DSS News January 2023

Danish SisterhoodNews

• Latest Lodge Updates

• 2023 Convention Details

• Financial Report

• And more!

President’s Corner

Christina Sallee, National President

Godt Nytår to you all.

With 2022 in the rearview mirror, I am excited for 2023 and for all of the hope it brings. In 2022 we shook off the last of the pandemic blues and finally started getting back in the swing of things. Has it been difficult, yes it has, are we a bit tentative, certainly, but we are moving forward as you must to get to the next destination.

So what is the next destination? This is an answer we all must think about, and I hope you bring that excitement and determination with you to our National Convention where we all will decide this together.

The world is moving forward, and I want the Sisterhood to move with it. To that end I need all Lodges and District to begin planning their meetings and socials, so we can start meeting again and create the people connections we are so fond of. Some members got out of the habit of attending meetings and it is time for everyone to get back together for the sake of the continuity of the Sisterhood.

On the Board we have had changes as well, and I will need all previous Board members to consider running for President as this position can only be held by a current/previous Board member. All members should consider running for the Board as we all have something to contribute to the Sisterhood, and this is a great way to give back.

Our Convention planning is kicking into high gear, and while we are excited, we would like every Lodge and District to consider hosting the 2027 National Convention, so the Board can focus on Sisterhood matters. We have talked with some Lodges about helping, and we do truly appreciate each offer we have received and will get back to you. Tusind Tak.

I do hope to see all of you at the National Convention in October and for members to attend their District Conventions where the National Board will be sending representatives to meet and hear from you.

Christina Sallee, National President

Danish SisterhoodNews

www.danishsisterhood.com

Volume 76, Number 1

Honorary Member Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

Published by the Supreme Lodge of the Danish Sisterhood of America, (Dansk Søster Samfund) as its Official

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

Velkommen

Lauren C. Nielsen, Editor

Dear Sisters,

Happy 2023! I hope you all had a lovely holiday season and are staying warm and cozy this winter.

Here in Minnesota, we just got 15 inches of snow on top of an existing 12+ inches on the ground. It's beautiful and challenging all at the same time. It's a good reminder to slow down and take in your surroundings.

This year will bring some exciting things to the Sisterhood with the Convention coming up in October. I encourage all of you to get involved in your lodges, to send delegates to convention and to bring new people into the organization. Make sure you're welcoming new folks to meetings and that you're talking to those who you may not usually talk to. Who knows, you could be making a new lifelong friend. Let's all remember to slow down a little, to think about what our goals are for our lodges and the organization as a whole, and to remember that our historical and cultural connections are something special and something to be shared and also celebrated.

For me, each new year marks the anniversary of me becoming the DSN editor, so now here I am at year 7! In some ways, it seems like just yesterday and in other ways, it seems like much longer! Nonetheless, I'm thankful for each and every one of you who have contributed to this great publication. I look forward to hearing from you and to welcoming new members into the fold. Let's keep it going!

Until next time,

Lauren C. Nielsen, Editor editor@danishsisterhood.com

Youth Birthdays

On the Cover

Title: Dybbol Banke

Photo by Carol Rudisill Des Moines Lodge 102

The mill at Dybbol Banke near Sonderborg Denmark. This area, which includes the redoubts, was given to the state as a national park after the Reunification in 1920.

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

Ellen Lodge #21, Denver, CO

It’s hard to believe 2022 is coming to an end and by the time you read this, we’ll be well on our way into 2023. I hope this has been a productive year: getting out and about to visit with family and friends, back to traveling, shopping without always having to wear a mask ……….. I look forward to a new beginning in 2023, but right now I will focus on the last few months of this year.

Ellen Lodge has been busy celebrating our 130th birthday, celebrating milestone birthdays and celebrating the life of our members that we lost this year: Joyce McGough and Judy Mountfort.

In August of 2019, I wrote about a building that the Denver Brotherhood and Sisterhood used for their meetings for 15 years from 19051920. The building had just been purchased by a young couple and they were writing a play called Recipe about the clientele of the building from the time it was contructed until the present. When the play was presented in 2020 (pre pandemic) the Danish Sisterhood was very prominent through the play. Well, the owners commissioned a mural to be placed on the outside wall representing the play Recipe. Front and center of the mural, the Danish Sisterhood is represented. That. Is so cool!! Anyway, we think so.

We were fortunate to have Cheyenne Jensdatter from the Museum of Danish America and Carol Svendsen, Board member of the MoDa, as guests at our August meeting. Cheyenne gave a wonderful presentation on archiving heritage items and how they are stored. She gave a power point presentation so we could see how it works from receiving items to cataloging and finally getting stored. Thank you to Cheyenne for her great presentation and all the hard work she does for the Museum.

We also celebrated the life of Joyce McGough who passed away in July. President Birgitte Jappe Ross read her resolution and the poem by Jeppe Askjaer was read in English and Danish.

And, a Happy Birthday to Jeralyn Wester-

hoff who turned 90 years old in August.

On September 17, Ellen Lodge members met at Malone’s Restaurant in Arvada, Colorado to celebrate our 130th anniversary. There were 24 in attendance including 5 guests from Judy Mountfort’s family. After a chaotic start (the restaurant manager forgot to tell the staff we had reserved the banquet room, so nothing was ready. Thankfully, we are very adept at preparing a room with minutes to spare). The table was decorated with heart vases, red roses white daisies and a red and white table runner. Each guest was able to take home a small heart vase with daisies as a favor.

Since we were able to order off the menu and we only had one waitress who was amazing, Malinda Ringo and Chris Hix had time to entertain the guests with a list of interesting facts that took place in Colorado and around the world in 1892 (the year Ellen Lodge was established) After lunch the memorial was given for our beloved Sister, Judy Mountfort. In 2010 Judy won the Sister of the Year Award at the NE/CO District Convention. The application that won her the Award was read along with the resolution. Judy was such an amazing individual who loved life, wasn’t afraid to try new things and did it “her way”.

We ended the celebration with a birthday cake: Ellen Lodge 21, 130 years.

In October, Ethel Jergensen Evans gave a Heritage presentation about her relatives that established the Denmark Store in 1901 by A.P. Andersen, on his homestead between Maxwell and Curtis, NE. The Store was a post office where the mail was delivered by horse and buggy. He expanded his business to include a grocery store that same

year. The last postmaster, Thomas F Thomsen purchased the store, but discontinued the post office since automobiles came into being and patrons began driving to nearby towns. The Maxwell Mail Route began serving mail to the rural areas and was still in operation in 1978. At the original site, there is a metal memorial marker which reads “Danish Store” 1901-1918 Curtis, NE.

It seems we’re into celebrating birthdays this Fall. The October birthdays got a special treat of homemade chili, cornbread, a beautiful cake and a basket full of Danish pasties Happy Birthday to who Ethel turned 75.

In October Ethel Jergensen Evans and Joanna Christensen traveled to Dannebrog, Nebraska representing our lodge as Delegate and Alternate. They came home with a new title: Joanna is the new President and Ethel is the new Vice President of the NE/CO District. Congratulations for stepping up and getting involved. Also, a big thank you to Vicki Bousquet for her many years as President of District.

Speaking of Delegates, Malinda Ringo will be our Delegate to the National Convention in 2023 and Christine Jensen Hix will be the Alternate. Our committee, including Mindy Brown, will be meeting this week to go over proposals to the Constitution. National better be ready. We are proposing a lot of changes.

Congratulations to our awesome Crafts committee of Mindy Brown, Pia Hansen and Birgitte Jappe Ross. Because of their creativity and the commitment from a handful of our members, Ellen Lodge again made a pretty good profit at the Trollheim Craft Fair in November. This gives our lodge the opportunity to be generous in gift giving to organizations that support our Danish heritage and to support the needs of local organizations.

A big Happy Birthday to Mindy Brown. We celebrated her milestone birthday (70) with a merry-go-round candle that is like the energizer bunny: it plays Happy Birthday and never stops!! Birthe Waszak served her homemade cheese cake that is to “die for”. Actually, her birthday was in October, but she was unable to be at the meeting, so she had a special belated surprise in November

That brings me to December. We will be celebrating our Christmas luncheon for the second time at Mindy’s Nissebo. It’s such a great time and place to get together over lunch and be thankful for our health, family and friends. From our lodge to yours, we’re wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Museum of Danish America Celebrates 40th Anniversary in 2023

This year is the Museum of Danish America’s 40th Anniversary! We look forward to celebrating 40 years of preserving the Danish American story through various events across the country and also right here in Elk Horn.

2023 Event Calendar

-February 10 – Nordia House – Portland, OR

-February 10-11 – Nordic Spirit Symposium – Thousand Oaks, CA

-March 23-25 – Rebild Annual Meeting – Houston, TX

-March 31 – Luther Memorial Church – Des Moines, IA

-April 20 – Swedish Club – Seattle, WA

-April 30 – Milwaukee Art Museum – Milwaukee, WI

-May 7 – Victor Borge Legacy Awards – MoDA, Elk Horn, IA

-May 21 – Nissebo, Granly Farm – Denver, CO

-May 26-27 – Tivoli Fest – Elk Horn & Kimballton, IA

-June 22-24 – Danish American Heritage Society Conference – MoDA, Elk Horn, IA

-June 24 – Museum of Danish America’s 40th Anniversary Celebration & Sankt Hans Aften – MoDA, Elk Horn, IA

-July 4 – Rebild Bakker – Rebild, DK

-August 2 – Norway House – Minneapolis, MN

-August 16-19 – Danebod Folk Meeting–Tyler, MN

-October 1 – Danish Lutheran Church – Yorba Linda, CA

-October 5-8 – Danish Sisterhood National Convention – Minneapolis, MN

-November 4 – Danish Brotherhood Kolde Bord – Grandview University, Des Moines, IA

Please stay tuned to our Facebook and E-News for the most up to date information about these events. We hope you will be able to join us for one or more events this year!

For our 40th Anniversary, the Museum is identifying priority projects as fundraising goals for the year. As you know, the cataloging and organization of the DSS Archives project has been completed. Digitization of portions of the Sisterhood Archive tops our priority projects list. I will share more information about a proposed Phase Two of the Sisterhood Project in February’s issue.

Thank you to the Danish Sisterhood for your continued support of the museum and the care of your collection.

Update from Amber Lodge #186

The Amber Lodge, Danish Sisterhood, November meeting was held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brainerd. We started off the Christmas season early with a day of baking cookies. This has become an annual event for our chapter. Nealna Gylling kept us going with recipes, information, and instruction again this year. She is the organizer of this event, and we are all thankful for the shared fun and knowledge. We ended up with a great variety of cookies, including Spritz, Swedish Chocolate Balls, Almond Crescents, Kranskage, Danish Butter Cookies, Molasses Cookies and Finnish Bread.

We were joined by guests, Rollin Buck and Dale Plaskek. Thank you both for the extra hands mixing, baking, sorting, and cleaning up.

We ended the morning with a shared potluck lunch and a brief business meeting. Our next gathering will be the December Christmas party hosted by Nealna Gylling at her home.

Jane Matthies-Holtan, Correspondent

Update from Lodge #102, Des Moines, IA

Our traditional “out to eat” evening in October was held at the Chicago Speakeasy restaurant. We Danes also like Italian food! We had a good attendance and it is always fun to have some of our children members there.

November found us catching up on a lot of business matters. We have a district convention to plan and a National convention to attend. Carol Rudisill and Cheryl Brinkman will be our National delegates. An email from Jenny Rupp regarding the National constitution was read. Karma Nelson came as a guest hopefully to become a member. It was mentioned that Ken Gregerson has become a new member. A card was sent to Margaret Voss, her daughter had passed away. Long time member Erna Jensen was sent a card. She has been missed at our meetings. We also remembered Marilyn Kramme as she has been in the hospital and on oxygen following COVID. Many attended the Det Danske Koldt Bord where about 250 enjoyed a very wonderful evening. This was held at Grand View University and hosted by the Danish Brotherhood. It should be noted that two Kens were the hosts and are also SH members.

December was a festive month for us. We held our annual Jule Frokost with a record number of people attending. We served many courses made by us, and there was singing, stories, and many skols! This event was held in the beautiful fellowship hall at Luther Memorial Church with its fireplace and Christmas tree. On the next day, in the same place, many of us attended the Brotherhood Julefest. Quite a few of us also belong to the BH. Pastor Lackey told the Christmas story, Ken Gregerson showed a video and story of H. C. Anderson’s The Fir Tree. We then danced around the tree, Santa came, and treats were served. We love our Danish traditions.

There is no snow on the ground in Iowa, but it will come!

Hav et Godt Nytar, Carol Christiansen

Update from Dorothea Lodge #65

Dorthea Lodge celebrated their Annual Christmas Party, December 3rd at The Winter Inn , as they have for many years. There is always good food, good conversation and a very good time had by all.

There was also a meeting held where donations were voted on for the community food banks, books for elementary students through the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and gift cards for designated middle school and high school students.

The Sisterhood continues to support the Danish Cultural Center of Greenville as they go forward with renovations and updating the building where the Sisterhood and Brotherhood meetings are held. The DCCG also has a Museum and programs to acknowledge the history and importance of the Danish Immigration to the area. Happy and Healthy New Year to all. Maureen Dodd, Vice President of Dorthea Lodge #65

Danish Sisterhood of America

CONVENTION VENDOR FORM

On October 6-8, 2023, the Danish Sisterhood of America will hold its 28 th National Convention in Bloomington, Minnesota. Radisson Blu MOA

We are happy to offer you space in our Merchant Mall at $125.00 for three days. There will be a 6’2” table w/cloth available to you along with two chairs. Tablecloth plus skirting $10.00 per day. Electric $80.00 per day. Due to the size of the room, we are limited to 10 tables on a first-come basis. Deadline for return of Convention Vendor Form is October 31, 2022

December 31, 2022.

Vendor Name/Lodge ___________________________________________________________________

Contact Name __________________________________________________________________

Mailing Address ___________________________________________________________________ Email _______________________________________ Phone ______________

The set-up time will be available Thursday October 5 th 8:00 am to 11:00 am. Please mail your check payable to Danish Sisterhood of America Table $125.00__ Tablecloth Electrical Total

Karen Vig -Keathley

109 South First Street

Itasca, IL 60143 -2114

If you have any questions, please contact Karen Vig -Keathley at trustee3@danishsisterhood.com Or 708 -715-0071. Tak

Thank you in advance for your interest and continued support and association with the Danish Sisterhood of America.

1. Hygge T-Shirt • Red with white print • Sizes: M, L, XL, XXL • Price: $20

2. Black Baseball Cap with Logo in Sequins • Price: $20

3. Wine Bottle Opener • Black & red • Price: $5

4. Danish Car Magnets • 4.5” W x 4” H • Price: $10

5. Oven Mitt & Potholder Set • Danish Flag Pattern • Price: $20

6. Danish Flag Coasters • Set of 4 • Price: $15

7. Aebleskiver Apron • Red • Price: $20

8. Puffy Vest • Cobalt with Sisterhood Logo • Sizes L, XL, XXL • Price: $50

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DSS Angel Member Status

The Danish Sisterhood has a new and very special member status, the DSS Angels. This status belongs to those members that wish to gift their funeral benefit back to the Sisterhood. We have had some members in the past make the Sisterhood their beneficiary. We believe this is a generous and significant gift, and wish to honor them while we can, keeping a list of our current “Angels” posted. A couple of options are available:

• A change of beneficiary to: Danish Sisterhood of America or,

• A change of beneficiary to one of the national scholarship funds. Be specific, ie: Betty Hansen Scholarship, Past National Officers, Camp Grant, etc.

If you wish to change your status, please contact your lodge or the National Secretary for a Beneficiary Change Form. Your benefit does not need to be fully paid yet, and you'd be expected to maintain your payments, as the Sisterhood will not receive the benefit until your passing. Those that do not have a funeral benefit as part of your membership category can participate by donating $1,000 to the Danish Sisterhood of America. On behalf of our entire membership, we wish to thank and honor as our first Angels:

Address Changes

If you have moved please use this form to notify the Danish Sisterhood of America.

Clip and mail to:

Danish Sisterhood News

National Secretary: Glenda Madrid

1557 Oak St. Solvang, CA 93463

I belong to Lodge #: Name: New Address: City: State: Zip Code:

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Submissions should be received by the Editor by the 1st of the month previous to the month published. Please submit captions for pictures, including names of people in the picture. Text for submissions should be less than 600 words (one typed page).

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