In 2021, our Foundation celebrated our 50th Anniversary. The basis for the existence of a Charity, indeed as a Foundation, is the need to deal with funding and the continuous raising of funds, and of course, disbursal of funds for our dedicated purposes. During these fifty years we have grown from the generous District 7 Charter Flight program gift of $40,000 to a level just over $600,000 and growing. But ‘a need to grow’ is a must! With the growing cost of living we must continue to respond to increased needs – be that for life or educational support. Our goal has always been and continue to be that our investment earnings would support our programs and to allow all donations to immediately become a part of our earning structure. Can we accomplish that? With the help of our membership organizations, good friends and supporters we can certainly move towards that goal.
We now have fifty (50) Voting Membership holders which include the twenty (20) Sons of Norway Lodges and four (4) Torske Klubbs plus one District Lodge 7 presentative.
Our General Fund supports our Bursary and Grants programs. The bursary programs provide student awards for undergraduate programs, certificate programs, and apprenticeship education, as well as the International Summer School in Oslo and Folkehøgskole bursaries for studies in Norway. Grants provide assistance for classes and workshops through Cultural Grants, Tormod Rekdal Cultural Grants, Lysne Rosemaling Grants and Bjarne & Karel Thorshaug Grants.
We can all be very thankful to all those individuals who make our Foundation what it is today. We have the donors, the promoters and those who operate the many parts of this organization. We appreciate very much each person’s efforts in making our Foundation better!