Välkommen DISTRICT LODGE PENNSYLVANIA No. 9 VASA ORDER OF AMERICA A Swedish-American Fraternal Organization Photo: N Yuhas | Click the figure below to log in and access your account |
Hälsningar!
Welcome to the website of Pennsylvania District #9 of the Vasa Order of America!
We are excited to have a real presence on the World Wide Web. District Lodge Pennsylvania #9 was established in 1908 to form a regional umbrella for local lodges in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Most of our activities are conducted through our local lodges Nobel-Monitor #130 in Cleveland, OH, Drott #168 in Potomac, MD, and Svea #296 in Erie, PA. Like many other fraternal and ethnic organizations in the United States, we have seen our membership decline in recent decades and several local lodges disappear. But the Executive Board of the District is determined to turn things around. Re-launching our websites at the District, as well as, each of the local lodges is a first step in that effort. While most of our current members are 2nd or 3rd generation Swedish-Americans, we are aware that there are many Swedes who have arrived in our area more recently, along with many others, who share our interest in preserving and celebrating our Swedish cultural heritage. We are planning in the coming months and years to expand our activities both at the local lodge level and through collaboration across the District. We invite you to join us in that effort! Please check out our websites to see how our plans unfold.
Bo Carlsson
District Master
Pennsylvania District #9
In addition to our website, we also have a District #9 Newsletter. We will send it out regularly, approximately 4 times per year. For current information about each of the Lodges go to their websites:
www.svea-erielodge.org
www.nobelmonitorlodge.wildapricot.org
Check out the News Tab. In the section for District Newsletters, read Spring 1992 Distrikt Tidningen!
Make sure that you sign-up for the Newsletter! Click here: Sign-up Today For Our District No. 9 Newsletter!
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A trip of a lifetime - El Camino de Santiago
Some say James’ disciples shipped his body to the Iberian Peninsula for burial, but it was shipwrecked and washed ashore covered in scallops. Others say an angel brought his body back and a groom saying his vows on the beach ended up covered in scallops after his horse spooked and dragged him into the water and they miraculously resurfaced. Either way scallops are a symbol for pilgrims along the Way. The road years ago was dangerous, for pilgrims and those punished to walk it alike, but today it is a way of pilgrimage, tourism, tradition, and a physical challenge. (Excerpted from The Catholic Link) Our very own Arne and Eva Dunhem from Drott Lodge #168 took on this monumental task. Here are some 'footnotes' from their 350 mile adventure:
We had brought four small rocks with us from our granddaughters, daughter-in-law and from our condo building in Ashburn. We read two different recommended prayers and climbed up to the top of the pile of rocks that had been left by people over hundreds of years. We carefully place our rocks and took photos and a video. Very emotional. Yesterday Monday around 1 pm we finally reached our goal for our Camino de Santiago - The Cathedral, Praza do Obradoiro, Santiago de Compostela. It has been a real struggle, a lot of hard work, hiking uphill and downhill and sometimes level, day after day. We have hiked through corn and wheat fields, vegetable fields, cow, horse, goat and sheep areas, through many hamlets, villages, towns and cities. But we never thought about giving up. It was just a great new experience. Arne wanted to just lie down on the Praza, like the younger ones did, but Eva, who is the smartest one, said Arne could not get up again if he did…
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OTHER INTERESTING EVENTS IN THE OHIO/PENNSYLVANIA/MARYLAND/DC AREAS
Jamestown, NY - Scandinavian Cultural Days at Jamestown Community College are held the first Saturday of the month from October through May.
Luray, Virginia - Luray Caverns - The cavern system is adorned with speleothems such as columns, mud flows, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and mirrored pools. The caverns are perhaps best known for the Great Stalacpipe Organ, a lithophone made from solenoid-fired strikers that tap stalactites of various sizes to produce tones similar to those of xylophones, tuning forks, or bells. (Wikipedia).
Cleveland, Ohio - The Henry Ford - You might want to visit the Factory Tour and the Museum of American Innovation at The Henry Ford complex.
Not a member yet?Active communication is very important to grow our three Lodges and make a difference. If you have not signed-up yet, here is your chance to become a member in one of our Lodges: Nobel-Monitor, Svea, or Drott. Click and Sign-up below |