Swedish-American Society  Newsletter,November 2000 Edition President: Leland Peterson 489-7061 Web master: Larry Leonardson 721-6827

WHEN NEXT WE MEET:  Sunday, Nov. 19, 2000 Ruritan Club, Witchduck Road    VALKOMMEN  3:00 Setup  4:00 Fellowship Hour  5:00 Dinner: featured dish is Thanksgiving Turkey  5:45 Business Meeting 6:00 Sing along practice for the Santa Lucia program 6:45 Raffle with Andy Anderson 7:00 Cleanup and closing. Program notes: 3:00  Doors open and setup. Sue Arith and Sandy McGregor will need at least two volunteers to help with tables and chairs. Call Alise Dilworth (489-0490) if you can help. 4:00.Fellowship Hour.  Bob Olson (who single-handedly did our delicious Barbeque last month) brings the beverages for the Club but members intent upon the best of hors d:oeuvres must provide the herring, cheese, crackers, etc. 5:00  Du Gamla, four verses of My Country for Thanksgiving, and I Jesu Namn. Dining:  An American Holiday Feast.  Larry Leonardson will bring a roasted turkey, but we will depend on pot-luck for the traditional sweet  or mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, complementary vegetables

and desserts.  Apple pie is equally welcome with the traditional pumpkin. 5:45  Business Meeting:      --Treasurer's Report and Dues Collection.         --Confirming election of nominated officers for president and vice-president,  Larry Leonardson and Bentley Anderson.         --Sign-up list for smorgasbord contributions for next month.  Lizbeth and Alan Coker will be present to do the Sankta Lucia procession. 6:00  Sing Along with Ted Johnson, including Thanksgiving and Christmas favorites, and practice of Sankta Lucia in Swedish, which we did with commendable feeling and melody last year.  Member requests are always welcome. 6:45   Raffle with Andy Andersson of gifts from members.  Proceeds from the raffled items are an important supplement to our dues income to keep the Club solvent. 7:00  Hälsa dem Där Hemma and willing activity by all the able-bodied in clearing and stacking tables and chairs,  Mänge tacks  for your wonderful cooperation! Swedish Calenders for 2001 are still available from the Treasurer for the bargain price of $9.00.  Did you know that these were printed with true devotion and great skill by Swedes in Minneapolis?  Difficult to improve on that quality.             OUR ADDRESS ON THE WEB:                https://members.tripod.com/~SweAmer

DIRECTIONS TO OUR MEETINGS    If coming from the peninsula, take I-64 across the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, follow 64 to 264 East (144). Follow 264 to the Witchduck Road exit, after exiting, turn left onto Witchduck Road. About 1/4 to ½ mile is Ruritan Drive (fire station light is there). Turn left on Ruritan, go the end of  the street, building is on the left.  CLUB OFFICERS President - Leland Peterson 489-7061  Vice President - Alise Dilworth  Secretary - Georgie Unser  Treasurer - Don Lundquist  Newsletter Editor - Nellie Leonardson  Web Master-Larry Leonardson 721-6827  When Last We Met  The monthly meeting of the Swedish American Society was held on Sunday, October 15th.  The social hour began at 4:00.  Sue Arity and friends once again transformed the atmosphere of the Ruritan Club into an atmosphere with a Swedish flair.  The Social Hour began with hors d’oeuvres and beverages. At 5:00 we gathered at the tables for the singing of Du Gamla, My Country Tis of Thee, and our Swedish table grace, I Jesu Namn, was prayed.  We then partook of the fabulous famous barbeque prepared by Bob Olson (which seems to be more delicious every year), and the accompanying vegetables, bread and desserts.   Following the meal, the children eagerly disappeared with Nellie Leonardson, to emerge following the business meeting, with beautifully decorated and stained wooden trinket boxes they had designed.  Nellie’s endeavors has been a real success with the children eagerly looking forward to creating something special at each meeting.

Our President, Leland Peterson, opened the meeting by announcing that the Swedish Museum in Philadelphia would be featuring Swedish singers on November 20th.  Our organization received a calendar of events.  There are many things the Swedish organizations are doing all over the country.  In NC one chapter has a Swedish dance group.  Leland suggested the possibility of our own dance group.  Don Lundquist gave the treasurers report and announced that we have the new calendars and are selling them for $9.00.  He was asked what our expenses were and Don listed those things that need to be paid monthly.  Leland mentioned the expenses we had this last year such as song books, file cabinet and coffee pots.  Our president presented the slate of officers nominated to serve for the next year.  They  were: Larry Leonardson  - President,  Bentley Anderson  - Vice-President,  Georgie Unser - Secretary and  Don Lundquist - Treasurer.  The club voted to accept this slate.  We will have installation of officers at our next meeting.  Leland asked how many would be interested in lutefish for the next meeting.  There didn’t seem to be much interest forthis. (Editors Note: Thank you!)  In discussing our December meeting, since Ted Johnson, our song leader and accompanist, would be unable to attend the regular monthly meeting due to a previous engagement, it was suggested that we plan our Sankta Lucia festival (we usually try to have this as close to the actual date as possible) on Dec. 17th so he would be able to attend.  There will be a bazaar on November 4th in Maryland.  Larry suggested that some members may want to attend as a group.  Ted Johnson led us in a medley of songs from the Swedish song book.  Leland then passed around songs he had gotten together that were popular in America from 1850-1880 during the Swedish immigration.   Andy Andersson held the raffle.  There were 35 in attendance including 7 children.              Respectfully Submitted,                                 Georgie Unser - Secretary