Lögberg-Heimskringla - 30.05.2003, Page 3

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur, 30 Maí 2003 • page 3
FRÉTTIR • NEWS
Icelandic Students tö Visit
A group studying the history of Western Icelanders wiil visit
the United States and Canada June 13th to 25th.
For the second year run-
ning, Jónas Þór, former
editor of the L-H and.author of
lcelanders in North America
(2002), will bring his students
of Western Icelandic history to
visit some of the settlement
sites. The group leaves
Iceland on June 13th and
leaves from Minneapolis for
home on June 25th.
This year’s participants are:
From Reykjavík, Ríkey
Reinharðsdóttir, Helga
Reinhardsdóttir, Benedikt
Benediktsson, Bryndís G.
Róbertsdóttir, Díana Arthúrs-
dóttir, Jóhannes Siggeirsson,
Lilja Pálsdóttir, Magnús
Steingrímsson, Margrét
Sæmundsdóttir, Ragnheiður
Héðinsdóttir, Einar Þór
Þorsteinsson, Sigríður Zó-
phaníasdóttir, Guðmundur
Egilsson.
From Kópavogur are
Jóhanna Guðjónsdóttir, Guð-
mundur Jónatansson and Sig-
ríður Guðmundsdóttir. Ingileif
Ólafsdóttir Bárðadal is coming
frorn S. Þingeyjarsýsla,
Sigrún A. Höskuldsdóttir from
Akureyri, Ingibjörg Sigurðar-
dóttir from Garðabæ and Kent
Björnsson, from Fraserwood,
MB. He is currently working
in Iceland.
The itinerary for the June
tour is as follows:
Day 1. From Minneapolis
through Shawano in
Wisconsin to Green Bay.
Explore sites in and around
Shawano County.
Day 2. Visit Washington
Island, the oldest Icelandic
community in North America,
and back to Green Bay in the
evening.
Day 3. Green Bay to Duluth.
Day 4. Westward to Grand
Forks, ND.
Day 5. Visit Icelandic commu-
nities in North Dakota and
then to Winnipeg in the
evening. Stay at Quality Inn on
Pembina Highway the next
four nights (June 18th-22nd).
Day 6. (Thursday, June 19th)
Tour of Winnipeg. Frón
reception at Scandinavian
Centre 17:00-19:00.
Day 7. Visit New Iceland.
Day 8. Free Day in Winnipeg.
Day 9. From Winnipeg to
Montevideo in Minnesota.
Day 10. Visit Icelandic com-
munities in southwestern
Minnesota, and to Minneapolis
in the evening.
Day 11. Free Day in
Minneapolis.
Day 12. Fly home to Iceland in
the evening.
The visitors from Iceland
will be happy to hear from any
of you who might wish to meet
with them on one of their stops
on the way.
This Year’s Snorri Group
The Snorri participants for 2003 have been select-
ed, and the group this year differs somewhat from
previous years.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ÁSTA SÓL KRISTJÁNSDÓTTIR
Ásta Sól Kristjánsdóttir (left) with Dwight Jonsson of
Kirkland, WA (centre) and his father Jon Marvin Jonsson,
Honorary Consul for Seattle
There are more young men
and rnore Americans head-
ing for a six-week educational
and fun tour of Iceland this
year. Ásta Sól Kristjánsdóttir
says, “This is the first time we
have almost as many from the
US and we’ve never had so
many boys. It will be an inter-
esting summer.”
Some of this year’s partic-
ipants have connections to
young people who are Snorri
grads. They are Aaron Willis
from Toronto, ON. He is
brother to Gaia Grace Willis-
Owen, 2001 participant.
Andrew Hjalmarson Evans of
Costa Mesa, CA is Erica
Evans’ cousin. She was in the
2002 group. Dwight Jonsson
of Kirkland, WA is brother to
Andrew Jonsson, who partici-
pated in 2002. Sarah Arnason
of Charlottesville, VA is cousin
to Carley Sawers who was in
the 2000 group.
Others who will be travel-
ling to Iceland this summer are
Crystal Salmonson, Auburn,
CA, Benjamin Henry, Victoria,
BC, Danielle Laxdal and
Dawn Dowhayko both of
Winnipeg, MB, Erin Johnson,
Los Gatos, CA, Heather Alison
Crozier, St. Albert, AB,
Jennifer Holand, Fargo, ND,
Kristin Grisdale, Okotoks, AB,
Kristin Hillman, Grand Forks,
ND, Kristjan Adam Heimir
Boe, St. Albert, AB and
Michael Sproule, Winnipeg,
MB. Michael is the son of
Sigrid Johnson, Past President
of the Icelandic National
League of North America.
So, six boys and nine
girls, seven from the United
States and eight from Canada
will be studying, working,
travelling, singing, laughing,
crying, hiking, boating and all
those activities that Erica
Evans and Laurie Schwartz
talked about at the INL/NA
Convention in Edmonton this
year.
Góða ferð!
SKOÐANIR • VlEWPOINT
Underlying Currents - sometimes
known as “backroom politics”
Iwas unable to be in
Edmonton, but I have
heard some wonderful
reports of the recent INL/NA
Convention there. The
organization was second to
none - well planned, well
presented and affordable.
Hearty congratulations to all
those involved.
I have also heaid some
negative comments. I sup-
pose that is good for the
argumentative Icelandic con-
stitution in all of us. If we
need a subject for some intel-
ligent and lively controversy
going in our Lögberg-
Heimskringla paper, this may
be the one! However, the
comments remain negative.
The comments? Nomin-
ating from the floor to
replace one of the Officers of
the INL/NA. Surely there
must be some explanation
offered there. Surprise norni-
nation? You betcha!
Nominations from the
floor are completely within
the guidelines of the
INL/NA constitution.
However, I see it as one
nomination íjom the floor
aimed at the only non-
Manitoba member of the
INL/NA Officers? — and
running a Manitoban against
the Albeida candidate who
has served faithfully since
his election? The nomina-
tion, by two of our American
co-parts? Are they not hap-
py with the present organiza-
tional structure? Was it a
case of showing some
prowess at the AGM?
These issues should be dealt
with at the INL/NA
Presidents’ meetings - and
prior regular meetings to
realize the cost of repercus-
sions that may occur. And,
when they do occur, some
courtesy and explanation of
the actions to the general
membership of the INL/NA
should be included.
Skammist ykkar - to
think that one who has
worked so hard, and attend-
ed more meetings than some
of the Manitoba Directors on
the Board would be called on
a nomination-from-the-floor
vote against him. Walter
Sopher deserves better than
that. The proof was in the
‘pudding' when the ballots
were counted.
As well, I am embar-
rassed for Brian Gudmund-
son to have been placed in
the position of being nomi-
nated as lst Vice. It would
be good for Brian to v/ork
with the grass roots member-
ship before taking on such a
huge responsibility. I wili be
the first to agree that Brian is
capable and could well be
one of the future Presidents
of INL/NA. I prefer that he
earn it - the way most of us
have done.
Checking further, I have
discovered that Walter,
standing alone, is a very
popular supporter of all
things connected with
lcelandic Heritage, Image
and Pride - he has given
150% of himself to the
cause. There should be no
further discussion or judg-
ment of his actions - but
rather, we all need to take a
stand.to comntend him for
all his work.
Evelyn K. Thorvaldson
INL/NA Past President
ÍNL/NA Goðar Council
WlNNtPEG, MB
............. .... V
The Iceland Tourist Board
www.lcelandTouristBoard.com
Visit our website to find out more about Iceland
r
Visit us on the web at http://www.logberg.com