Entertainment - Entertainment News

POSTED: Monday, Jun. 29, 2009

Sons of Norway members gear up for Border Festival

Women can join the Sons of Norway, confirmed Elaine Grasdock, the president of Wergeland Lodge.

"We even let Swedes in," she said with a chuckle, talking with a reporter of Swedish descent.

The Bellingham lodge's pancake breakfasts have become a popular tradition, and will resume in September. For now, lodge members are focusing on their annual Border Festival, set for July 12 in Blaine.

About the club: The club tries to offer something along Norwegian cultural lines at each meeting, said Grasdock, a retired registered nurse serving her third term as president.

"We've had talks about Norwegian art, drama, music, clothing, you name it," she said.

The lodge was founded in 1927, when 24 Norwegians gathered at The Leopold Hotel and named their lodge after Henrik Wergeland, a much-loved Norwegian writer and poet.

The club's longtime meeting place, Norway Hall, is home to the pancake breakfasts held the third Saturday of each month, except, July and August.

"For $6, you get all the pancakes you can eat, plus scrambled eggs, ham, orange juice and coffee," Grasdock said. "We're now averaging more than 300 for breakfast."

Mary Klander did the cooking for the first five years, and Marcie North Marshall does the cooking now, with help from Judy Nelson, Grasdock said.

"We also have entertainment provided, with all kinds of accordion music by Emil Aanestad," she said.

Major events: Wergeland Lodge is one of nearly 50 in the national Sons of Norway's District 2, which covers Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Wyoming.

The 100th anniversary of District 2 will be celebrated at the Border Festival, with such activities as horseshoes, tug-of-war, kite flying, and period costumes circa 1910, along with the selection of a festival queen. Events start at 9:30 a.m. and feature a potluck picnic.

The Border Festival of Norwegian fellowship has been celebrated in partnership with Canada since 1947.

Wergeland Lodge also holds a major picnic every August at Fairhaven Park.

Why she joined: "I'm a full-blooded Norwegian," said Grasdock, "and when I retired from fulltime nursing I thought it was time to learn more about Norwegian culture and heritage. I'm still learning!"

Member stories: Vern Hagen has been a lodge member for more than 50 years.

"He's a retired teacher and is the one who got me involved," Grasdock said. "He's our longest active member."

Grasdock said Mary Klander was a great person to do the cooking in the early years of the pancake breakfasts because she cooked for many years in Bellingham School District.

"We were lucky to get those started so well with her," Grasdock said.

Lodge member Bodil Ostlund was born in Norway.

"I think she's our only active member who was actually born in Norway," Grasdock said.

Michelle Nolan is a freelance writer.

CLUB GLANCE

Name: Sons of Norway, Wergeland Lodge No. 21

Purpose: Maintain interest and fellowship in Norwegian culture, history and heritage.

Meets: Second Friday of the month, except August, at 6:30 p.m. at Norway Hall, 1419 N. Forest St.

Number of members: 140.

Founded: Locally, 1927.

Contacts: 734-7753 or emkvam@juno.com. Online: sonsofnorway.com.

Leadership: Elaine Grasdock, president; Julie Olsen, vice president; Alice Ellingson, treasurer; Judy Nelson and Mary Klander, co-secretaries.

More: If you know of a club to be profiled, contact Dean Kahn at 715-2291 or dean.kahn@bellinghamherald.com.