Lögberg-Heimskringla - 14.07.2006, Side 3

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Elva Simundsson
This June, three graduates of the senior schools in Evergreen School Divi-
sion in Manitoba were the first
scholarship beneficiaries of an
amazing legacy left by a very
shy and private lady. A graduate
in each of the three schools in
the division, Arborg, Riverton
and Gimli, was the recipient of a
$1,000 scholarship awarded by
the Canada-Iceland Foundation
in name of the Margrét Bjarna-
son Memorial Scholarship.
Margrét Bjarnason and her
twin brother Björn were born
in 1902 and were raised on the
family homestead, Bjarkaland
in the community of Geysir,
in the heart of the New Iceland
settlement area of Manitoba.
Margrét had only four or five
years of schooling.
She was 13 years old when
her mother died and she had to
quit school to take over manag-
ing the household for her father
and brother. Neither she nor
her twin brother ever married,
but continued to live together
on their farm for 60 years.
When they sold their farm, they
moved to a small house in Ar-
borg. In 1970, when her brother
died, Magga, as she was known
to her friends and neighbours,
moved to the Betel Home in
Gimli. She died there at the age
of 97.
Margrét’s will stipulated
that her estate was to go to
funding scholarships in the Ev-
ergreen School Division. The
Canada-Iceland Foundation is
charged with administering the
scholarship endowment. The
Foundation solicited the assis-
tance of the school administra-
tors in each of the three senior
schools to choose a worthy high
school graduate who is plan-
ning to pursue post-secondary
education. All residual annual
growth of the endowment will
be allocated to scholarships for
students already attending a
college, technical or university
program. The Foundation will
be adding two $500 scholar-
ships in Margrét’s memory to
its current list of awards for
the fall of 2006. These awards
will go to worthy students who
specifically meet the criteria of
having been Evergreen School
Division grads.
Canada-Iceland Foundation
board member Elva Simunds-
son presented the scholarship
awards to the recipients of the
Margrét Bjarnason Memorial
Scholarship at the graduation
ceremonies of each of the three
schools in Arborg, Riverton and
Gimli, MB.
Jamie Thomsen, daughter of
Dwayne and Laurie Thomsen
of Hecla Island, was the recipi-
ent of the award at the Riverton
Collegiate.
In Gimli, Angela Sylvester,
daughter of Randy and Cindy
(Bjornson) Sylvester was the
receipent.
The recipient in Arborg was
Sally Fridfinnson, daughter of
Roger and Darlene (Hjorleif-
son) Fridfinnson. Fittingly, Sal-
ly is from Geysir, just a short
distance from where Margrét
lived for so much of her life.
The three young women
are all planning post-second-
ary education towards careers
in Library Technology, Educa-
tion and Dental Technology, re-
spectively. The Canada-Iceland
Foundation is pleased to hon-
our Margrét Bjarnason’s mem-
ory with scholarship awards to
these worthy graduates.
Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 14. júlí 2006 • 3
We invite students to apply for the following scholarships which are offered, or administered,
by the Canada Iceland Foundation. Priority may be given to first time applicants.
SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED
CANADA ICELAND FOUNDATION INC.
Information and applications are available electronically by request at CanadaIceland@netscape.net
(for application requests only), or in hard copy from Lögberg-Heimskringla.
The completed applications are forwarded to:
Canada Iceland Foundation Inc., Box 27012, C-360 Main Street, Winnipeg, MB R3C 4T3
All applications must be received by Friday, 29 September, 2006
The Heidmar Björnson Memorial Scholarship
In the amount of $500, will be given annually to the student
obtaining the highest academic standing in Icelandic Studies
in his/her final year at the University of Manitoba. The award
will be made by the Department Head.
The Margaret Breckman Mack Scolarship Award
In the amount of $500, will be given anually to a needy
student of good scholastic ability who is enrolled in the
University of Manitoba bachelor of Science Nursing Degree
Program.
The Canada Iceland Foundation Scholarship
One scholarship of $500, to be awarded annually. Award to be
determined by academic standing and leadership qualities.
To be offered to a university student studying towards a
degree in any Canadian university.
Einar Páll & Ingibjörg Jónsson Memorial Scholarship
One scholarship of $500, to be awarded annually. Award
to be determined by academic standing and leadership
qualities. To be offered to a high school graduate proceeding
to a Canadian university or the University of Iceland.
Emilia Pálmason Student Aid Award
Two awards of $500 each, to be given annually. The
recipients must be of good moral character, college calibre
and primarily in need of help to continue their studies in
high school, college, or at the university level. The donors
hope that “somewhere along the highway of life” the award
winners will try to provide comparable help to another needy
student.
The Gunnar Simundsson Memorial Scholarship
One scholarship of $500, to be awarded annually. This
annual scholarship will be awarded to a student in university
or proceeding into a university in Canada or the United
States. The recipient must demonstrate financial need and
high scholastic ability.
Thorvaldson Scholarship
One scholarship of $500, to be awarded annually. This
annual scholarship will be awarded to a student in university
or proceeding into a university in Canada or the United
States. The recipient must demonstrate financial need and
high scholastic ability.
John Jónas Gillis Memorial Scholarship
The late Ingunn Gillis made a gift to the Canada Iceland
Foundation to set up a scholarship in memory of her son.
A scholarship of $500 will be awarded.
Arnold W. Holm Scholarship
One scholarship of $500, to be awarded annually. This
scholarship is to be awarded to a student demonstrating
financial need and who qualifies to proceed to university
education and a degree.
The Kristin Stefanson Memorial Scholarship
One scholarship of $500 to be awarded to a student who is
registered or will be registering to take a course offered by
The Department of Icelandic at the University of Manitoba.
Preference may be given to students who have not previously
taken a course offered by that Department.
The Lorna and Terry Tergesen Scholarship
One scholarship of $500 to be awarded to a student entering
the second or a later year of study of architecture, fine arts,
design or graphic design, music, dance or voice.
The Walter and Beulah Arason Scholarship
One scholarship of $500 to be awarded annually to a student
of good academic standing entering the University of Alberta
or continuing their education there.
The Margaret Bjarnason Scholarships
Scholarships of $500 each for students pursuing a post
secondary education, who graduated from a high school in
Evergreen School Division in Manitoba and who demonstrate
scholastic ability.
WINNIPEG, MB — A
mural honouring the Win-
nipeg Falcons hockey team,
which was composed largely
of players of Icelandic descent,
has won the Mural of the Year
Award.
At a special reception at
Lions Place, across Portage
Avenue from the mural itself,
the painting and its inspiration
were honoured.
Dan Johnson, Chair of the
Falcons Forever Committee,
spoke of the accomplishments
of the team, and introduced the
five direct descendants of its
players present. A total of 18
descendants attended the cer-
emony, of approximately 40
people in all. Bob Buchanan,
coordinator of www.themurals-
ofwinnipeg.com, was Master
of Ceremonies.
Awards were presented to
Sharon Drozda, manager of the
Foster’s Shoes store which the
mural was painted on; Trudy
Turner, Executive Director of
the West End BIZ Mural Pro-
gram, and to artists Michele
Saint Hilare and Mandy van
Leeuwen.
PHOTO: DAVID JÓN FULLER
The Winnipeg Falcons mural on the west side of Foster’s Shoes on Portage Avenue.
Falcons mural takes top prize
First Margrét Bjarnason
Memorial Scholarships awarded
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELVA SIMUNDSSON
Margrét Bjarnason
Angela Sylvester, with her
parents Randy and Cindy
(Bjornson) Sylvester.