Shortly the 115th anniversay of the Sons of Norway will arrive.  On January 16, 1895, 18 Norwegian immigrants organized the fraternity in Minneapolis, MN, in the heart of Norwegian-America.  While the organization was originally established to protect the members and their families in times of financial hardship, it grew to become the largest Norwegian organization outside of Norway and it’s purpose and goals expanded as well.  The Sons of Norway is now primarily focused on the preservation of Norwegian heritage and culture. 

Sons of Norway is a non-profit organization.  As of about one year ago, membership in the organization included over 68,000 individuals.  Nearly 64,000 were U.S. citizens, almost 3,000 Canadians, and about 1,500 Norwegians.  There are 411 lodges, where cultural and social programs and services are offered to their respective communities.  Language classes and camps, handicraft and cooking classes, heritage programs, sports activities, scholarships, and travel opportunities are some of the things offered by Sons of Norway.

In accordance with the organization’s initial mission, Sons of Norway offers financial protection to it’s members and members’ families through several insurance programs.  The organization also sells merchanidse including clothing, jewelry, and other accessories.  It also advertises for it’s members on the website and in the Viking Magazine. 

The website is very informative and easy to navigate.  You can pick up Norwegian recipes, travel tips, check out upcoming events and post your own, peruse the catalog of financial products offered, and much more.  Whether or not you are interested in joining the Sons of Norway, I think it’s a good thing to know that this organization is out there and there is probably a lodge near you!