Lögberg - 20.03.1958, Side 5

LÖGBERG, FIMMTUDAGINN 20. MARZ 1958
5
AlilJGAMAL
LVENNA
Ritstjóri: INGIBJÖRG JÓNSSON
Mrs. J. B. Skaptason hylt
Á föstudagskveidið hélt Jón
Sigurdson félagið I. O- D. E.
veizlu í Moores veitinga-
húsinu hér í borg til heið-
urs Mrs. J. B. Skaptason, sem
um þær mundir átti áttræðis-
afmæli; félagið sjálft átti og
42 ára afmæli, en Mrs. Skapta-
son var stofnandi þess og for-
seti í 17 ár. Annað tilefni
þessa vinafundar var, að Mrs.
Skaptason hefir ákveðið að
heimsækja ættjörðina, ísland,
á komandi sumri og leggur af
stað í júní.
Það var glaðvær hópur, yfir
30 konur, er komu saman í
Mikado-salnum og settust að
borðum, er skreytt voru vor-
blómum og íslenzka fánanum.
Forseti félagsins, Mrs. Eric A.
ísfeld, hafði veizlustjórn með
höndum; Mrs. O. Stephensen
flutti borðbæn. Að lokinni
máltíð bauð forseti Mrs. Eric
Willis, Municipal Regent I. O.
D. E., að taka til máls og flutti
hún heiðursgestinum kveðju
frá því félagi. Þá las Mrs. ís-
feld hlýjar kveðjur til heið-
ursgestsins frá forsætisráð-
herra Manitoba, Douglas L-
Campbell; forseta Þjóðræknis-
félagsins, Dr. Richard Beck;
ennfremur frá félagskonum,
er ekki gátu verið viðstaddar.
Mrs. B. S. Benson, er var for-
seti félagsins um tíu ára skeið,
mælti fyrir minni Mrs.
Skaptason og afhenti henni að
gjöf fyrir hönd félagsins
fallega perlum skreytta sam-
kvæmisbuddu. Ávarp hennar
birtist á þessari síðu.
Þessar konur ávörpuðu
heiðursgestinn nokkrum orð-
um, þökkuðu henni mikilvægt
starf í þágu félagsins og per-
sónulegan vinskap, árnuðu
henni til hamingju með af-
mælið og ánægjulegrar heim-
sóknar til ættjarðarinnar: —
Mrs. O. Stephensen; Mrs.
Bertha Nichols; Mrs. P. M.
Pétursson; Mrs. J. Nordal;
Mrs. Thordís Jónsson og Mrs.
E. P. Jónsson.
Dóttir heiðursgestsins, Mrs-
Wilson, lét þess getið að fjöl-
skyldan væri að efna til mót-
töku fyrir móður hennar í
University Women’s Club á
laugardaginn og bauð hún öll-
um vinum hennar að sækja
þann vina fagnað. Að lokum
tók Mrs. Skaptason til máls og
þakkaði með hlýjum við-
kvæmum orðum þann heiður
og þann vináttuhug, er henni
hefði verið auðsýndur.
----0----
Madam Regent,
Guest of Honor,
Mrs. Willis, Guests and
members of the Jon Sigurds-
son Chapter I.O.D.E.
Happy Birthdáy and the
best of good wishes to Mrs.
Skaptason on her 80th Birth-
day-
Looking back over the years
of Mrs. Skaptason’s partici-
pation in many phases of our
activities I find that time
allows but a few moments to
cover the 42 years of the Jon
Sigurdsson Chapter organiza-
tion ond projects . . . Why are
we always in such a hurry?
Well, we are- and therefore
must live and act accordingly.
Mrs. Skaptason was a mem-
ber of the William E. Glad-
stone Chapter I.O.D.E. in 1916.
Our country was at war, our
boys, men and women were
enlisting by the hundreds,
leaving homes and loved ones
lonely and disillusioned. More
workers were needed at
home . . . Why were our
women standing idly by? Mrs.
Skaptason called together a
group of women and set be-
fore them the aims and ob-
jects of the Imperial Order
Daughters of the Empire. This
meeting touched off a flame
of enthusiasm that is still
burning.
On March 20, 1916 a chapter
was organized, the name was
“Jon Sigurdson” for Iceland’s
national hero and the Motto
“United we stand.” Mrs. Colin
H- Campbell Provincial Pres-
ident was a kind God-Mother
to the new chapter for many
years. At the first meeting of
the new Chapter Mrs. J. B.
Skaptason was elected Regent,
this office she held for seven-
teen years at different times.
I quote from the records, as
the first Regent accepted this
office: “It does not matter at
all who takes the chair, the
important thing is that we
work together as one, patient-
ly doing our best to lift the
load cast over our land and
people by this terrible war.”
Those.of us who have wor-
ked in the Jon Sigurdson
Chapter under the guidance
and influence of Mrs. Skapta-
son will agree with me when
I say that it has been a splen-
did fellowship where kindness
and good will predominated.
Mrs. Skaptason had the
happy faculty of inspiring her
chapter to do what ever the
occasion demanded. Often the
task in question seemed be-
yond the power of this small
group of women . . . needless
to say, we did justify her con-
fidence in us.
The largest and most am-
bitious task was the publica-
tion of the Memorial Book,
wherein 1300 photos of en-
listed men and women were
printed with short write-up
and obituaries for the fallen.
The book sold for $10.00 a
copy. A copy was sent to the
leading Universities of Eng-
land, United States and
Canada, and a copy to Lord
Tweedsmuir Governor Cen-
eral of Canada for his inter-est
in Icelandic Language and
Literature.
The Icelandic armed forces
in Winnipeg were guests of
the Chapter at all our enter-
tainments and at the close of
the war a Banquet and Dance
was given in their honor, as-
sisted by the Icelandic Canad-
ian Club. A dozen roses were
sent to each of the mothers of
fallen service men at the time
of the Banquet.
The Falcon Hockey Team of
Winnipeg World-Champions
after their victory at Ant-
werp were entertained. —
This was an all Icelandic
Team with the exception of
one man-
The Chapter kept in touch
with the Icelandic men over-
seas, those in hospitals and
prisoners of war. Letters and
parcels of various kinds were
sent overseas, and their fam-
ilies visited.
The War came to an end.
Our I.O.D.E. is still working
in spite of the illusion in the
minds of some that this or-
ganization is just for War-
time. Time goes on. We pray
with fervent hearts “Give to
each of us grace to serve Thee
faithfully and to labor loyally
for the welfare of our coun-
try.”
I may be pardoned for im-
posing the Jon Sigurdson
Chapter so often in this greet-
ing. My only excuse for so
doing is that the chapter
means so much to Mrs. Skapta
son and the work of the
Chapter has filled many years
of her life.
It is my pleasure to present
to you, Mrs. Skaptason, this
little gift from your friends
here present and others absent
with the wish that ýou may
have an enjoyable trip to Ice-
land and that you may come
back to us with renewed vigor
and lots of news of friends
and events. —Flora Benson
KAUPIÐ og LESIÐ
—LÖGBERG

LÆGSTU FLUGGJÖLD TIL
ÍSLANDS
• Á einni nóttu til Keykjavíkur.
RúmgóSir og þægilegir farþega-
klefar, 6 flugliSar, eem þjálfaSir
hafa verið í Bandaríkjunum, bjóSa
ySur velkomin um borS.
• Fastar áætlunarflugferSir. Tvær
ágætar máltiSir, koníak, náttverSur,
W. J. (BILL) WOOD
• Encreased trade with ALL countries.
• Extended unemployment insurance due to loss of
work through illness.
• Family allowance extended to 18 years if still
studying.
• Abolishment of excise tax on cars—a reduction of at
least $125.00.
• Education loans, scholarships and bursaries to help
university students.
VOTE
WOOD | X
By Authority Selkirk, Liberal Association
Fr& hægri tll vinstri: Mrs. Erlc A. lsfelcl, Mrs. FJ'ic Willis, Mrs. B. S. Benson og- Mrs. J. B. Skaptuson.