Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.01.2007, Page 5

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David Jón Fuller
Americans of Icelandic descent have shown strong support for the
Lögberg-Heimskringla Future
Fund Capital Campaign, an
initiative intended to provide
for both the short- and long-
term financial stability of the
Icelandic newspaper.
Although covering news
from Icelandic communities
in the United States as early as
the first issues of Heimskring-
la and Lögberg in the 1880s,
Lögberg-Heimskringla did not
have an official presence in the
US.
Over the years, Lögberg-
Heimskringla’s American
subscribers and advertisers
have supported the newspaper.
However, an obstacle to those
who wished to donate to L-H,
a registered charity in Canada,
was that the newspaper did
not have the same status in the
United States.
This changed in 2006,
when approval was granted for
the new sister entity L-H USA
Inc. to have 501 (C) (3) status
from the US Internal Revenue
Service, making any contribu-
tions from US citizens tax de-
ductible.
It was accomplished
through work by the Chair of
the Board of Lögberg-Heim-
skringla Grant Stefanson, a
Winnipeg lawyer, in coopera-
tion with Curtis Olafson of Ed-
inburg, ND, a farmer and North
Dakota State Senator. Curtis is
President of the
Icelandic Commu-
nities Association
of North Dakota
and also chairs L-H
USA Inc.
During the year
2006 much work
was done at events
in the United States
to raise awareness
of the newspaper.
Outreach efforts
continued to cover more of the
Icelandic communities in the
US, most recently with a spe-
cial issue on Seattle.
L-H Chair Grant Stefan-
son points out, “The Lögberg-
Heimskringla has undergone
a significant transformation
and rebirth over the last five
years. We have been able to
maintain our role as the hub
of Icelandic cultural activities
in North America, while mak-
ing significant improvements
to the infrastructure and im-
age of the newspaper. None of
this would have been possible
without the much-appreciated
contributions from our sub-
scribers and friends throughout
North America.
“The establishment of the
L-H USA Inc. has allowed
our American subscribers and
friends to make
donations which
benefit the L-H,
and receive a tax
receipt for their
gifts.”
Curtis Olafson
says response to
the newspaper and
the fundraising
campaign has been
good, and more
donations have
been coming in since it was
publicly promoted at the an-
nual Deuce of August Icelandic
Celebration in Mountain, ND.
Total donations to the Future
Fund Capital Campaign from
the United States can be seen
at right.
It is significant to note that
US subscribers comprise rough-
ly seven percent of all Lögberg-
Heimskringla subscribers, but
US donors comprise nine per-
cent of all donors to the Future
Fund Capital Campaign.
Campaign Chair Dr. Ken
Thorlakson is encouraged by
the efforts and support from
Americans of Icelandic de-
scent.
“Since one of Lögberg-
Heimskringla’s important goals
is to provide greater coverage
of the people, news and events
in Icelandic communities in
the US, I’m very pleased that
this edition of the newspaper is
highlighting the valuable sup-
port that Lögberg-Heimskringla
USA Inc. is providing in help-
ing us achieve this goal.”
Garry Oddleifson, Presi-
dent of the Icelandic National
League of North America, is
also enthusiastic. “As one of
many people committed to the
success of Lögberg-Heims-
kringla and its Future Fund
campaign my aim has been to
involve all INL of NA chapter
clubs in the L-H Future Fund
initiative,” he says.
He commends Curtis Olaf-
son, himself a former director
of the INL, on his work. “His
effort has been very thorough
and we are very pleased with
the results so far achieved,”
he says. “On behalf of the
INL of NA, I’d like to express
our gratitude to Curtis and to
the generous donors from the
United States.”
Lögberg-Heimskringla • 15. janúar 2007 • 5
An auspicious year for L-H USA
Thank you for your generous support
Builder
($10,000 – $24,999)
Stephan Benediktson
Sponsor ($2,500 – $9,999)
Eric and Wendy Sigurdson
Fred Bjornson
J.S. Skaptason
Supporter ($500 – $2,499)
Curtis L. Olafson
Emil J. Sigtryggsson
Magnus Gustafsson
Mary McKnight (Richard
Halldorson Family)
Stefan Antonsson
Sylvia G. Sanders, In
Honour of Kristin and
Olgeir Gunnlaugson
Friend (up to $499)
Dr. A.H. and Marjorie
Helgason
Carrie Heiser
Christina Hermann-El-
dridge
Einar Blakely
George Benjaminson
Gerald G. Arason
June Neetenbeek
Marina Vork
Marvel Williamson
Paul F. Halldorson
Richard Jon Arnason
Sue Rinaldi
T. D. Einarsson
Thora Dubois
Thorir S. Grondal (Lunar
Seas, Inc.)
Willard and Eleanor Biliske
US Donors
The following people and
groups have made donations
since our last listing in the De-
cember 15 issue.
Sponsor ($2,500 – $9,999)
Alda Sigvaldason
Supporter ($500 – $2,499)
Anonymous J
David and Gladys Gislason
Dr. Derek Thorlakson
Don and Julianna Sigvaldason
Karen Olson
Nelson Gerrard
Patricia Loewen
Victor Eyolfson
Oli and Marjorie Narfason
Thora Eyvindson
Friend (up to $499)
Eric Clemens
Garry Oddleifson
Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE
Kevin Johnson
Hulda Larson
Virginia Bergthorson
Heimskringla 120 Club ($120)
Gudbjorg E. Eshmade, In hon-
our of Hjaltfredur Margret
(Magnusson) Hislop
Susan Yost, In honour of Skafti
and Gertha Indridson
Agnes Cooke, In honour of Eric
and Stella Stephanson
Asa Fjeldsted
Audrey Juve Kwasnica, In hon-
our of A. James Juve
Bill & Kristine Perlmutter, In
honour of Borga and Bjarki
Jakobson
Blake Thorarinson
Bob & Helga Rennie, In hon-
our of Wilfred and Gerda
Finnson of Hnausa, MB
Bragi Simundsson
Bruce Johnson
David & Joyce Kidney, In hon-
our of Grimur Laxdal
David and Gladys Gislason
Don & Julianna Sigvaldason,
In honour of Sigmar and
Thorey Sigvaldason
Dr. H. F. Bjarnason, In honour
of T. Harold and Agustina
Bjarnason
Ellert Jonas Thorlakson, In hon-
our of Aldis Thorlakson
Fred D. Fjeldsted, In honour of
Dr. Fridrik Fjeldsted MD
Gail Sigvaldason, In honour
of Mrs. Kristin Elin (Lillo)
Johnson (nee Nordal) of
Arborg
Garry Oddleifson, In honour of
Jona Oddleifson and Leifi
Oddleifson
Gudrun (Vi) Hilton(Bjarnason),
In honour of Bjarni Sigur-
dur and Gudrun Gudlog
Bjarnason
Jack Benedict, In honour of
Kristian Asgeir Benedikts-
son
Jeff Samson, In honour of John
V. Samson
Jeff & Bobbi Kristjanson, In
honour of Olafur Kristjan-
son and Sena Kristjanson
Jennifer Johnson and Orest
Hewryk, In honour of Eyjol-
fur Johnson
Jim and Carol Henrikson, In
honour of Claire Henrikson
Joanne Olafson, In honour of
Joe and Nanna Olafson
Judy Robertson, In honour of
Laura and Ron Broome
(Isfeld)
June Gislason
Karen Bowman, In honour of
all the volunteers at the LH
office
Kjartan and Arminy Sveinsson
Kristjan and Leigh Sveinsson
Lara Morris, In honour of
Guðmundur and Halldóra
Bjarnason
Lilja Arnason, In honour of
John J. Arnason
Linda Thorlakson, In honour
of Gudrun (Benjaminson)
Sigurdson
Linda Johnson, In honour of
Thorey Stefania Johnson
and Dr. Eyjolfur Johnson
Margaret Tomasson, In honour
of Hlif and Helgi Thompson
Margret E. Samson, In honour
of John V. Samson
Margret G. Reykdal, In honour
of Paul and Fjola Johnson
Marilyn and Gordon Thorlak-
son, In honour of Geraldine
Thorlakson
Martin and Angela Anderson,
In honour of Josefina and
Wayne Anderson
Oscar and Ethel Einarson, In
honour of Gordon Helgi
Thorvaldson
Oscar and Ethel Einarson, In
honour of Gordon Helgi
Thorvaldson
Paula Fuller, In honour of Mrs.
Clara Henrikson and Dr.
Eyjolfur (Olie) and Thorey
Johnson
Perry and Connie Clark, In
honour of Disa and Dori
Eastman
Phyllis, Marina, Thor, Freya
and Alda Kristjanson, In
honour of Dr. A. Marino
Kristjanson
Ragnar Bergman, In honour of
Johannes Karl and Helen
Sesselja Bergman
Richard Baker, In honour of
Clara Henrikson
Robert Baker, In honour of
Clara Henrikson
Robert and Jeanine Christopher-
son, In honour of Donna
Skardal
Rod Danielson, In honour of
Magnus and Eleanor Dan-
ielson
Snjolaug M. Whiteway, In
honour of Jona Margaret
(Sigurdson) Whiteway
Stanley & Ada Snidal, In hon-
our of Heimir Thorgrimson
Terry D. Christiansen, In hon-
our of Clara Henrikson
Thelma Chopek, In honour of
Joe Vigfusson
Tim & Eleanor Samson, In hon-
our of John V. Samson
Victor Eyolfson
Walter & Julie Sopher, In hon-
our of Valdimar and Gislina
Sopher
More donations
have been
coming in since
the annual
Deuce of
August Icelandic
Celebration in
Mountain, ND