Sons
of Norway, Elvesvingen (means "bend of the river" in Norwegian)
Lodge, 1-582, Mankato's Norwegian Club,
welcomes you to our web site. We invite everyone of all ages and nationalities
to take advantage of the fellowship and the many opportunities we offer
to members of our Mankato
Norwegian Club.
Our Mankato Norwegian Club meets at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on
the second Saturday of most months. Most meetings start at 5:30 p.m.
with lunch provided by members. We then have a short business meeting, followed
by a program. Check out our Mankato Norwegian
Club calendar for some of our upcoming programs, activities and
events!
Some recent programs at our Mankato Norwegian Club have included talks about
the Sami's, the indigenous people of Scandinavia, personal experiences from the Norwegian
Resistance Movement during World War II, information about the local Viking Ship "The Hjemkomst," and talks about the music of Edvard Grieg. Some meetings even feature lessons
in hardanger embroidery, rosemal painting, card weaving, wood carving
and making chain mail armor. College students from Bethany
Lutheran College and St. Olaf College have told our Mankato Norwegian
Club about life in their homeland. Other speakers have told about their
trips to Norway, the history of Norwegian Culture in the Hanska area and also of their experiences tracing their genealogy.
We are always looking for new members who would be interested in sharing their Norwegian craft or language
skills with us or who have taken a trip to Norway. On the other hand,
you need not be Norwegian to join Mankato's Norwegian Club, just have
an interest in Norway or Norwegian Culture!
Visitors welcome anytime!
In addition to our monthly meetings, we make arrangements
for trips to interesting Norwegian sites and events. Mankato's Norwegian
Club has gone to the Syttende Mai stage show in Hanska and has also
taken a trip to the Vikings exhibit at the Science Museum in St. Paul.
Members of Elvesvingen Lodge have also enjoyed participating in golf
and bowling tournaments and of course attending local lutefisk
dinners and making lefse to raise funds.
Our Mankato Norwegian Club
has done many things in the Mankato community to promote interest in
Norwegian heritage and culture. Yearly activities include Norwegian
displays at the Blue Earth County Library and the International Festival,
participation in parades in Nicollet and St. Peter, a display at the
South Central Minnesota Genealogy Expo and craft activities at the Blue
Earth County Historical Society's "Young Historians" program.
We have also distributed "Viking for Kids" magazines to several
schools.
We look forward to having
you visit Mankato's Norwegian Club and becoming
a member! Please contact us if
you would like further information! Be sure to check out all the wonderful
information on this website!
