From the chair - pat bellingham

Svea Lodge is starting the year with wonderful activities, dedicated members, new members, and a renewed sense of our purpose; bringing the Scandinavian culture to our community.  There is a lot happening so you'll need to visit our website often to keep up!

Walpurgis is on April 30th at SommerLyst Park.  Once again we get to join our Danish friends for an evening of friendship!  Click on the Walpurgis Event to RSVP!  Bring a friend or two!  Hot dogs, snacks, desserts will be provided.  SommerLyst is a private club so no outside alcoholic beverages are allowed - except for the schnapps to toast the lighting of the bonfire.  SommerLyst will have beverages for purchase.

Kathy Williams is hosting Card Making Day at her home on May 10th.  She has a variety of Scandinavian themed cards for birthdays, thinking of you and get well.  These cards will be used for our members who are celebrating or need a kind thought from their Svea family.  Everyone is welcome to join in the fun - but you must register so Kathy knows how many to prepare for.

Our May Banquet is also coming up quickly - May 18th at the Shrine Club on West 38th Street.  It will be a delicious buffet, including fish, stuffed chicken breast, roast beef, roasted potatoes, green beans, dessert.  Coffee and water will be on the tables with other beverages available for purchase.  The cost is $35 and that includes tax and gratuity.  You can pay on-line here on the website or mail your check to Pat or Cheryl.  Please join us as we celebrate 111 years of Scandinavian History.

As part of our membership perks, each family receives a copy of the The Vasa North Star, published by Nordstjernan, a Swedish American Newspaper.  It is published for us 4 times per year.  Individuals may also subscribe to the Nordstjernan for monthly subscriptions.  You can learn lots of cool information about happenings in Scandinavia.  For example, in the latest issue of the Nordstjernan there was an article about a miniature Swedish red cottage placed on the surface of the moon.   It is the first site specific artwork on the moon.  For more info, see www.themoonhouse.se.  You'll also learn that in Sweden, it is forbidden to throw textiles in household waste.   As of the first of the year, textiles will be collected by municipalities for recycling.  I wonder if that includes your unmentionables?

Svea has always prided itself in being a benevolent society.  At it's inception, Svea took care of its new US immigrants with financial assistance to learn the language, find jobs, locate housing, have medical care in their new land.  Today, our members look to Svea to enhance our understanding of our Scandinavian heritage.  But we still have a strong sense of community and helping one another. Over the years we have contributed to Bethany Outreach Center, Erie City Mission, SOAP Project (Saving Our Adolescents from Prostitution), St. Patrick's Haven, and many others.  In addition, we are putting a new initiative in place that will benefit our own members.  Perhaps someone just needs an extra bit to help pay for medicine this month, or could use a gas card.  The request for $25/member can be made to Cathy Beck or Karen Lundwall.  Other than making the request to one of these ladies, all inquiries will remain anonymous.  Their report will only include when and for what the aid was given.  Presently, we have $205 in our fund, if you would like to contribute to this cause, it would be appreciated.  What we don't have is a catchy name that would help define our mission for our members.  If you come up with something clever, let me know!

Stay warm and be kind to your neighbors, they're waiting for Spring too!

Pat

Local Lodge Svea #296 meets on the third Sunday of the month at Luther Memorial Church, 225 West 10th Street, Erie, PA for general business meetings.  General meetings include a short cultural program and of course, Fika!   From May - August our meetings involve cultural activities in various community locations. We celebrate Walpurgis, Midsummer, Kraftskiva, Leif Erickson Day, and Santa Lucia Festival of Light.  The Mission of Vasa Order of America is to promote our Scandinavian heritage.  Our Order does not conflict with religious beliefs or common law - ALL are welcome!