Lodge Updates

Update from Des Moines, IA Lodge Our Sisterhood group met in September virtual Chriskindle Market. We also continue outdoors behind Grand View University Old to contribute to the DSS archive project at the Main. There were about 12 of us present wearing museum with our monthly offerings. our masks and keeping social distance. It started In November, 16 members were present to rain, so we went indoors to a classroom in the for our first Zoom meeting. We were able to Student Center. Here the room was taped off for be with members that we had not seen for social distance complete with hand sanitizer. quite awhile. Linda Holz, National DSS Trustee We had a short meeting but most informed us that the Nat. board convention of the time was spent catching up with our would be held in Seattle or Minneapolis 2023. members. Carol Rudisill told us about bringing We decided we would give some assistance her husband’s 92 year old mother home from a if it is held in Minneapolis. In the first time in nursing home to live with them. They all came many years we will not be having our Christmas down with the virus, but after a rough time all Frokost (luncheon). This has always been our recovered. Carol had just recovered from back favorite big gathering. We voted to send $100 surgery. Christina and Claudia Holcomb had to the Kenosha, Wisconsin Brotherhood Lodge also just gotten over their surgeries. Claudia had to help with their efforts to rebuild after riots moved to a new home and Erna Jensen told us completely destroyed their building. A motion about living at Luther Park during this time. Sue was made to help a member during a financial Fisher and Amanda Lary had volunteered as crisis. Our DSS tumblers are here and several SH members for Meals for Heartland. Marilyn have already been sold. A $50 donation was Kramme shared her time at her grandson’s made to the Danish Brotherhood Lodge GVU wedding held in the elegant turret of Danes Hall scholarship fund since their fundraiser Kolde in Waupaca, Wisconsin. Its architecture and Bord could not be held this year. Some of art told the story of young Danish immigrants. us watched a movie on the Lifetime channel Christina brought an example of a tumbler that featuring Solvang, CA. In the show, many Danish we will be selling at our meetings. traditions and customs were practiced. Quite A small group of us met in October in a few of us have been to this charming city the same GVU classroom. When we left, we founded by Danish immigrants. Christina told us sanitized the tables for classes to be held the that a Coop she knows is ordering feed for hogs next day. This will be a year to remember as from a company in Denmark. Iowa is well known our usual activities have been canceled, but we for their hog production and now it should even still need to keep in contact with our Sisters. It get better! was reported that Joanne Rasmussen had a We will meet again in December via Zoom, heart attack but is doing well with the help of hoping to get even more members involved. Until medicine. We were sad that Jan Broers’ dear then, keep well and safe. We are looking forward friend Tom passed away. Donna Archer offered to a good year ahead of us. to create a Christmas ad for the DS News. Volunteers were asked for to help with the Carol Christiansen

Archive Project Thank Yous Thank you to the following lodges/people who have donated to the Archival Project:

Lodge #65 Maureen Neilson in memory of Ebba Kadish Christina Sallee Karin Wasler

December 10, 2020 Lodge Gathering Theme: Julefest

We came to the meeting in our holiday outfits, had holiday decor in our backgrounds, and our cups were full of GLØGG to toast the evening. John Rasmussen lead us in song to the tunes of “Det kimer nu til julefest” (The Happy Christmas Comes Once More) a beautiful Danish Christmas Carol. Followed by “Højt Fra Træets Grønne Top” (High From The Green Tree Top). Then we sang “Bjaeldeklang” (Jungle Bells) and lastly we lit candles together to the tune of “Glade Jul” (Silent Night). We each got to share our Christmas traditions (either Danish or not) that we remember or that means the most to us. We shared yummy food traditions that included giving the marzipan pig to the person who got the risalemand almond. And we also shared our beautiful Danish Christmas decorations that have been passed on through the generations. Lastly, we held a Nisse Venner (Secret Santa) gift exchange. YES, a Virtual Gift Saturday, Dec. 5th, with purchased chicken, Exchange! It was so fun! Many gifts shared the hygge theme, so fitting for a Danish Julefest. Join us for a monthly virtual komsammen (get together)! Our time together includes a program on Danish traditions or culture, time to get to know each other, and a brief business meeting. This Danish Sisterhood Lodge differs from other lodges because we are a 100% virtual lodge! Our members join us from around the country and enjoy each other through the use of Zoom technology. Contact us by email at tivolilodge300@gmail.com for Zoom call information.

Thank you, Christie Johnson Trustee/Historian & Public Relations for Tivoli

Lodge #100 November Meeting & Christmas Dinner Seven members gathered November 18, 2020, things brought in by members. for our regular meeting at Hope Lutheran Church Seven members and two husbands at 1pm. A lunch of pizza, salad, and dessert was gathered on December 5, 2020, at Hope enjoyed by those present. Lutheran Church to enjoy a Christmas dinner Meeting called to order by president, Ann together. Raven, followed by saying the Opening Song We had a short business meeting and saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. following dinner. Our treasurer reported we had Minutes of Oct. meeting and treasurer's reports 30 hat and glove sets, 3 scarves, 11 homemade accepted as given. hats, 3 gloves and 11 mitten sets, 7 hats and A motion was passed to donate $50 to one headband brought to our last meeting to be Eva's Place (a shelter for women and children donated to a Woman & children's shelter and the and $50 to the Men's Shelter in Sandusky. The Dept. of Human Services in the area. The annual hats, mittens, and gloves we brought will be heart DSS calendars were passed out along with divided between Eva's Place and the Dept. of dues notices so those in attendance could pay Human Services. their dues for the year. A motion was passed to have our We do not meet until April, so we won't Christmas dinner at Hope Lutheran Church on see each other for a time. Lodge #300 potatoes, etc., along with desserts and other Loris Coltson, secretary

Lodge #3 Shares Some History We would like to share some history from Lodge Washington D.C. earning #3, Davenport, Iowa with all of you. Because the title of Dr. Sonya of Covid-19 we have been doing our meetings Krishnan in 2016. Next via Zoom and have re-connected with Ruth came residency, treating Sorensen Krishnan, Lodge #3 member since patients full time, and 1986. Jerry and Judy Johansen get us connected completing a degree in via Zoom and we thank them for their expertise Internal Medicine at Johns with the internet that allows us to meet monthly, Hopkins University School some members in Iowa, some in Illinois and of Medicine in 2019. now Ruth, who lives in Colorado. Here is the Currently, Dr. Sonya interesting history from our Sister Ruth. is pursuing a specialty In 2013, Sonya Krishnan was sponsored degree in Infectious Medicine, through Johns for and won the Betty Hansen Scholarship award Hopkins University School of Medicine. Starting through Danish Sisterhood Lodge #3. Sonya July 2020, Dr. Sonya is pursuing additional traces her Danish heritage through her mother, training through the Bloomberg School of Public Ruth Sorensen Krishnan, Lodge #3 member since Health's Graduate Training Program in Clinical 1986. Lodge #3 met Sonya before she was born, Investigation. She is on track to complete her through a baby shower they threw for Ruth. Infectious Disease fellowship in 2022. Sonya appreciated her Danish roots, learning At her wedding in April 2016, Sonya about Denmark through stories of her maternal and Jeff started what might be a new Danish 8 great grandparents, who emigrated to U.S. tradition. When they served the kranskage that from Denmark. She grew up celebrating Danish her Mom had made,(see photo) they walked traditions including making kranskage with around the room and individually hand delivered her mother, singing Danish songs and dancing pieces of kranskage to the thankful crowd. They around the Christmas tree, searching for the understood that was how wedding kranskage almond in the rice pudding on Christmas eve, etc. was to be served. Perhaps it will be a new The Danish tradition of caring for others and tradition that will catch on. valuing individual contributions to society Some of our current Lodge #3 members resonated with Sonya. She entered pre-medical attended the baby shower given for Ruth years training at Carleton College, in Northfield MN ago and many members remember learning of from 2006-2010. She became interested in the Betty Hansen Scholarship in 2013,being global health, completing HIV research during awarded to Sonya, a Scholarship that was well her study semester in Tanzania. used by Dr. Sonya in her work in research in For two years Sonya worked at the addition to treating patients. National Institutes of Health in Bethesda We hope you enjoyed these details on the Maryland and in 2012 Sonya applied for medical recipient of the Betty Hansen Scholarship back in school at George Washington University in 2013.

Resolution I am so sorry to report the passing of our friend and sister Penny Dapello. She loved the Danish Sisterhood and we of Flora Danica in Solvang were honored that she choose to join our group as she lived three hours away and drove with her husband Butch every month. Butch was welcomed as an honorary of our brotherhood. I taught with Penny forty years ago and she brought me in when I retired and moved home to Solvang. She joined in 2011, serving as our president before moving on to the national level. We will miss her, her enthusiasm, and her friendship. —Janet Townsend

Lodge #15 Celebrates the Holidays On December 16, 2020 Dronning Margrethe Lodge available to all lodge members whether or not they #15 of Milwaukee Wisconsin finished up were going to be able to attend the Zoom. A lot what can best be described as an “interesting” were sold. The items and the bags were set up year. After one in-person meeting we began and during the Zoom, our lodge member and nisse Zoom meetings in July and met every month named Paul pulled the winning tickets. It just goes virtually, including our Lodge Christmas Party. to show what you do not have to miss just because The Christmas party is always a highlight of any of a pandemic. Among the items were Virginia year in our lodge, and despite the circumstances, Rasmussen’s book Cloudberries and Æbelskiver, our party this year was a winner. some lovely handmade ornaments—including Lou The evening started with members catching Ann’s cross-stitched cones, a delivery of freshly up with each other while our member, Lou Nielsen, made rosettes, several nisse, a box of homemade played Christmas songs on his autoharp. With 22 Christmas cookies, Lodge seasonal cards and name of us online, the party began with a warm welcome tags, a gnome teapot and several other items. from our President, Susan Jensen, followed by Lou Proceeds of these ticket sales also go toward our Nielsen who played a Danish Christmas classic donations. Hojt fra træets grønne top. He sang it for us with For the past three years we have had a the English words. special Christmas Raffle. One of our members, Next came the announcement of the winner of a Gladys Harvey, donated 4 Georg Jensen goldSilent Auction. There were 8 items, most made plated Christmas mobile ornaments to our lodge. by the talented members of our Lodge. The bidding The last one was raffled off this year. The winner went right up to the last minute ending the night was Marcia Jante. Two extra items were donated before the party. Proceeds of the silent auction will for this raffle. Names were drawn from the go toward our yearly donations to remaining raffle tickets. Ann-Marie Bergman won a organizations with a Danish connection. 1988 B&G Christmas plate and matching ornament Our program for the Christmas party was and Jane Blackman won a B&G Madonna and Child a variation on one of our favorite programs, Show plate. And once again, the proceeds from the sale and Tell. Each attendee was asked to show their of these raffle tickets will go toward our donations. favorite ornament and tell why it was their favorite. The raffle and silent auction sales in past Many of the ornaments were family heirlooms and years have each raised a total of $1,000, a nice came with great stories. Some were ornaments amount for our donations. It looks like again this received by members when they were children. year thanks to our generous members we will Some ornaments had memories of have a similar amount to give. trips made back in the days when we could all We all had another Skål, this time singing travel. One favorite ornament was a crossstitched the snaps drinking song, “I like the snaps and the cone made by our member Lou Ann Jensen. snaps like me. Thrilling as only a snaps can be….” Every year Lou Ann makes several of these lovely The party ended with Lou Nielsen playing and ornaments for our Christmas party raffle. They are singing Splendid are the Heavens High (Dejlig er always hotly contested. With a show and tell, not den himmel blaa), also sometimes called the Danish only do we get to see a lot of interesting items, but Christmas hymn. we learn a lot about the members of the lodge. Following the party was a brief meeting to Following the program we shared a hearty vote on the slate of 2021 officers and to go over Skål—some with wine, some with beer, some with some lodge business. Everyone agreed it was a water and some with—what else—akvavit. great party. We still do not know when we will be The highlight of the Christmas Party each year is a able to meet bag raffle. Attendees each bring an item and tickets together in person again, but being able to spend are sold and placed into the bags. The winners virtual time together helps us to share our are drawn the same evening. Thanks to our loyal friendship and our heritage, and after all, isn’t that members, this year we had 26 items donated for what the Sisterhood Lodge is all about? this raffle. Tickets were sold over the internet,