Danish SisterhoodNews

www.danishsisterhood.com

Volume 76, Number 4

Honorary Member Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

DANISH SISTERHOOD NEWS (USPS 148-200) is published monthly by the Supreme Lodge of the Danish Sisterhood of America. Office of publication at 1557 Oak St. Solvang, CA 93463. Periodicals Postage Paid at Rochester, MN.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DANISH SISTERHOOD NEWS, 1557 Oak St. Solvang, CA 93463

EDITOR: Lauren C. Nielsen (507) 206-9099 Email: editor@danishsisterhood.com

Articles for publication in the Danish Sisterhood News must arrive to the Editor no later than the 1st day of each month previous to publication.

Subscription: Members $12 (US) Non-Members $20 (US)

Officers of the Supreme Lodge

National President: Christina Sallee, Lodge #81 16116 SW Deline Ct, Beaverton, OR 97007-3425 (503) 928 4494 president@danishsisterhood.com

National Vice President & Scholarship Chairman: Nealna Gylling, Lodge #186 1474 Floan Point Rd, Brainerd, MN 56401 612-390-1374 vicepresident@danishsisterhood.com

National Secretary: Glenda Madrid, Lodge #177 1557 Oak St. Solvang, CA 93463 (805) 448-7631 secretary@danishsisterhood.com • glenda_madrid@hotmail.com

National Treasurer: Linda Brooks, Lodge #21 8402 Winter Berry Dr., Castle Rock, CO 80108 303-905-9934 treasurer@danishsisterhood.com

National Trustee & Butikken Chairman: Linda Holz #102 4400 EP True Pkwy Unit 47, West Des Moines, IA 50265-5615 (515) 225-0951 trustee1@danishsisterhood.com

National Trustee & Website Chairman: Anna Nielsen #20 (262) 412-4482 trustee2@danishsisterhood.com

National Trustee, Membership Chairman: Karen Vig-Keathley, Lodge #4 109 South First Street, Itasca, IL 60143 708-715-0071 trustee3@danishsisterhood.com

National Past President: Sindy Mikkelsen, Lodge #126 2938 Sweet Grass Lane, Santa Rosa, CA 95407 (707) 755-0260

National Historian: Donna Christensen Thomas, historian@danishsisterhood.com

Lauren C. Nielsen, Editor

Dear Sisters,

This past month, I lost my Sisterhood Sponsor, Kirsten. As I write this, I am thinking of her and and missing her. I knew how much she loved receiving the DSN and reading this very column. I won't lie--it's harder to write this column this month, and I've been putting it off a bit because of that. But, what better way to honor my her than to get back to it and make sure all of you get your Danish Sisterhood News. I'm sure in the coming months, we'll be publishing a Resolution for her and celebrate her life, as we do with all of our Sisters who have passed.

Remembering Kirsten also took me on a walk down memory lane for my time in the Sisterhood. She was the one encouraging me to join. I've traveled across the country for Sisterhood events, I've enjoyed many a Danish meal with my lodge members back in Wisconsin, I've gotten the opportunity to interact with so many of you through this newsletter, and I've gotten to know so many wonderful people all across the country.

Always remember, Sisters, that you too have an impact on others' lives and sharing a word of encouragement or a meal with others is important. You never know the impact you'll have on others around you!

As always, I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your time with your Lodge Sisters. Spring is upon us and with it, I hope many gatherings are being planned. And don't forget, send me some news, some updates, some photos, so I can share them with all of our other Sisters!

Until next time,

Lauren C. Nielsen, Editor editor@danishsisterhood.com

Youth Birthdays

On the Cover

Title: Koldinghus, Built in 1268

Location: Kolding, Jutland, DK

Photo submitted by: Janelle Willis

Koldinghus served from the 16th century as a residence for Danish Kings when they were in Kolding. This is the courtyard in the center of the castle.

Submit A Cover Photo

Do you have a photo that you’d like to see on the cover of the Danish Sisterhood News? Send in your submissions and yours could be featured next!

Photographs must be high resolution and should be accompanied by a short description of the photo’s content. Photos from Danish events, Sisterhood meetings, travels around Denmark, Danish culture and more are all great topics.

Send photos to: editor@danishsisterhood.com proposals which needs to go out to the Delegates. We are still needing answers from some lodges in regard to who is their Delegate/Proxy, please send in the information immediately as we need it for convention preparations.

As we had some questions about how to start a lodge, we found our old forms and instructions that Glenda will review and update as needed. The most difficult part seems to be the banking piece which has changed much in the last 10-13 years. We have processed 23 new membership applications and lost 10 members since September 2022.

Trustee Linda Holz has been busy with our merchandise and the Danish flag coaster, along with our new apron has been a success. We have created a committee of the Trustees to find new items for butikken so we have a larger selection, and exciting new merchandise for you to shop from. If you have any great ideas do bring them to your national representatives.

Trustee Anna Nielsen has been very busy with website updates. Our current website is WordPress based and when we last tried to make the needed updates our site crashed, so Anna had to spend some time with a website expert rolling back the updates.

As we have engaged with Joy of Joy of Membership and the JourneyCare platform, we and find the pricing reasonable, availability and expertise superb, so we will move from WordPress to JourneyCare prior to convention. The JourneyCare platform is much easier and intuitive to use and we have a team of experts ready and available to help us which is a great thing as we do not have this knowledge. It also makes it easier for the incoming Board to transition and keep everything rolling forward.

Trustee Karen Keathley has been creating new banners for us to display at the convention and your events. Karen is our liaison with MoDA in regards to the 40th anniversary Archival Project II fundraiser that is starting to take form. Karen will also be working with the members in the Tucson Arizona area to possibly get a lodge started there.

We went through all of the proposals sent by the lodges and the ones we ourselves have proposed. We were able to slim it down as some were housekeeping and others were not proposals, but comments. Delegates should be receiving the packet at the end of April, but we will send an email to the Presidents and post it on the Lodge Leaders FaceBook page when they have been sent out.

Board meeting minutes are available 45 days after the meeting by request to National Secretary Glenda Madrid.

We concluded our regular board meeting and then turned our focus to managing the upcoming National Convention. In essence we are doing double duty, if not triple duty, and it is certainly burning our candle in both ends. I do not believe that managing a convention is a task for the board on top of our regular duties, so please consider stepping forward to arrange the next National Convention in 2027.

Christina Sallee, National President