Lögberg-Heimskringla - 28.01.2005, Blaðsíða 5

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 28. janúar 2005 • 5
PHOTO: STEINPÓR GU0BJARTSSON
The west coast of North America has attracted many people of Icelandic descent, and many of them live in the greater Vancouver area.
Steinþór Guðbjartsson
Vancouver, BC
The Icelandic Canadian
Club of British Columbia (ICC
of BC) is the largest Icelandic
club in North America, with a
membership of about 500. “We
come from all walks of life,.
and being an active member
has not only been a lot of fun,
this has become my extended
family,” says Irene Finnson,
president of the club.
Irene Finnson has been an
active member of the ICC of
BC for about 20 years. She was
president of the club in 1989
-1991 and has been president
since last September.
She is from Víðir, Mani-
toba, daughter of late Brandur
and Lóa Finnson, and moved
with her two-year-old daugh-
ter Stefanie to BC in 1971,
who is now married and has
two children. Irene also has a
son, Daniel, who is 19 years
old and is collecting money
to be able to participate in the
Snorri Program, according
to Irene. “Up to about 1985 I
had always worked full-time
and I had been busy with all
kinds of things. After my son
was born, I was at home and I
found myself to be somewhat
isolated. When the invitation
came to come on the board, I
was happy to do so and there
I met a lot of very interesting
people.”
The club provides all kinds
of activities for the members.
The umbrella is the newslet-
ter that is published 10 times a
year. “It keeps our community
in touch,” Irene says. “There
is a social aspect to the club
and although I’m back to the
workforce full-time, I’m not
going to give up my affiliation
with the club.” She works for
the BC government informa-
tion service.
When she lived in Mani-
toba, Irene was very much in-
volved in the Esjan Chapter of
the INL in Arborg. “Living in
Víðir, you have to be involved
because it is all around you,”
she says, referring to the Ca-
nadian Icelandic society in the
area. “When we were children
we were part of Johannes Pals-
son’s choir. He had two very
large children’s choirs. I was
in the little kids’ choir and so
was my younger sister. My
older sister was in the older
kids’ choir. We rehearsed for
months at the Geysir Hall for
the big concert heíd at the con-
vention at the Royal Alexan-
der Hotel in Winnipeg. It was
the highlight of everybody’s
year. My sisters and I used to
sing a lot and my dad would
accompany us with his gui-
tar. The atmosphere was very
Icelandic. I still understand
Icelandic but I have problems
PHOTO: STEINÞÓR GUÐBJARTSSON
Irene Finnson has been an active member of the ICC of BC for about 20 years. She was
president of the club in 1989 - 1991 and has been president since last September.
speaking it.”
According to Irene, it is
much more difficult being of
Icelandic descent in BC than
in Manitoba. “Because of the
sheer numbers of people of
Icelandic descent in Manito-
ba, you hear about everything;
but unless you are a member
of the ICC of BC, you are un-
likely to be aware of the cul-
tural activities within the com-
munity in Vancouver. We try
to promote the local artists,
musicians and so on. We have
hosted art exhibits in Iceland
House and we have supported
singers putting on concerts.
We have a þorrablót every
year and a very successful
children’s Christmas Party. In
July we have a picnic that is
probably the longest standing
activity of the club. It is a joint
venture with the Icelandic
community in Blaine in the
US. We have an Icelandic In-
dependence Day get-together
and when we have groups vis-
iting us from Iceland we host
an evening at Iceland House,
and find somebody to go along
with them on a guided tour
around the greater Vancouver
area. Óli Leifsson has shown
slide shows from Iceland and
given presentations on several
occasions. He is our best am-
bassador, and he and Ásthil-
dur Gunnarsson have been the
Icelandic-Canadian welcome
wagon for years. We try to get
in touch with all Icelandic stu-
dents studying in BC. In short,
we try to draw thg, community
together.”
Irene says that they get
about 130 people attending
the þorrablót, about 70 to 90
children up to age 12 come to
the Christmas Party and the
summer picnic draws about
150 people. “For other events
it varies a lot,” she says.
The club keeps the
family together
Visit us on the web at http://www.lh-inc.ca