Sons Of Norway

SONS OF NORWAY IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING AND PROMOTING NORWEGIAN HERITAGE. THE LOCAL LODGES AND INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS WORK TO MEET CULTURAL, HERITAGE AND FINANCIAL NEEDS.

YOUTH: THIS PROGRAM SHARES THE NORWEGIAN CULTURAL RICHNESS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND GETS THEM INVOLVED AT A YOUNG AGE. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO MAKE SONS OF NORWAY A PRIORITY IN OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES BY SHARING WITH THEM A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS DEVELOPED WITHIN THE DISTRICT. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 3 YOUTH DANCE GROUPS. SCHOLARSHIPS: DISTRICT 1 OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN OF MEMBERS. THERE ARE MANY SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR YOUTH INTERESTED IN INCREASING THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF NORDIC LANGUAGES AND HERITAGE. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2022: 1) SNOW FESTS 2) CHRISTMAS EVENTS 3) DANCE PROGRAMS 4) CRAFT ACTIVITIES 5) PARADES 6) FESTIVALS SCHOLARSHIPS: 1) SKOGFJORDEN - 31 YOUTH ATTENDED FOR 68.8 WEEKS 2) MASSE MORO - 14 FIRST DISTRICT CAMPERS ATTENDED MASSE MORO 3) SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIPS - 4 RECIPIENTS AWARDED MIKAL KARTVEDT SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND SKOGFJORDEN.

SOCIAL/CULTURAL: SOCIAL/CULTURAL PROGRAMMING IS PERHAPS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF ANY SONS OF NORWAY MEETING. MEMBERS COME TO BE ENTERTAINED AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR CULTURE, THROUGH FUN AND ENTERTAINING PROGRAMS. OUR DESIRE IS TO EXPAND THE KNOWLEDGE OF NORWEGIAN HERITAGE BY PLANNING EVENTS WITH A NORWEGIAN FLAVOR. THERE WAS A DISTRICT CONVENTION IN BRAINERD FEATURING MANY SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN. ACTIVITIES INCLUDED PRESENTERS FOR LODGES, COMMUNITY EVENTS, ONLINE PROMOTION VIA SLIDES, VIDEOS, AND CDS, AND PROGRAM MATERIALS FOR LANGUAGE AND HERITAGE CLASSES.

SPORTS/RECREATION: THIS PROGRAM PLANS AND IMPLEMENTS A WELL-ROUNDED PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES FOR BOTH YOUNG AND OLD, WITH THE HOPE OF ENHANCING THE PHYSICAL WELL BEING OF OUR MEMBERS. EXAMPLES INCLUDE ADULT KICK-SLED, SNOW SHOE, AND WALKING. WE ENCOURAGE ADULTS AND YOUTH TO COMPLETE MEDALS IN WALKING, BIKING, CYCLING, SKIING, SWIMMING, AND GENERAL SPORTS ACTIVITIES. THE PROGRAM PROMOTES A MEDAL PROGRAM OF SPORTS AND RECREATION ACTIVITIES FOR BOTH YOUNG AND OLD, WITH THE HOPE OF ENHANCING THE PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF OUR MEMBERS. LOCAL LODGES MAY PLAN SPECIAL EVENTS, SUCH AS CROSS-COUNTRY SKI RACES, HIKES, OR KUBB GAME TOURNAMENTS. DUE TO COVID, MANY OF THESE EVENTS HAVE NOT BEEN TAKING PLACE. ONE WHICH HAS, IS THE BARNELOPET CROSS- COUNTRY SKI RACE IN ST. CLOUD, INVOLVING THREE LODGES. 54 KIDS AND 40 ADULTS TOOK PART. ALL MEMBERS OF DISTRICT 1, INCLUDING THE CENTRAL LODGE, KIDS AND ADULTS, ARE ENCOURAGED TO EARN SPORTS MEDALS. LOCAL LODGES AWARD BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD AND ENAMEL MEDALS IN WALKING, BIKING, CYCLING, SKIING, SWIMMING, AND GENERAL SPORTS ACTIVITIES. THERE IS A NEW MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN THESE CATEGORIES. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT ALTOGETHER 150 MEDALS WERE EARNED THIS YEAR IN DISTRICT 1 LODGES.