Lodge History - Hampton Roads 522
Instituted July 1, 1972
Meets 3rd Thursday, 7:30pm - Bayside Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach, VA
http://sites.google.com/site/hrsofn/
Hampton Roads Lodge 522, Sons of Norway, was founded July 1, 1972 with Lodge Nordkapp 215 as the sponsoring lodge. The Lodge started with 65 members from both sides of Hampton Roads. The charter members were initiated by Third District President Jan Henriksen. Supreme Lodge Director Leif Aschim installed the officers, who took over their duties under the gentle gavel of Brother John Lassen, the charter president.
Participating in the sesquicentennial and the following bicentennial year started us off to a busy two years with happy achievements – entertaining the boys of the Christian Radich, the Norwegian Concert with visiting conductor, Kristian Lange, Norway’s music man, Heritage Day at the Azalea Festival with Queen Susan Ford, the Neptune Festival with visiting popular singer Erik Bye. Our busy beginning put us in gear to continue our activities to promote our heritage during Heritage Days in the Azalea and Neptune Festivals, in Folk Art Festivals in Newport News, Old Dominion University Jubilee, Naval Hospital Ethnic Day, Wilson High School Ethnic Day and others.
We have supported worthy causes such as Ski for Light, the Brooklyn Children’s Home, Norwegian Lady, Tubfrim, new sails for the Christian Radich, Red Cross Language Bank, local families in distress, to mention a few. In addition we have had language, rosemaling, hardanger embroidery classes, appeared on TV and radio programs. We have had a wonderful time together enjoying and promoting our mutual heritage and love of Norway.
We have been very active promoting our heritage. Governor Robb signed a proclamation that October 9th should be observed as Leif Erickson Day. We participated in “Joy from the World” at the Virginia Marine Science Museum in Richmond, VA, and The Festival of Nations at Waterside Norfolk, VA. We attend the Flag Raising on May 17th at SACLANT each year. We have joined the Norsemen Forbundet in Norge, VA, for their Church Service at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, and when dancers and entertainers from Norway come to the area.
We provided help to refurbish the grave site of those lost in the storm from the Bark Dictator. We attend the Memorial Service each year at the Norwegian Lady, at Virginia Beach, for the loss of the Dictator and her crew.
Members of our lodge are active in the Sister City of Virginia Beach and Moss, Norway. We participate in those activities when visitors from Moss are here.
THE “NORWEGIAN LADY” STATUE
Virginia Beach, Virginia
In 1891 the Norwegian Bark (sailing vessel) “Dictator” was severely damaged in a storm and hit a sand bar off Virginia Beach. The Captain and a few crew members survived but the remaining crew and the captain’s wife and son lost their lives. For years the only memorial of the tragic accident was the vessel’s wooden figurehead, which was called the Norwegian Lady. The figurehead deteriorated after many years and had to be replaced or be forgotten forever. In order to perpetuate the memory of the people lost at sea, a ten-foot high statue of a woman made by Norwegian sculptor Ornulf Bast was donated by the city of Moss, Norway to the city of Newport News, Virginia in 1962. A duplicate statue stands in the sister city of Moss.
An annual memorial service is held in March. Participants include Virginia Beach City Council members, the Norwegian Consulate, the Norwegian Lady Plaza Foundation, Sons of Norway, and Nordmanns-Forbundet.
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