Overview
We are Shawnee Skogen, Sons of Norway Lodge 5-689. Sons of Norway is a fraternal benefit society that was founded in 1895 to protect members of Sons of Norway and their families from the financial hardships experienced during times of sickness or death in the family. Over time, the mission of Sons of Norway has expanded to include the preservation of Norwegian heritage and culture in our society. Sons of Norway no longer requires Norwegian ancestry and our lodge is open to all who wish to explore Scandinavian heritage and culture.
If you wish to join our lodge you can do so on the international Sons of Norway site or email the Lodge Vice President to discuss membership options.
Shawnee Skogen has a presence around the web:
- A public Facebook page
- A private Facebook group
Shawnee Skogen is in Sons of Norway District 5 which covers Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. The international Sons of Norway site covers all districts and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN and provides the financial products while the Norwegian heritage and culture programming originates from all levels of the organization.
Scandinavian Heritage and Culture
Each lodge meeting will include a cultural program. Here are some examples:
- One member, who lived in Norway, shared photos and stories of his time there.
- History of Norwegian sweater making and styles.
- Show and tell of personal Scandinavian “artifacts”.
We have two annual festivities where we prepare a potluck: Julebord and Syttende Mai. We also have an annual lefse making event.
A number of members study Norsk, e.g. Bokmål. We are also lucky to have a fluent speaker amongst our membership.
Lodge Meetings
Lodge meetings are typically held on the third Sunday of each month at 2:00 PM. Historically they were held at the Peachbarn Winery & Café in Alto Pass, IL. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions we have been holding lodge meetings on Zoom. Lately we have been on having in-person meetings at Giant City State Park.
Officers
President: Wendy Winkelman
Vice President: Open
Secretary: Nancy Schick
Treasurer: Kelly Bliss
Program Director: Heather Kjellesvik
Sports & Recreation Director: Ron Naversen
Publicity Director: Nathan Nutter
Editor: Wendy Winkelman
Counselor: Bill Bultinck
Sunshine: Bill Bultinck