The History of Nordikfolk Lodge #761 North West Indiana's Lodge Vasa Order of America
Nordik Folk Lodge #761 gained its charter and held its Institution Ceremony on Sunday, January 29,2006 at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lansing, Illinois. The new charter was signed by over 35 new members and overseen by district dignitaries from Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Nordik Folk Lodge #761 came to fruition over time when the Supervisor of Nordikids Musiklubb, Lynda Smith, began discussing the possibility of the parents group forming a new Vasa Lodge in Northwest Indiana. Many meetings later and after lots of planning, District Lodge Lake Michigan No. 8 dignitaries, District Master Sten Hult and his wife Nancy, and Bill and Sheila Lunquist of Flint, Michigan, came to share an informative Power Point Presentation explaining Vasa Order of America history, as well as topics including scholarships, the old age fund, rituals, and information on the popular Concordia Summer Language Camps in Bimidji, Minnesota. Brochures and membership forms were distributed and the rest is history.
Present at Nordik Folk Lodge #761 Institution Ceremony were District Master Sten Hult of Midlothian, Illinois; Master of Ceremonies Nancy Hult of Midlothian, Illinois; Grand Lodge Executive Board Member/Past District Master William Lundquist of Grand Blanc, Michigan; Executive Board Member Sheila Lundquist, of Grand Blanc, Michigan; Vice District Master James Nystedt, of Wheaton, Illinois; Hospital Fund Secretary- Treasurer Charlotte Tollin of Roscoe, Illinois; Past District Master Jake (Reinhold) Gruel of New Berlin, Wisconsin; District Secretary Marge Gruel also of New Berlin, Wisconsin; Guards Mr. & Mrs. Les Touve of Wisconsin, Past District Master David Tollin and District Cultural Chairman Rey Carlberg of Midlothian, Illinois.
Officers Installed were Mike Pearson, Chairman; Steve Westlund, Assistant Chairman; Linnea Ogrentz, Recording Secretary; Elsa Welton, Assistant Recording Secretary; Jenny Stoica, Treasurer; Barbara Hannigan, Historian; Jodi Nicola, Cultural Leader; Wendy Brown, Inner Guard; Ingrid Lesko, Outer Guard; Michael Pearson Jr., Master of Ceremonies; Fred Raddatz, Assistant Master of Ceremonies; Annelise Nelson, Financial Secretary; Lisa Pearson, Assistant Finanacial Secretary; Beth Raddatz, Auditor; Tim Ogrentz, Auditor; Phyllis Kalajian, Trustee; Michelle Wadkins, Chaplain; and Shelly Westlund, Archives Representative.
Meetings for the Nordikfolk Lodge #761 will be held at The United Methodist Church, 8607 Columbia Ave, Munster, Indianan the third Monday of every month at 7 pm. Plans for the coming year include a picnic, a trip to Chicago's Historic Swedish Andersonville neighborhood and IKEA. We will also be involved in supporting Nordikids Musiklubb Children's group who hold their Annual Lucia Fest in December, and Spring Fest in April. For more information see lodge contacts below.
Although we suggest you join a lodge near you, we will accept members from any ware. We look forward to having you as a member of our lodge, near or far come join us. Dual membership to lodges is accepted in The Vasa Order of America
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