2016: January

Happy New Year 
& 
Happy "10" Year Anniversary to 
Nordik Folk No. 761!

2016

It is hard to believe that our Lodge, which was instituted in January 2006 with an original membership of 40, is 10 years old this year! We have come a long way- gaining and losing members, muddling through early ceremonies for Installations and Initiations, adding new clubs and events yearly, and attending District Conventions to learn more about VASA Order of America.  We have managed to create a pretty impressive Scandinavian Club full of dedicated, interesting and talented Scandinavian lovers.  So, while we move through our 10th year...we will be reflecting on our first ten years, and looking forward to the next.

Our Lodge Historian, Michelle Westlund, has all of our Scrapbooks and we will be showing them at lodge meetings throughout the year and at special events.  

January was a very cold month here in Chicago/Northwest Indiana, so when our January meeting date rolled around and the news told us to "Stay inside!!" we took it to heart.  Our first meeting of the new year was cancelled, and in order to keep our business on track we held Officer Elections online with 26 out of 52 members voting.  Voting online were:  Beth Raddatz, Steve Westlund, Shelly Westlund, Linnea Ogrentz, Tonia Tomky, Karrie Schwartz, John Twohy, Jean Oak, Lynda Smith, Shelly Pehlgrim, Mike Pearson Sr., Annelise Gingold-Nelson, Janice Tomky, Phyllis Kalajian, Ingrid Lesko, Barbara Hannigan, Lynnea Sinwelski, Jean Ogrentz, Katie Westlund, Wanda Huszar, Herb Smith, Sarah Wakefield, Elizabeth Flores, Timothy Ogrentz, Harrison Ogrentz, and Abigail Ogrentz. With an unanimous shoo in...here is the list of Nordik Folk No. 761 Officers of 2016:

Nordik Folk Officers 2016

Congratulations to all!  

DISTRICT REPORT:  Our District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8 Report was due at the end of January.  Prepared by Nordik Folk Secretary Linnea Ogrentz, our report showed that our numbers are holding at 52 members.  With the new year, and efforts to reach out to the community with the help of the Cultural Enhancement Fund, we hope to raise those numbers in 2016.  So far, our efforts through the Genealogy Club & Viking Lecture Series have paid off in bringing in new members.  If we keep working and concentrating on the quality of our programs, the people will come...and we'll all have a great time and learn a few things as well.

With the addition of our Spring Nordic Faire (April) we also hope to continue building our Kubb Club & traveling tournament team (oh! How I want to go to Nationals in Eau Claire, WI):

National Kubb Championship, as well as our Scandinavian Craft Club.  We also hope to plan some trips this year.

Additionally, the Social Committee is working on a Kräftskiva Event for August and of course our Viking Festival in November where we hope to be celebrating our "10-Year Anniversary" officially.