Lögberg-Heimskringla - 12.06.1975, Blaðsíða 2

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LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRIN'GLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 12- JÚNÍ 1975
BETEL FOUNDATION
Sixty Years of Service
Care of the elderly had
little claim on public re-
sponsibility 60 years ago.
Those who lived beyond the
productive . years without
means or family support, fac
ed a bleak old age- Many
were unable to eam more
than a hand-to-mouth exist-
ence during the active years
and the hard-fought battle
over pensions for the aged
had not yet begun.
A group of Icelandic wo-
men of the First Lutheran
Church in Winnipeg, who in
1915 opened the first Betel
Home in a modest house in
the city. were pioneers in
the field of caring for the
aged. It was a daring vent-
ure, since they had nowhere
to turn but the Icelandic
community for financial sup
port to suppliment their
slim resources. The response
was quick and generous for
the need was obvious. 40
years had passed since the
beginning of permanent Ice-
landic settlement in Canada
and many of the pioneers
faced their declining years
broken in health and desti-
tute- Some had pulled up
roots in the old country
when they were past their
prime with not enough ye-
ars left in life to eam the
wherewithal for even a mod
est nest egg.
Without an example to
follow, the people who est-
ablished this first Icelandic
home for the elderly were
guided only by their ideals-
They threaded their way ac-
cording to their means and
tried to keep up with a grow
ing need, which often exce-
eded their resources. The
main asset was growing pub
lic confidence and good will,
for the home existed entirly
on free contributions from
the Icelandic community
and the odd bequest. Old age
pensions had yet to be intro-
duced and many who sought
admittance were without
private means. But need was
the prime requisite, and
management’s chief concern
was whether an applicant
could be accomodated in the
crowded premises rather
thon his ability to bay.
When Lakeview hotel on the
Gimli waterfront was purch
ased and Betel moved there,
its entire operation was still
the sole responsibility of the
Icelandic community. Lead-
ing men and women handle
its affairs astutely and well
without support from gov-
emment agency for years to
come, and the home was staf
fed by dedicated people who
toiled ceaselessly without
quibbling when their work-
ing hours stretched far into
the night. Yet in those years
Betel became in many ways
a model for other homes of
its kind that have been estab
lished as the need arose-
The public attitude tow-
ard nursing homes and hom
es for the aged has changed
in recent years. These hom-
es now benefit from certain
govemment grants for build
ing and maintenance, al-
though a large proportion of
the cost of building and
maintaining the Betel Hom-
es is still based on free con-
AJOURNEY OF EXPLORATION TO
GUNNLOGSON PARK JUNE 15
What better use to make
of a summer Sunday than to
explore a beautiful park
which is of special eoologic-
al iníerests, particularly a
Sunday that falls close to
June 17th, a day that marks
an important milestone in
icelandic history?
These sentiments prompt-
ed Frón Chapter of the Ice-
landic National League in
Winnipeg to organize a picn-
ic to be held in Gunnlogson
Park near Cavilier, N. D., on
Sunday June 15th. The
Chapter “Báran” has alerted
the Icelandic community in
Cavilier of the friendly inv-
asion from Winnipeg, so this
may become a reunion of
friends-
Buses have been chartered
and will be loaded at the
First Lutheran Church at
9 00 a.m. The fare costs $6.00
per person and those wish-
ing to take part should get
in touch with Garðar Garð-
arsson, president og Frón, as
early as possible. His phone
at horne is 253-2495, busin-
ess phone: 247-5140- Box
lunches are in order, as this
is to be a joumey of explor-
ation and good fellowship in
a picnic atmosphere. Gunn-
logson Park is an Icelandic
pioneer’s legacy to the env-
ironment of a community to
which he gave a lifetime of
dedicated service. It is a
monument to a man of fore-
sight and good will. Canadi-
an’s of Icelandic origin nat-
urally share Cavilier’s pride
in it.
tributions from the Iceland-
ic community.
The Betel Foundation now
supports two larse homes in
Manitoba, one at Gimli, the
other in Selkirk. The Found-
ation’s board of directors is
marned entirely by people
of Icelandic origin; its ex-
ecutive director is Icelandic
and so are the matrons of
both homes, while people of
other ethnic origins now
share the accommodation.
The home at Gimli has
grown to great proportions
and was enlarged in 1973, at
a time when 70 applicants
were seeking admission. It
has comfortable, nicely fum
ished bedrooms, attractive
sitting rooms, and a beauti-
fully appointed reading
room with a good library.
The Betel Home at Selkirk
was built in 1965 and enlarg
ed in 1971. It is modern in
style, with roomy, well ap-
pointed bedrooms, a large
sitting room with rustic be-
ams and cosy colonial furni-
ture, a games room and
hobby roorn.
The Foundation’s execut-
ive director, Albert P. Johan
son, commutes daily betwe-
en the homes. It became
clear in interviews with him
and the two matrons, Miss
Sigríður Hjartarson and Mrs
Lauga Thompson, a couple
of years ago, that operation
of the two homes has grown
complex and extensive in
scope. Each home then em-
ployed one secretary and
one accountant. Both homes
have well equipped infirmar
ies and two registered nurs-
es with 18 trained nursing
assistants were included in a
staff of 50 serving the home
at Gimli. __
The Selkirk Home employ
ed a permanent staff of 50
and 20 part-time workers in
1973- The matron is a reg-
istered nurse and two other
nurses were on staff. There
is adequate staff on duty
night and day in both the
homes and their infirmaries.
In 1972 a mechanical dev-
ice was installed in the Sel-
kirk Home, after a news re-
port that an elderly woman
had wondered out of a nurs
ing home in Winnipeg and
died as a result. The minute
someone steps outside the
home during the night, this
electrical apparatus acticat-
es a bell system and alerts
the nursing staff.
It was purchased for the
proceeds of one of the “teas”
which are held annually in
both Homes and generously
supported by the public.
Hobbies and handicrafts
are part of the way of life in
the Betel Homes. Residents
receive instruction and some
funds are invested in materi-
als, but it’s a good investm-
ent, for the articles produc-
ed in the hobby rooms dur-
ing those hours of happy
comradeship sell well at the
annual teas. These affairs
are well attended, guests re-
spond to the friendly hospit-
ality with generous donati-
ons and are eager to purch-
ase the handicrafts and the
home baking supplied by
the women’s auxiliaries. Mr.
Johannson mentioned many
items purchased for the
—
Qlllg irflanMr Jíatinttal ÍCraöur
Oergantíríi lfllB Jnrnrpuratrö 1930
HlS EXCELLENCY
Dr. Kristján Elojárn.
PRCSIDINT or TNI REPUBLIC OP ICILANO.
HlS EXCELLENC Y TME RlGHT HONOURABLE
ROLANO MICHENER. C.C.. C .D..
GOVERNOR OINERAL OF CANADA.
DR. ÁSGEIR ÁSGEIRSSON.
June 6; 1975.
Lögberg Heimskringla Limited,
#512, 265 Portage Avenue,
WINNIPEG R3B 2B2.
Dear Friends:
Enclosed please find a cheque in
the amount of ONI THOUSAND DOLLARS which is the Icelandic National
League*s contribution to the publication of the LÖgberg-Heimskringla
for the current year.
It is abundantly clear to the member-
ship of the Icelandic National League that the continued publication
of the Lögberg-Heimskringla commands the number one position of the
list of priorities if the Icelandic heritage and culture is to be
preserved on this continent, and conversely, if the paper were allowed
to cease being published deterioration in our various organizations
and activities would inevitably set in. We deem it, therefore, incumb-
ent for all people with Icelandic blood in their veins to lend their
unrestricted support to ensure the continued publication of the paper,
and it our earnest hope that such will be the case.
The League expresses its gratitude to all
those that devote their time and effort in assuring us of retaining our
identity, and preserving our varied and highly respected heritage.
With all good <wTsTfcs and sinceréty,
Leo JoKa^nð^^^reasurer.