Potluck & Norsk Trivia Contest

WHEN: Sunday 5:00 p.m., March 4, 2012

WHERE: Christ Lutheran in Webster Groves, Fellowship Hall
17 Selma Ave., Webster Groves, MO

WHAT TO BRING: A dish (Norwegian or otherwise) to share
Suggested dish according to last name:

A-H please bring a main dish
I-R please bring a dessert
S-Z please bring an appetizer or side dish

COST:
$6 per person

St. Louis’s wacky weather making you mutter “UFF DA!”? Join your fellow Norwegians in a battle of the brains in the St. Louis Norwegian Society 2nd Annual Trivia Contest!!!

Prizes, fellowship, food and fun are rolled into one fantastic night as easy, challenging, and obscure questions test you in 5 exciting rounds. Of course all questions will have a Norwegian theme, but the contest will be fair and fun for everyone. Kids need not worry because there will be questions especially for them. Bring a dish to share and a thirst for a night of fun. Coffee, wine and soda will be provided by the Norwegian Society, but feel free to bring your own beer of choice.

If anyone has a Norwegian item they would be willing to donate, we would love to have another auction this year. It would be great to have another sweater or larger item but even if we had a number of smaller items and had a silent auction table it would still be fun and raise some money for the club. Please keep the club in mind if you happen to travel to the “Homeland” because we would love candy for the children, items for prizes and items for events that allow us to have these auctions!

If you have pictures from Julefest it would be great to have copies (a disc would be great or feel free to send small numbers to my e-mail in a .jpg file). Hope to see you all there for another wonderful event! As always, feel free to contact me with any questions-

Annekin Blackman
akdiscoverytoys@yahoo.com
314-727-8407

DIRECTIONS:
From I-64 East / US-40 East
At exit 31B, take ramp right and follow signs for Brentwood Blvd. 0.5 mi
Turn right onto S Brentwood Blvd. 1.7 mi
Road name changes to E Kirkham Ave. 0.6 mi
Bear left onto N Elm Ave. 0.4 mi
Turn left onto E Lockwood Ave. 0.5 mi
Turn right onto Selma Ave. 0.1 mi
Arrive at Christ Lutheran Church

17 Selma Ave Webster Groves, MO 63119
(314) 962-6011

YuleFest December 18th, 2011 + Announcements

yulefest december 18, 2011

Trinity Lutheran Church 14088 Clayton Road 63017
Cost: $20.00 or $25.00* (see below) adult or child 12 and older

$7.00 child under 12

This year we will have a very special Yulefest at the Trinity Lutheran Church located at 14088 Clayton Road in Chesterfield, MO. Once again our very own Larry Larson will be the chef! I am sure anyone who attended last year will be thrilled to hear that news. Appetizers will include lutefisk, Norwegian cheeses and crackers, and a variety of traditional savory bites. The dinner will feature fish (fiske) soup, pork roast, new potatoes, red cabbage with apples, carrots, lingonberries (tyttebaer), and lefse (There may be a local contact for homemade lefse - keep your fingers crossed!) all served buffet style. We would like to ask everyone to bring a favorite dessert to share. The club will provide beer, wine, coffee, tea and soda.

SCHEDULE: 4:30 TREE DECORATION
5:00 REGISTRATION AND HORS D’OEUVRES
5:45 DINNER

6:45 PROGRAM: Dr. Larry Caldwell, a linguistics professer at the University of Evansville will give a talk featuring Old Norse; Caroling around the tree; gifts for the children from the Yulenisse

DUES: Dues are due with the Yulefest payment. They are $20 per unit – individual or family. The club needs funds to reserve locations for our activities and to provide activities at low cost. For example, the price of the Yulefest dinner is subsidized and extra donations are welcome for the beer and wine. We count on your interest and support for the club’s continuance. We would like to send communications by e-mail if possible, but will honor requests for regular mail from those who have paid dues.

RESERVATION FOR YULEFEST:

Member name(s): ___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________

Phone: ______________________ E-Mail: _______________________________________

OK to use e-mail for communications? __Yes __No

My/Our heritage: ___________________________________________________________

Interests and/or any other comments:

*Adult(s) $20 if dues-paying member (single or family); $25 if non-member guest

Name(s) ________________________________________________________$______

Child(ren) under 12 @ $7: Name(s) ___________________________________ $______

Dues @$20 $______

TOTAL enclosed: $_______

SEND RESERVATION FORM to: Reed Blackman BY DECEMBER 14 1230 Meyer St.
St. Louis, MO 63130

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

SAVE THE DATES! These are the tentative event dates and locations for next year. Please put them on your calendars.

POT LUCK – March 4 at Christ Lutheran in Webster Groves ($5 each)

SYTTENDE MAI – May 19 at Blue Heron pavilion in Simpson Park ($10-15 each)

NEW BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED: Vice President and newsletter editor

CELEBRATIONS AND CONCERNS:

(Many thanks to Gretchen Smith and Kari Creighton!)

The Norlands and the Savages were pleased to celebrate Syttende Mai together in Norway. They enjoyed it immensely. Larry and Pam Larson along with Bob and Sonja Willman were fortunate travelers this September in Norway. They had just gotten off the Hurtigruten two days prior to a fire that erupted and killed two crew members. Doris Skaar is well and still volunteers at her church weekly. Alf and Barbara Stole’s home was severely damaged during the Good Friday tornado but they report that it is finally repaired after months! Marilyn Barge is bravely battling cancer. Her granddaughter recently spent 6 months at the University of Oslo. Jim and Lois Urness lost their 46 year old son, Jim Urness, Jr. in July in an accidental drowning. He leaves behind a wife and twin daughters.

YULEFEST AT HOME!

Seven Sorts: Traditional Norwegian Christmas Cookies

Norwegians love their cakes and cookies and the seven sorts is a way of referencing the seven most traditional treats served. There is a little argument over which “Seven” and many argue that there are over twenty to choose from. Some of the common recipes are doughnuts, cones, Goro, Sirupsnipper (Syrup Snaps), Tykklefser, Krumkaker, Fattigmann (Poor Man), Hjortetakk (Deer Antlers), Pepperkaker (Gingerbread) and Kokosmakroner (Coconut Macaroons). However, every list I came across had the following two recipes. Enjoy!


Sand Cakes (Sandkake)

Sand cakes are a simple short cake that is baked in little flat molds. They are sometimes filled with jam or jelly and cream.

1 egg
100g almonds
200g butter
250g wheat flour
100g sugar

Blanch and grind almonds. Crumble the butter and flour together. Add the almonds, egg, and sugar. Mix the dough and let it rest for an hour in the refrigerator. Press into “sandkake” tins. Bake at 175C for 10-15 minutes and leave to cool a bit before turning out of tins.

Gingernuts
This is similar to gingerbread. They are shaped into little balls and baked until hard - just like a nut.

250g butter
125g light syrup
250g icing sugar
1 dl cream
400g wheat flour
2t ground cloves
1t cinnamon
100g finely chopped almonds

Bring the butter, syrup, cream and icing sugar to a boil. Cool and stir in the remaining ingredients. Knead the dough thoroughly and roll into cylinders about 3cm in diameter. Put in a cool place until the next day. Cut into thin slices of dough and bake at 175C for 10 minutes.

Membership Letter From The Society President - 09 November 2011

Happy Greetings to All!

We had a wonderful turn out at the Scandinavian Picnic and can all be proud of our job hosting this annual event. We even made a little money from the event! It seems everyone had a grand time and the feedback on Simpson Park was so good that the board has decided to hold Syttende Mai there next year.

Along with this letter, you will find all the information about Christmas Dinner. I truly hope you all will make it and bring your families. We will have great food, entertainment for all ages and a truly special night of fellowship for our club. The last couple board meetings have had lots of conversations about the Society’s future. As your President, it is my mission and hope to bring more members to our club and our stronger sense of membership. Your board has been doing lots of brainstorming about ways to achieve both of these missions.

We have come up with a number of ways to reach out to new members. Our plans include creating a Facebook account, contacting churches and universities, and developing a business card with the Danes and Swedes. This business card would have all three clubs’ information on it and all members would be encouraged to pass it on to people who may be interested in our organizations. Our hope is to have these ready in the coming year. I also would like to reach out to all of you for any other ideas or if any of you would like to be involved in working on our endeavors.

In the announcement that accompanies this letter you will find a section that has some information about fellow members. Consider it something akin to a Celebrations and Concerns section. In the future, please let me know if you or your families have anything you would like to share with the club. I hope to send out appropriate letters to our members who could use a little cheer from us! If you would like to help be a part of this simple correspondence, I would be thrilled and very thankful. Our organization needs a Vice President and I hope one of you would take on this important job. It does not take a lot of time but has great rewards for our future. My husband and your treasurer, Reed Blackman, once told the members of his church that, “the Church is always one generation away from extinction.” It is as true for our group as it is for any church. Many members spent long years building our great group and it is time to take this chance to continue their efforts.

Our constitution requires our dues to be collected at the time of Yulefest. Many of our expenses have gone up and we will need a little money to work on our recruitment efforts. The dues are very little per family and truly will help us continue to offer great events. Please take the time to send in your dues with your Christmas reservation. As your President, I promise to be responsible with our funds and make good use of them in our effort to ensure the future of the organization.

I truly look forward to seeing all of you and thank you so much for the opportunity to serve this organization.

Sincerely,
Annekin Blackman, President
727-8407 home
599-3493 cell

Scandinavian Picnic MMXI

SCANDINAVIAN PICNIC
SEPTEMBER 25, 2011

1:00 PM

Simpson County Park, Kirkwood
Cost: $6.00 each adult
$3.00 each child under 12

THEME: Food, Fun and Fellowship

The Norwegian Society is the host group for the annual Scandinavian Picnic. We can look forward to an afternoon of fun, food, and friendship. As in the past, we have reserved the Blue Heron Shelter at Simpson County Park. This year we will be celebrating with crafts for the kids, games, and plenty of social opportunities. We will have ladder ball (Norwegian Horseshoes) and washer sets in the colors of each country’s flag for those interested in some friendly competition. There are restrooms nearby and a playground for the children. There is plenty of parking, but NO PARKING is allowed on the grass. There is fishing in the lake, if you have a Fishing License.

Details: The Norwegians will provide the main dish, soft drinks, beer & wine, plates, napkins, plastic ware, and any other items needed for the picnic. Each family or individual attending the picnic needs to bring a dish to be shared by all attending. Please ensure the dish is large enough to be shared by at least 8 to 10 people, so there is enough for everyone to have plenty to eat. Please mark your utensils and dishes with your name so you can get them back at the end of the day.

To ensure we get a good variety of foods, follow this as a guide for deciding what to bring:

Last names A through G ……………………………….. Please bring a Dessert

Last names H through R ……………………………….. Please bring an Appetizer

Last names S through Z ………………………………… Please bring a Side Dish

The deadline for reservations is SEPTEMBER 19, 2011. See Reservation Form attached.

Directions to Simpson County Park: From the North, take I-270 South to Big Bend. Left on Big Bend to Marshall Road. Right on Marshall Road to the Park, on the right hand side of the road.

From the South, take I-270 North to I-44 West. Exit at Hwy. 141 North. Next stoplight after crossing Meramec River is Marshall Road. Turn Right. Pass through Valley Park on Marshall Road. The Park is on the left hand side of the road.

————————————————————–Tear here—————————————————

RESERVATION FORM – 2011 SCANDINAVIAN PICNIC

September 25, 2011

RESERVATION DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 19, 2011. Please call Annekin Blackman or Reed Blackman to indicate your plans to come. You can complete this form, making your check payable to The Norwegian Society of St. Louis, and mail both to:

Reed Blackman (314 727 8407)

1230 Meyer Street

University City, MO 63130

email: r.j.blackman01@gmail.com

PRINT NAMES OF ADULTS ATTENDING:

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_______ Adults x $6.00 = $ ________

_____________________________________


PRINT NAMES OF CHILDREN UNDER 12 AND UNDER ATTENDING

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

_______ Children x $3.00 = $ ________

_____________________________________

Dish I am bringing: ___________________________________________________________________ Check Category: ( ) Appetizer ( ) Side Dish ( ) Dessert

Please check: Swedish ___ Norwegian ____ Danish ____ Other ______

Syttende Mai Celebration – May 15, 2011

You are invited to our Syttende Mai Celebration!

http://www.norlandphotographicart.com/ssp_director/p.php?a=W10%2FTmBmZExJa3IvIjNeOTI6Iylje20uZmprdG8%2FPzkjKjE%2FOzMjKDonOiYoMCc3OjoyOQ%3D%3D

WHEN: SUNDAY, May 15, 2011 – 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: The Turkish Pavilion in Tower Grove Park
(#17 on the attached map - easy to get to, and we will have signs)
COST: $10 per Adult / $5 - Children 12 & under

Again this year, we will try to have as authentic a celebration as possible. Catering of a modified “bratfast” from Chris’ Cakes will be supplemented by lefse and by your desserts. We will also have lemonade, beer, wine and coffee.

  • Annekin Blackman will be installed as President.
  • Please bring Banners and Flags.
  • Also bring CDs or tapes of Norwegian music…and any instruments that can be used in the parade, even rhythm band instruments. We hope to have live music from any volunteers – please let Kari know.
  • Ladies wear your Bunads. All are invited to participate in the parade.

http://stlouis.missouri.org/parks/tower-grove/images/hist_features/turkish_pavilion_small.jpg

The Turkish Pavilion is on Center Cross Drive near Arsenal. Take Highway 40 or 44 to Kingshighway or Grand. Go south on either road to Arsenal. Drive to the traffic light at Center Cross and Arsenal and turn in to the park. Here is a PDF map of Tower Grove Park.

Send reservation and payment to Tore Stole, 145 South Elm, Webster Groves MO 63119 by May 10.

Syttende Mai and Dues (if not paid)

____Adults @ $10 each = $______ Dues ($20)_________

____Children @ $5 each = $________ TOTAL $_______________

Names of Adults and Children (Please print)

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

DUES: 2011 Family Membership of $20 (please make a membership payment if you have not already done so…Thank you!)

YULEFEST DECEMBER 5th, 2010

Redeemer Evangelical Church, 6450 S. Kingshighway Blvd.

Cost: $20.00 or $25.00* (see below) adult or child 12 and older
$7.00 child under 12

This year we will have a very special Yulefest at the Redeemer Church located at 6450 S. Kingshighway Blvd. Our very own Larry Larson will be the chef! Appetizers will include lutefisk, Norwegian cheeses and crackers, and a delicious blend of smoked salmon with lefse. The dinner will feature fish (fiske) soup, pork roast, new potatoes, red cabbage with apples, carrots, lingonberries (tyttebaer), and lefse all served buffet style. We would like to ask everyone to bring a favorite dessert to share. The club will provide beer, wine, coffee, tea and soda.

SCHEDULE: 4:30 TREE DECORATION

5:00 REGISTRATION AND HORS D’OEUVRES

5:45 DINNER

6:45 PROGRAM: Celebration of Christmas in different regions of Norway;Caroling around the tree; gifts for the children from the Yulenisse

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

Member name(s): ___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________________

Phone: ______________________ Email:_______________________________________

OK to use email? __Yes __No

RESERVATION FOR YULEFEST

*Adult(s) $20 if dues-paying member (single or family); $25 if non-member guest Name(s)________________________________________________________$______

Child(ren) under 12 @ $7:Name(s) ___________________________________ $______

Dues @$20 TOTAL enclosed: $__________________

SEND RESERVATION FORM BY DECEMBER 1 to:

Tore Stole
145 South Elm
Webster Groves, MO 63119

SLIFF Screening: A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN

The Saint Louis International Film Festival is this week, and this year they’ve got a feature film from Norway in the lineup, in case anyone in the society is interested.  The film, A Somewhat Gentle Man, stars Swedish actor Stellan Skårsgaard and will screen twice, this coming Monday AND Tuesday (November 15th and 16th), at Plaza Frontenac Cinemas.  More information including a synopsis, specific screening times, and ticketing information can be found at the Cinema Saint Louis website.  There are many other great films and programs from the U.S. and around the world, too–take advantage of this world-class film festival while it’s in town, until the 21st of November!

Scandinavian Picnic 2010

This is the annual gathering of the Norwegian Society, Danish Club, and the Swedish Council plus other friends to celebrate our common Nordic heritage and to get to know each other.

When: Sunday, September 12, 2010, 1pm
Where:
Simpson Park, St Louis County Parks, at the Blue Heron Shelter

The address is:

1234 Marshall Road
Saint Louis, MO 63088

This is on Marshall Road along the Meramec River between Big Bend and HWY 141. You can get on Marshall at the west end on 141 just north of I-44 or on Big Bend Rd just east of I-270.

The Swedish Council of St Louis is hosting this year. We will provide meats/main course, soft drinks, and the paper goods and plastic cutlery. We would like everyone who comes to bring a dish to serve a half dozen or so people. We suggest assignment according to last name:

A-H please bring Appetizer or Salad

H-R please bring side dish

S-Z please bring a dessert

Don’t feel limited by this. Please bring what you would like to share. It would be helpful if you wrote what you were bringing on the back of the reservation form. Thank you and I hope to see you there, Dave Youngberg, President SCSL. If you have any questions please call David Youngberg at 636.724.8774 or e-mail me at dcyjr@brick.net

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

Scandinavian Picnic RESERVATION FORM

September 12, 2010 1:00 pm Simpson Park

_____ adults at $6.00 each = _______

_____ children* at $3.00 each =_______

TOTAL = _______

* children 12 years-old and under

Name : ________________________________________________________ Phone Number: ____________________________

Affiliation: Swedish Council____ Norwegian Society____ Danish Club____

Return by September 9 to:

Helen Wolf
2 Meadow Brooke Ln.
Moscow Mills, MO 63362

Make checks payable to Swedish Council.

Midsummer Celebration CANCELLED

Sorry Friends, our Midsummer Saint Hans Bonfire Celebration has been CANCELLED due to extreme heat advisory for the rest of this week. Stay cool everybody! UNSKYLD!

Syttende Mai Celebration - 16 May 2010

You are Invited to our Syttende Mai Celebration!

WHEN: SUNDAY May 16, 2010–1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: the Turkish Pavilion in Tower Grove Park
(#17 on this map – easy to get to, and we will have signs)
COST: $10 per Adult / $5 - Children 12 & under

Again, this year, we will try to have as authentic a celebration as possible. Catering of a modified “bratfast” from Chris’Cakes will be supplemented by lefse and by your desserts. We will also have lemonade, beer, wine and coffee.

  • Kari Creighton will be installed as President
  • Our historians, Marit Sherry and Ann Pott, will have a display of some of the club’s history.
  • Please bring Banners and Flags. Or make some with the materials we will bring.
  • Also bring CDs or tapes of Norwegian music…and any instruments that can be used in the parade, even rhythm band instruments. We hope to have live music from some of the Nordic dancers or from any volunteers – please let Phyllis know
  • Ladies wear your Bunads. All are invited to participate in the parade.

The Turkish Pavilion is on Center Cross Drive near Arsenal. Take Highway 40 or 44 to Kingshighway or Grand. Go south on either road to Arsenal. Drive to the traffic light at Center Cross and Arsenal and turn in to the park.

Send reservation and payment to Tore Stole, 145 South Elm, Webster Groves MO 63119 by May 10.

Syttende Mai and Dues (if not paid)

____Adults @ $10 each = $______ Dues ($20)_________

____Children @ $5 each = $________ TOTAL $_______________

Names of Adults and Children (Please print)

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

DUES: 2010 Family Membership of $20 (please fill out the Membership Form and make a membership payment if you have not already done so)