Bestemore’s Attic in November was a GREAT SUCCESS! They had the biggest bakery table at the event that they ever had! Their Juletrefest was held at the Sara Bay Country Club with music by Gerry Maki. Everyone enjoyed loin of pork with apple stuffing and all the trimmings, a herring platter and riskrem for dessert, YUM! In November, 2 new members signed-up, Signe Wallace & Carolyn Foley. Signe & Carolyn, welcome to Sons of Norway! They will be holding the Grieg Festival in Sarasota from January 8th to the 11th. I’m sure many members of the local lodges will try to attend this event.

Scandia’s speaker in November was Captain Wayne Smith, he is retired from the Air Force. During his inspiring presentation, he discussed his time as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam and how all of the prisoners cared for each other. At their Julefest members enjoyed delicious cookies and kransekake baked by the kitchen nisse! A Christmas Smorbrod was enjoyed by Suncoast’s members. Lillian and Dean were in charge of the Santa Lucia Pageant and Joe Skodje supplied the music with his harmonica. Their special guests were Santa and a representative from “Take-it-to-the-Streets”. The “Take-it-to-the-Streets” representative brought back to their headquarters the many bikes and other toys the lodge and members had collected for the needy boys and girls in their area. Members, also, brought Christmas stockings filled with money to the Julefest for their local food pantry. Welcome to Carleen Hannah, she rejoined Suncoast and Sons of Norway in November! Sun Viking had a wonderful Juletrefest! The roast pork dinner was catered by Nita & Burton. They do such a great job, but, even better, any food leftover was donated to one of the local homeless shelters! So, none of the food went to waste! Some members brought rødkål and surkål for the meal, plus, many brought riskrem and a large variety of Norwegian cookies for the dessert! Our special guest was Santa! Members all joined in singing Christmas carols. Toys for Toys for Tots, a large variety of items for the Troops and many canned goods for the local Salvation Army to distribute to the needy were collected at the Juletrefest! Our Tahoe was filled with all of the items to be delivered!! Tusen Takk to everyone for their generous donations! One of Sun Viking’s members, Greta Vigre lives in North Carolina, so, of course, she couldn’t attend the Juletrefest. But, it didn’t stop her, she sent me $10.00 to purchase items for these special causes! She is such a special lady! Everyone in Tampa Bay Lodge went to IKEA for a special Julefest. After their dinner many of their members went back to the Grace Lutheran Church (where they regularly meet) for their Annual Tree Decorating Party! They decorated a traditional Christmas tree and then donated it to the church as a gift from the lodge. Vikingworld Orlando’s Silent Auction at their November meeting was a great success! Everyone participated and they were able to raise much needed funds for their lodge! Their Yulebrod was a pot luck style dinner with many Norwegian dishes. The lodge supplied a spiral ham to the meal. The traditional Christmas program included instrumental music, carol singing (in Norwegian and English) and dancing around the Christmas tree. Vikingworld Orlando will have no January meeting. Most of our lodges will be having installations in January.

Gail 14

Zone 6 – Louis Olsen - Director Zone 6 lodges have ended the year 2014 with our Christmas Celebrations. These have ranged from Julefests with Holiday songs, Festive meals and Cheerful greetings held in lodge halls, neighborhood restaurants or local Country Clubs. There have also been Jultrefests with Norwegian Festivals and Bazaar, grandly decorated trees with ribbons of Norwegian Flags, colorful woven baskets and Julenissen, as well as Julebords with additional bands and dancing enjoyed in the company of members of other Nordic countries. All of these allow us to feel the warmth of the Holiday Season and witness the broad smiles of our fellow lodge members. We extend these same warm Holiday Feelings to all lodge members of District Three. And we look forward to a Grand and Happy New Year. God Jul og et Godt Nyttar

Zone 7 – Dirk Hansen - Director I would like to take this opportunity to wish the entire membership of the 3

rd District a very Merry

Christmas and a safe and productive New Year. As of this writing, I think it is safe to assume that most of the

lodges throughout our organization have had or will soon have their annual Jultrefest Celebrations. Typically

these can be the highlight of the lodge’s calendar and are much looked forward to by the membership. Menus

may vary from lodge to lodge and St. Lucia crowns may be battery operated or real candles but great food and

fellowship are a constant throughout and Jultrefest is certainly a culmination of all of the cultural heritage that

we as Sons of Norway members hold so dearly. God Jul

As we head into the New Year, many of our lodges will be installing a new board of officers. The

importance of this event cannot be overstated. The future of our lodges and their overall health and vitality is

directly related to the spirit of volunteerism and dedication that the incoming officers have displayed and have

committed to. My personal thanks goes out to all of the Zone 7 lodge officers who will be installed for

2015/2016. Well done. For the lodges on the next cycle of officers, now is the time to start identifying and

recruiting your potential board for 2016/17. Encouragement and support from the existing board can go a long

way to insure the future growth and health of our lodges.

Please Support The Sons of Norway Foundation

and The Third District Charitable Trust

Land of the Vikings (LOV) is now on Facebook. facebook

3D SofN Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/TheThirdDistrictoftheSonsofNorway

Click below for photos from the Third District Convention 15

https://www.facebook.com/SonsofNorway3rdDistrictConvention2014

Click for Sons of Norway 3D Community Connections - Volunteers

Grieg Festival There will be a GRIEG FESTIVAL in Sarasota, FL, January 8-11, 2015 which will include presentations and performances from top experts on Grieg's music from Norway, England, Canada, and the States. A competition for young artists will award $12,000 in cash prizes and tours to Norway for the winners in piano and in voice. Please inform your members of this special event. Sponsors include the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, Sarasota Music Archive, International Grieg Society and the Royal Norwegian Consul General of Houston. For information, please visit: www.griegfestivalinflorida.org or contact 16 me at [email protected] Thank you, Sylvia R. Eckes Director, Grieg Festival Vice President of the International Grieg Society, Bergen

Selby Public Library

1331 First Street, Sarasota, FL 34236

Thursday - Saturday, January 8 - 10, 2015

Exhibit of Edvard Grieg's Manuscripts and Letters from the Grieg Archives in Norway

Friday, January 9, 2015

Presentations, Panel Discussion, Performances

free and open to the public

Rotunda

10:30 a.m. Opening Session, including performances by pianist Sandra Mogensen (Canada), pre-college competition winners, and a talk about the exhibit by Siren Steen (Norway) Geldbart Auditorium 1:00 p.m. “Grieg and America,” Dr. William H. Halverson, keynote speaker, translator of books and songs of Grieg (USA) 2:00 p.m. “Why Grieg?” Beryl Foster, author of books on Grieg's songs and choral works (UK) 2:30 p.m. “At Home with Nina & Edvard Grieg at Troldhaugen,” Monica Jangaard, Chief curator of the Edvard Grieg Museum, Troldhaugen (Norway) 3:00 p.m. “Sets vs. Opuses: A Novel Approach to Programming Grieg’s Piano Works,” Dr. Gloria Cook, Professor of Piano at Rollins College (USA) with performances by pre-college competition winners

3:30 p.m. “The Challenges of Singing in Norwegian,” a panel discussion with Beryl Foster, Njål Sparbo, and American university professors and professional singers

Historic Asolo Theater

5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, FL 34243

Friday, January 9, 2015

7:30 p.m. Evening Concert featuring Gloria Musicae, Dr. Joseph Holt with soloist and bass-baritone, Njål Sparbo; bass-baritone Alan Dunbar; and pianist Gregory Martin**

Saturday and Sunday, January 10 & 11, 2015

7:30 p.m. Evening Concerts featuring pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi; bass-baritone Njål Sparbo; and pianist Einar Røttingen**

Holley Hall Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center

709 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236 17

Saturday, January 10, 2015

10:30 a.m. Young Artist Competition Semi-finals. Pianists and singers perform solo piano works and songs of Grieg.

free and open to the public

Sunday, January 11, 2015

2:00 p.m. Young Artists Competition Finals

Pianists and singers selected from the semi-finals round compete for up to $12,000 in cash prizes and tours to Norway.

free and open to the public

**Evening Concerts featuring internationally-acclaimed musicians are presented by the Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota. Tickets are required and may be purchased at:

artistseriesconcerts.org/eventcategory/special-events/

Additional Information about the Grieg Festival ALL FESTIVAL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EXCEPT THE EVENING CONCERTS AT THE HISTORIC ASOLO THEATER. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT US AT: [email protected] About the Director: Sylvia Reynolds Eckes has given hundreds of performances, presentations, and master classes on the music of Edvard Grieg. She has guided university students on their research papers and dissertations on the music of Grieg and brought many Norwegian musicians to the US to perform. Following her debuts at Oslo's Aula Concert Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, she concertized in the US, Europe, and China. She was orchestra pianist of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra during a three-year residency in Oslo where she studied and taught at the Oslo Conservatory, worked at the Norwegian State Ballet Academy, was organist-choir director at the American Lutheran Church in Oslo, and performed concerts in Norway under Gottschalk Management. Saturday/Sunday Concerts Home Presentations Contact Competitions Contact Information Dr. Sylvia Reynolds Eckes, Festival Director at: [email protected] Contact information of sponsors: Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota www.artistseriesconcerts.org International Edvard Grieg Society: www.griegsociety.org Sarasota Music Archive: www.sarasotamusicarchive.org Hotel accommodation information: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Sarasota: www.sarasota.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html Festival Planning Committee Dr. Gloria Cook, Professor of Piano, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL Beryl Foster, author and translator, Grieg songs and Gr ieg books; President, International Grieg Society, Bergen, Norway Dr. Sylvia Eckes, Professor Emerita, Ohio Univeristy; Director of Grieg Festival John Fisher, Executive Director, Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota Dr. William H. Halverson, former Associate Dean, Ohio State University; translator, Grieg songs (Peters edition) and Grieg books Vera Neumann-Wood, Head of Special Collections, Selby Public Library, Sarasota Lee Dougherty Ross, singer and pianist; Artistic Director, Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota Dr. Einar Røttingen, Professor of Piano, Grieg Academy, University of Bergen; Chair, Executive Committee, International Grieg Society, Bergen, Norway

Christmas Around The Third District

Brooklyn Lodge

Bernt Balchen Lodge Restauration Lodge

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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Bondelandet Lodge 19

Sun Viking Lodge – Lodge President Randi Haverstrom and 3D Cultural Director Gail Martinsen stand with the Christmas Tree and some of the 31 Toys for Tots, 106 Canned Food for the Needy and 114 Items for the Troops collected by the lodge.

Maine Nordmenn Lodge 20

Four Gateway to Florida members in Jacksonville dressed in their Bunads for their Jul Fest Dec. 7 which include from left Ann Rita Perkins, Marci Larson, Frank Morrison and Ann Crisp. About 50 members including six new members enjoyed the festivities at the Omni Hotel which featured a visit from Santa and the Santa Lucia procession.

Washington Lodge Longship 21

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Reading Circle discussion of Dag Solstad's Shyness and Gulf Coast Viking members attended a Swedish Santa Dignity. Washington, DC lodge - 3-428. Lucia service at the Messiah Lutheran Church in Cape Coral, FL

Sons of Norway Celebrates Founders’ Day January 14 marks Founders Day within Sons of Norway; It was on this day in 1895 that 18 Norwegian Immigrants came together to form a mutual assistance organization that would one day become an international organization. Practical, cautious, and driven to find solutions to the financial problems many Norwegian-American families faced, the founders looked to their homeland for answers. Several of them had lived in Trondheim, where for a small weekly fee, members and their families acquired free medical care. Borrowing from that plan, the men designed a mutual assistance organization to provide members with security against financial crisis, a forum to celebrate Norwegian-American nationalism, and a means to preserve the treasured literature, music, art, foods and customs of Norway. The founding charter describes the foundation of Sons of Norway and also provides a glimpse of what Norwegian newcomers strove for in America at the turn of the 20th century: This corporation is organized upon fraternal principles, for the purpose of creating and preserving interest in the Norwegian language by its members insofar as compatible with the loyalty they owe the United States of America, to labor for the development, enlightenment and progress that conduce to honest citizenship, in order that the Norwegian people in their country may be properly recognized and respected; to aid its members and their families in case of sickness and death, by according them financial assistance of such magnitude and upon such conditions, as may be determined by its bylaws. In the 120 years since its founding, Sons of Norway has grown into a Fraternal Life Insurance company serving more than 60,000 members in nearly 400 lodges throughout North America and Norway.

Time to Think About Sons of Norway Foundation Scholarships and Grants The Sons of Norway Foundation scholarship

application season is upon us. Current Sons of Norway members, children and grandchildren of current members qualify for our post-high school scholarship opportunities. Each scholarship is for different fields of study. Check out the guidelines to

see which is best for your student. Scholarship deadlines are as follows: Astrid Cates/Myrtle Beinhauer Scholarships - March 1st, King Olav V Norwegian-American Scholarships - March 1st, Oslo Summer School Scholarships - March 1st, Helen Tronvold Norwegian Folk High School - March 1st, Nancy Lorraine Jensen Memorial Scholarships - April 1st, Douglas Warne - Rolf & Wenche Eng Scholarship - April 1st, Lund Fund Scholarship - May 1st. What is your lodge planning for

2015? Check out the funding offered by the Foundation for Nordic themed events, workshops, festival participation and lodge specific programs. Grant deadlines are as follows: Local Lodge Partnership Grants - January 15th, General Heritage & Culture Grants - February 1st, Helping Hands to Children Grants - February 15th. For applications and guidelines, done completely online, go to: www.sonsofnorway.com/foundation

The VIKINGS return to the History Channel in February 2015. Watch for it!

The above two articles are from Restauration Lodge, Kathy Dollymore, Editor

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2015 Lodge Newsletter Contest 24

Guidelines for the Third District 2015 Newsletter Contest The Newsletter Contest recognizes the merit and creativeness of the Lodge editors in the field of Publication and Journalism. Communications is the key to having well informed members that bind a lodge together in fraternalism while fostering culture and heritage of our Nordic roots. Under authority of the Third District Board, the Public Relations Director has the responsibility of conducting the Newsletter Contest according to these guidelines as contained in the 3rd District Policy Manual. CONTEST CATEGORIES • The Newsletter Contest is open to all lodges. • The Public Relations Director shall divide the number of district lodges into three (3) categories according to membership totals. • All three categories (A, B, and C) shall each list an even distribution, or as close as possible, of lodges in the district. Category "A" shall list lodges with the largest membership totals, Category "C" shall list lodges with the lowest membership totals and Category "B" will list lodges with membership totals from the low point of "A" to the high point of "C" (for example: "A" with membership 110 or more; "B" membership from 55 to 109; "C" membership 54 or less). • The District Directory (Adult Membership listings) shall determine the membership count of each lodge as of the preceding year of the contest. • The Public Relations Director shall determine the arrangement of lodges and judges in each category and together with Rules and scoring procedures publish this information in the Third District Today at least three (3) months before the contest begins. CONTEST LENGTH The contest shall run from January 1 of odd number years to January 31 of the following year (13 months). Lodges on a bi-monthly schedule can start in December if they publish a DEC/JAN newsletter. CONTEST RULES • Editors are to send their lodge newsletters to both judges listed in their category; email is preferable where available. Each lodge should also send a copy to every lodge in their zone. • A minimum of 6 issues must be submitted (or three issues if you publish bimonthly) • Judges will award points according to the attached scoring criteria • Final point score for each lodge will be determined by averaging the three (3) highest scoring issues. JUDGING • 6 Zone Directors will serve as judges. The Public Relations Director will assign Two (2) Zone Directors to each category. Zone Directors shall not be assigned to judge a category that has their lodge listed in it. • Judges will prepare their report on a month by month basis using a word document (an Excel Spreadsheet is available). Judges will forward their completed word documents or Excel spreadsheets to the Publicity Director by February 28, 2016. • Each judge in his/her category must receive a minimum of six (6) issues. • Final point score will be determined by averaging the three (3) highest scores. • If a tie occurs, the D3 Executive Committee will make an independent evaluation utilizing the scoring criteria. PRIZES • The Awards shall be a framed certificate for First Place in each category and Certificates for Second and Third Place. If a tie occurs, duplicate prizes shall be given to each lodge. • Awards will be presented at the following District Convention. Winners and the top 5 lodges in each category shall be published in the Third District Today.

2015 Newsletter Contest Categories

Category A Lodges

(110 members or more)

Category B Lodges

(55 to 109 members)

Category C Lodges

(54 members or less)

17 Lodges 18 Lodges 17 Lodges

Nansen 427

Washington

Nor-bu 288

Norumbega 232

Noreg 214

Loyal 208

Nordkap 184

Hudson Valley 134

Gateway to FL. 152

Hampton Roads 160

Norrona 120

Frederiksten 128

Norden 111

Gulfstream 120

Maine Nordmenn 124

Fredheim 119

Bernt Balchen 115

Henrik Ibsen 108

Faerder 99

Lauderdale 93

Garborg 86

Suncoast 73

Norge 77

Scandia 68

Hartford 68

Restauration 61

Sarasota 77

Sun Viking 60

Bondelandet 55

Brooklyn 60

Lillehammer 56

Troll 69

Norsk Carolina 55

Oslo

Scand. Heritage 60

Vennekretsen 54

Southern Star 51

Fram 49

Morgansolen 45

N.C. Vikings 53

Tampa Bay 42

Gulf Coast Vikings 43

Skaugum 43

VikingWorld 39

Drammen 32

Pleasant Point 40

Norsemen 31

Blafjell 32

Port Orange 26

Space Coast 34

Peconic 27

Dovre 24

Judges

Zone 4 Kari Williams [email protected] 33 Bleakly Drive

Peekskill, NY 10566-4950

Zone 2 Peter Hanson [email protected]

327 Old Marlboro Road

Concord, MA 01742-3046

Zone 3 Paul Kornbrekke [email protected] 256 Barnard Ave. Staten Island, NY 10307

Zone 7 Dirk Hansen [email protected]

271 Baxter Lane

Walterboro, SC 29488

Zone 1 Karen Olsen Helmold

[email protected] 183 Evergreen Ave.

Bethpage, NY 11714

Zone 6 Louis Olsen [email protected]

7 Farnham Way

Lutherville, MD 21093-7417

Zone Directors:- an Excel Spreadsheet is also available 25

Points

Masthead: is it clear, attractive and innovative

Lodge name and number prominently displayed 2 _________

newsletter name displayed 2 _________

newsletter publication date displayed 2 _________

innovative appearance 5 _________

Format & Layout is there clarity and style

articles appear to be complete and easily understood 8 _________

good utilization of graphics and photos 8 _________

each page numbered 2 _________

Contact Information Is leadership and lodge information easily identified Lodge Officers names 2 _________

Lodge Officers contact information 2 _________

Lodge editor's name and contact information 2 _________

Editor and/or Lodge address easy to locate 2 _________

Lodge meeting date, time & location easily seen 2 _________

Membership Recognition a column to recognize members (birthdays,etc) 2 _________

member recruitment and/or retention efforts 7 _________

sunshine column 3 _________

memorial services 2 _________

recognizing a member's achievements, awards and years of membership 3 _________

Publication of Lodge events monthly calendar/listing of events 2 _________

upcoming events with all pertinent details 2 _________

events planned by neighbor, district or International lodges 3 _________

participation in community programs such as Adopt a School & other 5 _________

Sons of Norway Information and activities

cultural, fraternal and/or heritage articles from a source outside the lodge 4 _________

Information taken from District and/or International lodges, e.g, D3 President's and Vice-President's letter 4 _________

Lodge involvement with LOV, Foundation, Zone, Charitable Trust, etc. 4 _________

Overall Appearance Appeal and readability 20

100

Zone Directors:- an Excel Spreadsheet is also available

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Order Form

Sons of Norway District 3 2015 Membership Directory

The District 3 2015 Membership Directory will be updated and available for distribution about March 1. The District Board, International Officers and others in the District will receive a complimentary copy. Each lodge will also receive one complimentary copy. Each additional copy is $7.50 Please complete this form and return to me with your check made payable to SON District 3 by February 10. Orders received after Feb. 10 will be available on a first come basis as quantity remains. If you have questions, call me @ (215) 542-7374 or e-mail me at [email protected]

Lodge ______________________________________________________

Contact Name E-mail or Telephone Mailing

Address

City, State, Zip Code

Number of Additional Copies _________________ (You already receive one copy so do not include that number.)

Amount enclosed

Return to: Doris Beck, District 3 Secretary, 1716 Holmes Rd., Ambler, PA 19002-3111. Include your check.

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The hotel rate is $139/night + tax 28

Members of Fredriksten Lodge at their Annual Flea Market & Bazaar 29