And the winner?
It's not Minneapolis.
Even Oslo was an also-ran.
This year's winner is the Bitterroot Valley.
Yep, the Bitterroot is home to the world's best lovers of everything Norwegian, in the contest's small-town category. The folks of the Bitterrootdalen lodge - dalen is Norwegian for valley - are still adjusting to the reality that they have bested even the Norwegians for best small Norwegian club.
“Yes, we did, if you think about it, we really did,” said Christine Gunvaldson-Waltz, lodge president and a middle school teacher in Hamilton. “It puts little Hamilton on the map, I think.”
The award doesn't come with a cash prize. A nice, understated plaque goes home with the winners - along with a lot of pride.
Completely unsuspecting, Carol Peterson of Corvallis went to San Diego in September as delegate for the Bitterroot at the Sons of Norway International Convention, where the best club award is bestowed. She was lukewarm about attending, but Dan Rude convinced her to cash in a special airfare and make the journey.
Rude, a Missoula Sons of Norway member who happens to be international president of the group, knew that the best club committee had, in fact, chosen the Bitterrootdalen. And when the award was announced, he wanted to see the expression on the face of a mild-mannered woman who, with her husband, works a family-owned auto and tractor shop in a sleepy western Montana town.
“It was a surprise,” Peterson said, acknowledging that, as they said the name of the winner, she hadn't even been sure they meant her Bitterrootdalen lodge.
It's no small feat as it turns out. When you compete for this prize, you are competing against roughly 400 lodges in the United States, Canada and Norway. You are stepping up against the rest of a society that represents the 5 million people of Norwegian decent in the United States alone. For example, roughly 10 percent of Montanans have some Norwegian blood, according to the 2000 U.S. Census figures.
Among other things, the Sons of Norway aims to promote, preserve and generally celebrate the Norwegian heritage. And these are the criteria that count most in picking the world's best Sons of Norway lodge.
What did the Bitterrootdalen lodge do that put it over the top?
The lodges are apparently scored on a point system that rates a group's activities.
In the Bitterroot, Sons of Norway are active in charities such as Habitat for Humanity. That'll score.
The group hosts cultural events and has adopted the Hamilton Middle School to teach its children about everything Norwegian.
And if there are points for enthusiasm, this group scored for that, too. They love their lodge and are eager to share it. In fact, they'll say you don't even have to be of Norwegian descent to be a member.
“Oh, we've got French people, some Scottish and German people,” Gunvaldson-Waltz said. “Everyone's welcome.”
Peterson and Gunvaldson-Waltz both said everyone is also welcome at the lutefisk dinners - which don't necessarily include the eponymous ingredient. Peterson said the Bitterrootdalen won't even have the potent salted fish on the menu for its winter dinner.
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Nancy J Engebretson wrote on Oct 18, 2008 9:35 AM:
" To bad that you won't have Lutefisk at your dinner nor on the menu.It is so inland Norwegian.If you fix it properly baked in butter and lemon juice, it is delicious.Anyway, Congradulations on your win.What an honor. We, too, are of Norwegian descent and I was born in Hamilton 63 years ago! "
Mary Beth Ingvoldstad wrote on Oct 28, 2008 6:01 PM:
" Hei,
What a great article. Our lodge, Vikings of Lake #6-166 in Lake County, California earned the International Lodge of the Year Tier 2 (small lodge) for 2007, as your lodge did for 2006. It is a GREAT honor!
Congratuations to you and keep up the good word as we shall! "
What a great article. Our lodge, Vikings of Lake #6-166 in Lake County, California earned the International Lodge of the Year Tier 2 (small lodge) for 2007, as your lodge did for 2006. It is a GREAT honor!
Congratuations to you and keep up the good word as we shall! "
Tore Ravn Ottesen wrote on Oct 18, 2008 2:35 AM:
I'm from Norway and 2 friends and my self was visiting the valley last month and was lucky to be in one of the members meeting 16th of september and also visit Jackie and Allen Bjergo at theyr home for a very good dinner.
I feel that I've got lots of new friends in the Bitterrrotdalen after
my first contakt with the members of the lodge after my first visit back in year 2000.
Thank you again for the good work you all do!!!
Best wishes from
Tore Ravn Ottesen
Haugesund Norway "