Lögberg-Heimskringla - 24.08.2001, Blaðsíða 5

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 24 ágúst 2001 • 5
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Canada
Commemoration ofRiverton?s 125th
Anniversary
Elva Jonasson
WlNNIPEG, MB
Saturday, August4th, 2001 was
a bright day, ideal for the out-
door ceremony to commemo-
rate the 125th anniversary of the set-
tlement of the Icelandic River colony
and pay tribute to those pioneers who
made significant and long lasting
contributions to the community.
A delegation from the Icelandic
Festival Committee included
President Harley Jónasson and his
wife Sharon, lst Vice President Tim
Arnason and his wife Del, Past
President Susie Erickson-Jakobson,
Hospitality Chair Kris Stefanson,
and Gimli Mayor Bill Barlow.
Included in the delegation were spe-
cial guests to this year’s Festival,
Senator Janis Johnson, Icelandic
Ambassador to Canada Hjálmar W.
Hannesson and his wife Anna
Birgis, Icelandic Consul General in
Manitoba Ambassador Eiður
Guðnason and his wife Eygló
Haraldsdóttir, Secretary to Iceland’s
Foreign Minister Atli Ásmundsson.
Honourary Consul General at Gimli
Neil Bardal, and Director General of
Icelandic Television Broadcasting
Markús Örn Antonsson. Sherry
Rozecki, president of the Riverton
Transportation and Heritage
Committee, and Margrét Lovísa
Bjomson Wishnowski, Fjallkona for
Islendingadagurinn 2001, and Mayor
Colin Bjamason represented Riverton.
Harley Jónasson guided the del-
egation on a brief tour of the monu-
ments featured in the Memorial
Park. After Harley had introduced
all the special guests, Mayor Colin
Bjarnason welcomed them on behalf
of the town of Riverton. Hjálmar W.
Hannesson, the first Ambassador to
Canada from Iceland, in his short
address, recognized the past achiev-
ers and achievements of those hon-
oured within the park and reflected
on the contribution many had made
to their community locally, in edu-
cation, politics, law, medicine, liter-
ature etc. throughout New Iceland,
Manitoba, Canada and abroad.
Icelandic Consul General in
Manitoba, Eiður Guðnason focused
on the future and also on the unique-
ness of Riverton, which he
expressed as a “cultural treasure”
with one indication of this the num-
ber of people of Riverton who can
still speak the Icelandic of 125 years
ago as purely as it was then. Margrét
Lovísa Bjornson Wishnowski,
Fjallkona for 2001, laid a wreath at
the Riverton Pioneer Caim.
The crowd was invited to
adjourn to the Icelandic River
Lodge for a complimentary lunch
sponsored by the Icelandic Festival
and prepared by Babrara Halyk and
her committee. Those present
enjoyed the opportunity to visit over
coffee and lunch.
Bardarson and Nordal Reunion
Donor Recognition Wall Unveiled
at the Waterfront Centre
On August 4th, 2001 at 2:30 pm at the Waterfront Centre in Gimli, the
Donor Recognition Wall was unveiled. Over $1.3 million has been
raised. Without these generous contributions, the vision to preserve the
Icelandic culture, heritage and histories, would not have been a success.
Following the unveiling, there was a Book of Life Campaign presenta-
tion. A donation of $250.00 to the Betel Waterfront Centre Campaign qual-
ified the donor to have a family history included in the Book of Life, a dig-
ital history “book.” For the forty-two families whose stories are currently
on line, it is a moving tribute to their ancestors to have their lives recorded
in this way.
If donors have not yet submitted their family’s information for the Book
of Life, please submit it by August 31, 2001. If you were not a donor to the
Waterfront Centre, your family can be included in the Book of Life for a
suggested donation of $250.00. Call them at (204) 642-9868 for further
information. Or e-mail to: bookoflife@mb.sympatico.ca. To read the sto-
ries already in the Book of Life, see their website at www.bookoflifeon-
i line.com.
The Embassy Home Page
The Icelandic Embassy website now up and running. The address is
www.iceland.org/ca. This page contains links to many sites of interest.
Harold Leo (Halli) Johnson
Seattle, WA
The Bardarson and Nordal fami-
lies held a reunion at Pincher
Creek, AB over the long week-end
in August. This is the introduction
prepared for the reunion.
Dear Bardarson and Nordal
Families,
I’m writing this as an introduc-
tion, which is about our ancestries.
We are well descended, and the
glory belongs to our ancestors.
Without knowing it, we have been a
part of rituals of generations. As the
seasons pass, I’m reminded, of
being part of Icelandic rituals, of the
season’s, which goes back to our
past generations. So let us all, take
part in this special occasion , as it is
the first time, to get the younger peo-
ple involved and for the last time for
some of us older people.
The members of the Bardarson
and Nordal, families should take
some-time to look into, the history ;
of their Ancestors. If you haven’t
ever done some research, you’ll find
out how interesting it is. Someone in
your family may have done the
research, and let you have a copy.
Did you ever hear that song I’m my
own grandpa? well this might sound
funny, but you might have relatives
you’ve never heard of.
Your Cousin,
Harold Leo Johnson
My mother was Inga Bardarson.
New Honorary Consuls Named
The Embassy has appointed two new Honorary Consuls of Iceland. In
Montreal, David Franklin can be reached at frnklaw@cam.org and in St.
John’s, John Jay who can be reached at jej@wob.nf.ca.
984 Portage Avenue, at Aubrey Street —
A Complete,
C o n t e m p o r a r y
Funeral Facility
WHen tfíe dardest decisions neecC
Ph: (204) 949-2200 to Be made...
Fax:(204) 783-5916
www.nbardal.mb.ca
_______________________ Scrving Winnipcg & Rural Manitoba
<m w unn* rih* mi wwm nri h r*m*rNtirnitm á* nm i nn wwHHh