Swedish Center News

Swedish Center News
May 2009
Swedish Cultural Center . Seattle . Washington
June 6: Oh, So Swedish!
O
Our Mission
To promote better understanding
between the United States and
the Nordic countries, with
emphasis on Sweden, and to
perpetuate Nordic culture
and traditions through the
teaching, observance, practice
and celebration of this culture
and its traditions.
ur National Day celebration on Saturday,
June 6, will be just a bit livelier—and
even more Swedish—than usual. June 6 falls
on a Saturday, so we can do something we’ve
wanted to do for a while: Host a Swedish car
show in the afternoon, before the dinner and
program. Two members, Dick Libby and
Gary Ramstad, stepped forward to take on
the planning. From 1 until 6 p.m., visitors to
the parking lot of the Swedish Cultural Center will
be able to see 10 beautiful Volvos and Saabs, all
shined up to be admired. This is a good time to
show off the Center, so we’ll open our Kafé on
Saturday, from 1 until 6 p.m. as well. After you’re
done whistling at the cars, you can wet your
whistle in our third-floor lounge. If you have
questions or a car to bring, contact Dick Libby at
volvodick@comcast.net or call him at 206-3655742. The car show is free.
Our evening will include a short program
at 6 p.m. in the lobby with music, flags and
children, of course. After the program, we’ll go
to the Stockholm Hall for a demonstration of
Swedish-style folkdancing and a delicious
dinner. Like last year, we’ll be served food from
recipes direct from the King’s chef in Stockholm. We’ll also learn who’s been named the
Swede of the Year, and we’ll draw for the $1,000
prize in the Swedestakes lottery. If you don’t
have your lottery tickets yet, there’s still time to
buy them by calling the Center or catching hold
of some at the May pancake breakfast. (Parents,
take note: Last year’s grand prize winner was
someone whose mother bought a book of tickets
and put her kids’ names on them. The winner didn’t
even know she was entered in the lottery. What a
wonderful surprise that was!) The dinner is $25. To
make your reservations now, call 206-283-1090 or
e-mail krisr@swedishculturalcenter.org.
This pearl white Volvo is Gary Ramstad’s 1967
122S, which he’s owned since 1969. This model
was called an “Amazon” in Sweden, but not
here due to trademarks. This Swedish Amazon
will be at the June 6 Swedish National Day
Car Show at the Swedish Cultural Center.
According to Gary: “These 122S Volvos were
such great family transportation that owners
often drove them into the ground, and nice
ones are very rare today. I love to show it at
car shows in Seattle, as it brings back memories
for many Scandinavians. The name for my 1967
122S Volvo will always be Miss Seattle.”
This is Gary
Ramstad’s red
1962 PV544 Volvo
parked and ready
for the May 17
parade in Ballard
last year. “I
have owned and
restored my ‘Kristine’ since 1985,” says Gary.
“She is a lot to deal with when driving her.”
swedishculturalcenter.org
Swedish Cultural Center
1920 Dexter Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
206-283-1090 Club Business
206-283-1078 Rentals
206-283-2970 FAX
info@swedishculturalcenter.org
rentals@swedishculturalcenter.org
www.swedishculturalcenter.org
Office Hours
Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Board of Directors
President Karl Larsson
Vice President Bob Blair
Secretary Syrene Forsman
Treasurer Don Wahlquist
VP/Programs Anna Anderson
VP/Properties Paul Norlen
Past President Brandon Benson
Directors Jeremy Holt
Pam Madden
Randy Nelson
Erik Pihl
Susan Ramstead
Lori Ann Reinhall
Center Operations
Exec. Director R.W. Clay
Cultural Director Kristine Leander
Admin. Assistant Kris Reitan
Auxiliary
Chair Maggie Berthiaume
Vice-chair June Anderson
Evanoff
Secretary Bonnie Orr
Treasurer Rachel Osterlof
Sewing Jean Wirch
Swedish Center News
Editor: Kristine Leander
Copy Editor: Martin Stillion
Swedish Center News (USPS 533750) is published monthly as part
of yearly membership dues at $5
per person, per year, by the Swedish Cultural Center, 1920 Dexter
Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109-2795.
Telephone is 206-283-1090. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle,
Washington. Postmaster: send
address changes to Swedish Center
News, 1920 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle,
WA 98109-2795.
Deadline for material for
the next issue is
May 12.
Bring articles into the office or fax
to 206-283-2970. You may also
e-mail articles to
kristine@swedishculturalcenter.org.
2
President’s Notes
L
ast year in this
column I outlined
our various standing
committees and their
roles. Since then I have
also written about the
importance of our
volunteers. The
beginning of a new
Board is a good time
to remind you of our
committees and
reiterate how valuable
volunteers are to the
committees and the
Center in general.
The standing
committees are
Building; Commercial;
Décor/Exhibits;
Swedish Consul Lars Jonsson, SCC President Karl Larsson, and
Finance/Audit;
Margareta Winberg, former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden,
Fundraising/Develop- Secretary of Labor and Minister of Gender Equality Policies, get
acquainted during Margareta’s recent visit to Seattle. She gave
ment; Library/
several lectures here, including “Empowerment, Swedish Style:
Education/ScholarThe Pippi Longstocking Effect” at the University of Washington.
ships; Personnel;
worked every year by nearly 100 volunteers
Promotion/Marketing;
is essential to the progress—and the exisand Programs. The committees are made up
tence—of the Swedish Cultural Center. We
of a combination of Board members and
thank everyone who has generously donated
other volunteers, and many still need more
time, both recently and through the years.
help. If you have relevant experience or skill,
As we grow, so does our need for
consider joining a committee.
As the committees continue to develop— volunteers. To find out more details about
which increases our “bandwidth” and ability to committees and other volunteer opportunities, you can refer to my previous articles—
accomplish more—they also need more
June and October 2008 respectively—
participation and representation by Board
at www.swedishculturalcenter.org/
members. For this reason we’re requesting
newsletters2008.htm. We are fortunate that
permission from the membership to increase
our staff understands the importance of our
the size of our Board. Please come to the
volunteers and can coordinate and direct
annual meeting May 13 so we’ll be sure to
their work. Volunteering can be fun,
have a quorum to vote for this change and
rewarding and a good way to meet others
our new slate of Directors. There are more
with common interests; so if you’re able, I
details elsewhere in the newsletter.
encourage you to call the office and find an
Whether you volunteer for a committee
or at the pancake breakfast; whether you help area where you can help.
with an event, activity or project, or assist in
K arl L arsson
the daily operation of the Center; you can
President, Swedish Cultural Center
contribute to the organization by volunteerklarsson@earthlink.net
ing your time. The huge number of hours
may 2009
Cultural Director’s Notes
N
ew Year’s Day. Looking back on the old and starting new again. We’re used to assuming
that means January 1, which, of course, it does. If you work in education or with families,
you know that the start of the school year in early September is the other New Year in the
calendar and a time to begin again. In the nonprofit world, the start of a new Board year is yet
another New Year. This year, May 2009, the Swedish Cultural Center has an embarrassment of
riches as it looks back over the past year’s Board of Directors and looks ahead to the new. This
past year’s Board presided over a 34 percent rise in memberships, a revival of Happy Hour and
regular food service, a tripling of events and programs, stage one of the bar refurbishment as a
first step in reviving the appearance of the Center, establishment of the Swede of the Year
award and other changes too numerous to mention.
Generous donors to the Center made this work possible, but individual Directors were
the face of some of the changes. Outgoing Director Lori Ann Reinhall created an elegant
shipboard scene for the 2009 auction, and fortunately will continue overseeing our newly
resplendent display cases. (No visitor who passes by one of our ever-changing displays can
deny that the Center is a happening place!) Outgoing Director Jeremy Holt worked on the
board’s Commercial Committee to evaluate opportunities for the Center’s rentals, a key to our
solvency. Director Anna Anderson revived—more accurately, rebirthed—Happy Hour as a
vibrant Friday evening place for all ages to mingle. Director Randy Nelson has overseen a
phenomenal growth in language classes. A subgroup of Directors worked on the Friday Kafé,
with more changes to come.
The new, expanded Board of Directors has a firm foundation to build on as they work to
further upgrade the building and, we hope, make it “ready for royalty.” (Shhh, we can’t announce anything yet.) Get ready for even more programs and events and more interaction with
other Scandinavians in the area. Also prepare for other improvements to our membership
experience, such as new plastic cards. By voting in a new Board, you’re asking them to continue
the work started in the last few years. We hope everyone will continue to support them
through your attendance at events and your ongoing generous donations. Happy New Year!
K ristine Leander
Cultural Director, Swedish Cultural Center • kristine@swedishculturalcenter.org
May Films
Små mirakel och stora (All It Takes Is a Miracle) is the
story of a homeless man who finds half a million in
cash and journeys home to track down the people
he let down 30 years before. There’s a lot of Sweden
portrayed in the sunny summer road trip and the
people he meets along the way. This 2006 film is by
Jon Lindström, with Peter Haber, Amanda Renberg
and Tuva Novotny. English subtitles. The Swedish
Cultural Center will show the film on Friday, May 15,
Peter Haber plays Per, a homeless
at 2 p.m., and Wednesday, May 20, at 7 p.m. A $5
man who discovers a bag full of
donation is requested. For additional information,
cash, in All It Takes Is a Miracle.
contact Randy at 206-937-0441 or rnelson900@aol.com.
May 27 is the evening for two Finnish documentaries, hosted by the Finnish
community. The first and longer is Törni. Sotilaan tarina (Törni. A Soldier’s Story)
about Lauri Törni, a hero in the Winter and Continuation War, who also found his
way into the German SS, and later into the United States Army and the Vietnam
War. He was killed in Vietnam as a member of the Green Beret Special Forces.
Lauri Törni is the only Waffen-SS officer to be buried at Arlington National
Cemetery. The documentary is spellbinding. $5 donation. 7:30 p.m. For additional
information, contact ffsc@finns.org.
swedishculturalcenter.org
SCC Announces
News about, or in the interest
of our members...
The Swedish Cultural Center
announces 774 member households.
New Members
Brent Alberg
Jennifer Alberg
Sandy & Ed Arildson
Marianne Bage
Tiia-Mai Barrett
Alice, Ed & Charles Bartley
Reed Brock
Ingvar Carlson & Janet Tilton
Gail Despain
Larry Ege
Amy Harmala
Rick Hasselback
Linda Holmstrom
Annika & Mats Kronstrom
Jennifer Kulik
Mona Lang
Shannon & Rod Learmonth
Caroli Leiman
Sara Lindstrom
Lena & Mark Lönnberg-Hickling
Ron Nelson
Gary & Joan Piukkula
Sandy Ryan
Linda & Charles Simmons
Kate Holmes Thompson
Maura Westerdahl
Ron & Dawn Wilander
Larry Youngquist
New Address?
Send your address changes or
corrections to:
Swedish Cultural Center
Attn: Address Change
1920 Dexter Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98109
Or you can e-mail to
info@swedishculturalcenter.org.
Let us know if we left out your
information by mistake.
3
Bert Lundh Honored
F
ormer SCC Board President and longtime member
Bertil Lundh has been selected by the Northwest
Kidney Centers Foundation to receive the 2008 Clyde
Shields Distinguished Service Award. (He also got a plate
of Swedish pancakes when the announcement was made,
in honor of his roots.) The award is named for the first
person in the world to have outpatient dialysis, Clyde
Shields, a Boeing machinist who lived for 11 years after
treatment commenced. Bert has been a tireless fundraiser
for both the Kidney Foundation and the Swedish Cultural
Center. He joined the Club in 1949 and was president for
two terms in the 1990s. In 2007, he chaired a Swedish
Cultural Center dinner as a pre-centennial celebration to
honor the founders of Swedish Hospital.
The Kidney Center award is given to a person or a group that
has significantly contributed to the welfare of the kidney patients
through advocacy, clinical care or research, and Bert is the first
person who has not suffered from kidney problems to receive it.
The Kidney Foundation will formally make the award to Bert on
May 21, at its Breakfast of Hope fundraiser. The Swedish Cultural
Center congratulates Bert on this well-earned honor.
Book Club
T
he Swedish Cultural Center Book Club meets the second
Wednesday of every month, at 5:30 p.m. in the library, immediately before the Members & Friends dinner. On May 13 we’ll again
talk about Inger Frimansson’s The Shadow in the Water. On June 10,
our new selection will be Barbara Sjoholm’s The Palace of the Snow
Queen. Newcomers welcome! For more information, contact
Randy at 206-937-0441 or rnelson900@aol.com.
News from the Museum:
Nordic American Voices
T
he Nordic Heritage Museum announces the launch of a new and
ambitious effort to record the life histories of Nordic immigrants and their descendants in the Pacific Northwest. The Nordic
American Voices project will be a multi-year effort to collect,
preserve and share history “from the ground up.” Gordon Strand
will chair the Steering Committee
guiding the project, with professional
help from the Museum’s Chief Curator
Janet Rauscher.
The new Nordic American Voices
project builds upon the Vanishing
Generation Project of 10 years ago, when 40 volunteers recorded 123
interviews. The Nordic American Voices project hopes to publish a
new, expanded edition of the book Voices of Ballard: Immigrant
Stories from the Vanishing Generation, but reaching beyond Ballard
4
Bert Lundh joined the Swedish Cultural
Center in 1949. (Can anyone beat that?) He
stopped by our offices recently to congratulate us on our recent growth and to suggest
the idea of a dinner to honor anyone who
was part of the planning or construction of
the Dexter Avenue building. Bert remembers that we paid $16,000 for the property,
which immediately became the object of
other offers when the public realized what
a good buy it was.
Bert emigrated from Landskrona,
Sweden, in the late 1940s, arriving in the
States just in time to be called into service
for the Korean War. After that, he fished in
Alaska and had his own construction
company. He currently owns the Porcelain
Gallery in Magnolia. Will he ever retire?
Maybe when he hits 90, he joked.
“Seriously,” he said, “let’s have a dinner
for anyone who was around when the new
building was built.” If you were part of the
Swedish Club and remember the planning or construction for the Dexter
Avenue building, please call Cultural Director Kristine Leander at 206-2831090 or e-mail kristine@swedishculturalcenter.org.
Time to Vote Some Changes
W
ednesday, May 13, will be a fun and important meeting for
the members of the Swedish Cultural Center. They’ll enjoy a
first in recent times—an annual meeting—and the yearly opportunity to elect new Board members. The idea of an annual meeting
came about as an opportunity for the Board to report on finances,
growth, and our continued progress toward a more vital Swedish
Cultural Center. The nominating committee (made up of Brandon
Benson, Randy Nelson and Paul Norlen) will offer a slate of candidates, but before Club members vote on new Board members,
they’ll vote on two other measures: increasing the size of the Board
and changing how Board officers are elected. Current bylaws of the
Swedish Cultural Center state that the Board shall consist of six
to capture stories from the farming communities of Snohomish and
Skagit counties and the Scandinavian settlements in Eastern Washington. The project also hopes to interview individuals with memories
of the Nordic countries during World War II, the occupation and the
resistance movements, and the Winter War and Continuation War in
Finland. These stories will be featured in educational Web sites,
publications, and exhibitions, and will be available to historians and
other Nordic cultural organizations.
If you would like to consider
becoming a volunteer interviewer, you’re
invited to a training session on Saturday,
May 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
You’re also invited to contact Janet
Rauscher at janetr@nordicmuseum.org or 206-789-5707, ext. 35.
The Steering Committee also seeks the Swedish Cultural Center’s
assistance in identifying interview participants: questionnaires will
soon be available at the Museum and at www.nordicmuseum.org.
may 2009
SCC member June Anderson Evanoff’s paintings will be on display at
the Sunlight Café at 6403 Roosevelt Way NE, in the University District
of Seattle, from May 1 until May 29. June’s paintings of scenes of
Sweden, nature, and flowers have been popular and well received for
many years. Her spectacular painting of Mount Rainier, a signature
piece of the collection at the Sunlight Café, is amazingly realistic and
beautiful in a medley of blue, turquoise, purple and greens. The
Sunlight, Seattle’s oldest vegetarian restaurant, is open every day
from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. A selection of June’s paintings with Swedish
motifs are also available from www.swedishcountry.com.
officers (President, Immediate Past President, Vice President, Vice
President of Facilities, Secretary and Treasurer) and six Directors, for
a Board of 12. With the increased work and programs undertaken
around the Center, the Board would like a larger group of up to 18
members. Additional Directors mean more people to help fill
committees, and to plan and shoulder the revitalization efforts and
ongoing governance.
The other change is that up until now, officers have been elected
to one-year terms and Directors to three-year terms, which resulted
in confusion every year at election time. The change is to elect the
entire Board to three-year terms, and then the Board itself would
elect its officers each year. At this year’s meeting, we’ll elect one-third
of the Directors to three-year terms, one-third to two-year terms,
and one-third to one-year terms. This will establish a rotation, so that
in the future, one-third of the Directors will be up for election every
year. Both of these changes—more Directors and election of the
officers by the Board—will result in more individuals to help lead and
govern the Club and more clarity at the annual election.
These are bylaw changes, so the following motions were made
and tabled at the last membership meeting, to await a vote by the
members on May 13. Pam Madden moved that Article III, 3.1 of
the bylaws be amended to read in part: “All officers shall be elected
from the Board for terms of one year by the Board of Directors,
except that the outgoing President shall become the Immediate Past
President.” This clarifies that an officer must be a member of the
Board and eliminates the confusion of separate one-year terms for
officers and three-year terms for Directors. Paul Norlen moved
that Article II, 2.1 of the bylaws be amended to read in part: “a Board
swedishculturalcenter.org
Top: The Swedish Ladies Chorus, with selections by the Svea Male Chorus,
sang beautifully at their annual spring concert on April 18. Their new attire
was a hit, as were their songs, sung mostly in Swedish. Both choruses
practice Tuesday evenings and are eager for new singers. Interested
women or men singers should contact Jim and/or Charlotte Erickson at
206-546-1364 or charjim@hotmail.com. Photo: Doug Damm.
Above left: On Friday, May 1, the Swedish Cultural Center hosts a
performance of Gluntarne —a charming operetta, sung in Swedish, that
commemorates merry student life in Sweden in the spring. Gunnar
Damstrom and Sven Axter will repeat their performance of a year ago,
accompanied by Maria Männistö. The Svea Male Chorus will provide the
opening music. 7 p.m. $10 donation cheerfully accepted.
Above right: Jane Isakson Lea was named Swede of the Year in June
2008. The Board conferred this honor in light of Jane’s involvement in her
heritage through Scandinavian dancing, learning to speak Swedish and
living in Sweden. The community thanks Jane for her loyal support of all
things Swedish. Come to the National Day celebration at the Center on
June 6 to learn who is named Swede of the Year for 2009.
of Directors of at least 12 but no more than 18 Directors.” This
expands the Board by up to six additional members.
The current Board members hope that everyone will come to
the meeting to vote yes on these thoughtful and conservative
measures that will simplify and support their important work.
Proposed Slate of New and Returning Directors
One-year terms: Brandon Benson, Pam Madden, Randy
Nelson, Paul Norlen and Susan Ramstead.
Two-year terms: Anna Anderson, Syrene Forsman, Erik Pihl
and Don Wahlquist.
Three-year terms: Bob Blair, Karl Larsson, Sara Lightle and
Carl Westerdahl.
The nominating committee has interviewed other candidates who
will be considered after the number of Directors has been increased.
5
Goodbye and Thanks, SAS
Hello and Welcome, Icelandair
It’s a rare Scandinavian in the Northwest who hasn’t gone home on
Seattle’s newest Scandinavian airline, Icelandair, is pleased to begin
Scandinavian Airlines. And so it was a great disappointment to learn
service from SeaTac on July 23, 2009. What could be more Nordic than
that Scandinavian Airlines will stop its Seattle-to-Copenhagen route at
a Viking-inspired route on a Boeing 757 jet, stopping by Iceland’s
the end of July. In 42 years of the direct flight, millions of passengers
Leifur Eiriksson Terminal to and from Scandinavia?
flew in or out of SeaTac on SAS (137,000 last year) and it set the
Flights will leave SeaTac at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays,
standard for
Saturdays and Sundays, arriving in Reykjavik (Keflavik International
customer service.
Airport) at 6:45 a.m., just in time for a bracing cup of delicious
Old-timers will
coffee, tax-free shopping in the elegant terminal, and a connecting
remember an
flight to Stockholm, Copenhagen or Oslo. The airport is relatively
onboard chef, making elegant food in tight quarters. Younger adults
small and manageable, which is a benefit to passengers who may not
remember free alcohol and gifts of playing cards with the SAS logo.
be up for the athletic trek in larger airports such as Copenhagen.
Yet, despite nearly full flights five days a week, a business decision has
You’ll pass through immigration in Keflavik before arriving at your
been made to focus on business travel and flights within Scandinavia.
final destination. You can also stay in Iceland for at least four nights,
As much as we regret losing a familiar, reliable way to fly home,
airfare, before
community partner. SAS supported a number of local organizations
continuing to your
over the years, from Scandinavian clubs to health-related and other
final destination.
nonprofits, with free and reduced rate tickets. Nancy Stellmann,
Connection times
SAS manager of customer relations, told the Swedish Center News:
from Seattle to
“We have been extremely gratified to hear from many of our loyal
Scandinavia are shorter by up to four hours than through other
customers expressing their kind and warm words hoping for us to
European hubs, and returning flights arrive in Seattle at 5:45 p.m., in
remain. It is our sincerest hope that we will offer the opportunity to
time for dinner at home.
serve the Pacific Northwest via our three U.S. gateways in Chicago,
6
without additional
we also regret the loss of a wonderful neighbor and generous
Thorsteinn Egilsson, Icelandair’s general manager for the Americas,
Washington D.C., and Newark. And when economically possible, we
told us, “Icelandair looks forward to serving the large Scandinavian
will continue to evaluate future opportunities of support, in
population of the Pacific Northwest and welcoming you aboard.” And
appreciation of business that we will enjoy in the future.” Members
in return, here’s our first lesson in Icelandic, where we’ll learn how to
of the Swedish Cultural Center are very grateful for your support in
say “thank you.” From all the Scandinavians in the Pacific Northwest,
the past, SAS. Tack så mycket!
“Takk fyrir, Icelandair!”
may 2009
Hemlandsnytt
News from the homeland
A column of current Swedish news topics,
taken from Swedish news media.
Compiled by Gunnar Wallin
Prison time: A Swedish woman convicted of a
1981 double murder has been transferred from a
California women’s prison to serve out two life
sentences in Stockholm. Department of Corrections
spokeswoman Terry Thornton in Sacramento said
Annika Ostberg Deasy, 55, was transferred from the
California Institution for Women in Chino on March
25 under an agreement with the Swedish government.
Trouble: Saab Automobile, the troubled
Swedish unit of General Motors Corp., is in contact
with around 20 potential buyers, with a sale planned
to be completed in June according to the carmaker’s
lawyer. Saab went into bankruptcy on February 20 in
an effort by GM to spin off or sell the unit.
Wrong name: It is not OK for a girl to be
named “David” according to the Swedish IRS. The
case is about a mother who wants to christen her
little daughter David. The IRS, however, considers it
unfit for a girl to be given that name. The mother
now has to come up with another name for her
6-month-old daughter.
Reduction: It will become trickier to find
mailboxes for letters for next-day delivery. To save
money and help the environment, the Swedish
postal service will decrease the number of boxes
They will also be emptied earlier, and mail freight
will be handled by train rather than by air.
Power: Sweden could become home to the
world’s biggest land-based wind farm, following a
decision by a local government authority to
approve the building of the €5 billion ($6.8 billion)
farm at Markbygden.
Easter fun: Parishioners at a church in
Västerås celebrated Easter Sunday by unveiling a
6-foot-tall statue of Jesus that they built out of
30,000 Lego blocks. It took 40 volunteers
about 18 months to put all the tiny plastic
blocks together, and the creation shows a
standing Jesus facing forward with arms
outstretched. The Protestant church was filled
to capacity with about 400 worshippers when
the statue went on display behind the altar.
Some of the children in the congregation
couldn’t help but touch the artwork.
Good deed: IKEA president Ingvar
Kamprad is donating 1.6 billion kronor ($194
million) to India’s women and children. The
purpose is “to attack the grounds for child
labor.” The support will be provided gradually
until 2015, which is the deadline for UNICEF’s
goal to halve worldwide poverty.
Opinions expressed are not those of the
Swedish Cultural Center.
Dinner &
Annual Meeting
WEDNESDAY,
May 13, 2009
Social 5:30 p.m.
Dinner 6:30 p.m.
Cost $15
RSVP by noon, May 12.
Late RSVPs and
walk-ins: $20.
First course
Grön vårsallad med
balsamisk vinägrettsås
Spring green salad with
balsamic vinaigrette
Second course
Ugnstekt lax i dill och
citron med kaprisås
Dill and lemon roasted
salmon with
caper cream sauce
Sauterad zucchini och
gul sqash
Sautéed zucchini and
yellow squash
Poatisgratäng
Potato au gratin
Dessert
Kryddad äppelkaka med
kanel och vispad grädde
Apple spiced cake with
cinnamon whipped cream
Executive Director’s Notes
T
he Board’s bulb-planting efforts one Sunday last winter have
paid off. The garden area in front of the building is blooming.
It looks especially great with the fountain spraying cascades of
water in the middle of it. Keep in mind that it’s a great spot for
photos when you have your special occasion here at the Center.
We are holding our own in special event rentals, running consistent with last year at this time. The pancake breakfast sales are
almost $700 ahead of this time last year. The attendance at the
April breakfast was 1,050, and that was a lot of pancakes. Once
swedishculturalcenter.org
again, thank you to all you volunteers. We are constantly making
little improvements to the facility, and as the weather changes, we
can do a few more. If you want to help, give us a call. We are still
in serious need of reception/phone answering people. Think about
it. Perhaps you can spare one day per month?
Well, that’s it for this month; hope to see you soon in the Center.
R.W. Clay
Executive Director, Swedish Cultural Center
rw@swedishculturalcenter.org
7
Coming Events at the Swedish Cultural Center
Every Friday. Swedish Kafé!
Our menu is soup, your choice of smörgås sandwiches, and homemade Swedish pastries. You’re
invited every Friday from 12 noon on.
Every Friday. Nordic Happy Hour.
Tasty Nordic food by Swedish chef Ann-Margret
varies weekly. Check www.swedishculturalcenter.org
for the weekly menu. Drinks at great prices. Always
the best view in town. 5–10:30 p.m.
Friday, May 1.
Spring Duets: Gluntarne.
Operetta about student life in May performed by
Sven Axter and Gunnar Damstrom and
accompanied by the talented Maria Männistö. Opening songs by Svea Male Chorus. $10 donation. 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 3. Swedish Pancakes.
Swedish Cultural Center’s pancake breakfasts are
the best. Music and dancing by Richard Svensson &
Bjarne Jacobsen, Skandia Kapelle, and Katrilli. 8 a.m.–
1:30 p.m. Members $6; guests $8, children 5–12, $4.
1920 Dexter Ave. N.
Sunday, May 3.
Swedish Genealogy 101.
Volunteers?
We always need help with
our monthly pancake
breakfast. E-mail rw@
swedishculturalcenter.org.
You can also help type our
AYP log. Be part of history
by coming in and typing on
weekdays, or asking for the
material to type at home.
You need Microsoft Office
Excel. E-mail kristine@
swedishculturalcenter.org or
call 206-283-1090.
Rentals available at
Swedish Cultural Center.
1920 Dexter Ave N., Seattle.
Call 206-283-1078 or visit
www.swedishculturalcenter.
org/Venues/venues.htm. If
you’ve been a member for
at least a year, you get a
discount.
8
Join our group and share your questions or your
experience with genealogy. Led by two experienced
genealogists. Free. 1 p.m.
Pacific Northwest! Both authors will sign books.
3014 NW 67th, Seattle.
Wednesday, May 13.
Book Club.
We’ll discuss The Shadow in the Water by Inger
Frimansson at 5:30. Everyone is welcome.
Annual Meeting & Dinner.
At the Annual Meeting, enjoy a three-course meal
for $15. Music by the Folk Voice Band. RSVP by
Tuesday, May 12. Late RSVPs and walk-ins $20.
RSVP: krisr@swedishculturalcenter.org or 206-2831090. Social hour 5:30, dinner 6:30, meeting 7:30.
Friday, May 15 & Wednesday, May 20.
Swedish Film.
Små mirakel och stora (All It Takes Is a Miracle): 2 p.m.
Friday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. See p. 3 for details.
Sunday, May 17.
Let’s Be Swegian on the 17th of May.
Join our Swedish entry in the Norwegian parade.
E-mail kristine@swedishculturalcenter.org or call
Kristine at 206-283-1090. 4 p.m.
Wednesday, May 20.
Kafferep.
Our monthly coffee party is always special, thanks to
our best Swedish bakers! All are invited. Free. 2 p.m.
Tuesday, May 5.
Auxiliary Meeting.
Friday, May 29.
Zwiefacher Dance.
We used to be called Vännerna but now we’re
simply the Auxiliary. Same nice people with a new
name. You’re invited come chat a while, sew a while.
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Waltz, polka and alpine dances too. Info: pat@
folkdancing.com. $7 for SCC members, $9 for the
public. Lesson at 7:30, live music by Chris Barnes &
Kris Johansson starts at 8 p.m. At the Center.
Tuesday, May 5.
Wallenberg Lecture Series Begins.
Friday, June 5.
Nordic Night at the Seattle Mariners.
Every Tuesday evening through June 9, UW speakers
will examine issues around immigrants into
Scandinavia. For schedule & topics, see
www.nordicmuseum.org. 7 p.m. Nordic Heritage
Museum, 3014 NW 67th, Seattle.
Mariners vs. Twins. Tickets are discounted from $20
to $11 for the Scandinavian community if you log
on to www.mariners.com/Nordic. 7:10 p.m.
Thursday, May 7.
Swedes in the Northwest.
Celebrate like the Swedes! We start with a Swedish
car show of Saabs and Volvos in our parking lot from
1 to 6 p.m. Kafé and bar open at 1. At 6, we’ll have a
program and dinner ($25). Buy your SwedeStakes
lottery tickets now and be the winner on June 6!
Come hear the “Swede of the Year” announcement.
Nordic Heritage Museum welcomes Lars
Nordström, author of Swedish Oregon, and Paul
Norlen, author of Swedish Seattle, at 7 p.m. for a
discussion and celebration of Swedish life in the
Saturday, June 6.
Swedish National Day.
may 2009