Annual Luncheon Photos 2015

President Elect Bill Carlson
SFV Guests and Welcoming Committee
Board Chair of SFV, Per-Edvin Persson
Solveig Lozier & Carita Laakso at the Annual Luncheon in 2015. Reserve your seat today.
Don Ostrand & Gunnar Damstrom
Sunny Empie, Leif Holmes & Ron Zentner
Social Hour
Annabelle Kergen & Johanna Padie
Annabelle Kergen
Gunnar Damstrom sings American National Anthem
Jean Monsebroten visiting with Marita Agnew
Our Featured Speaker Jean Monsebroten
SFV’s new publication “SFV Magasinet”
Etel & Torr Rossback with George Nelson
Carol Deskines, Dick Erickson & Torr Rosback
Elaine & Erik Stevens
Verna & Bob Jacobson
President Elect, Bill Carlson, with the three recipients of the SFHS “President’s Award of Excellence”
Sandi Gaffney & Candy Enquist
Mark Hillman, Joanne Hilton & Karen Lundgren
Gunnar Damstrom Sings Finland’s National Anthem (in Swedish, of course)
Dick Erickson, Ed Schneble & his better half
Syrene Forsman, Inge, Laura, & Alicia Carlson
Frank & Barbara Sanchez with Gunnar Damstrom trading Swedish Finn secrets at last year’s Annual Luncheon.
Gunnar Damström Sings Canadian National Anthem
Beverly Huchala, Aleda Enright, & Nancy Erickson
Marita Agnew & Thelma Mosebar
John Laakso & Bud Saxberg
Larry Sandell, Lee Thompson, Mary Hillman, , & Lynn Thompson
Ed Brannfors with Nils Holm in background
& Etel Rossback
Mary Hillman putting out the delicious cardamom bread that she baked for the social hour
Wendy Sundquist, Torr Rosback, Dick Erickson, & Bill Carlson
Sunny Empie, Leif Holmes & Ron Zentner
Ed Brannfors presenting a generous donation from Order of Runeberg
Lee & Lynn Thompson with Ed Brannfors
Sandi Gaffney, Shirley Jenkins & Jane Ely
Ulf & Harriet Wallendahl with Carita Laakso
Our Featured Speaker Jean Monsebroten
President Elect,Bill Carlson, with the three recipients of the SFHS “President’s Award of Excellence”
Dick Erickson, Connie Harrington, & Bob Ostrand
Per-Edvin Persson giving thank you gifts to SFHS Board Members with help from SFV Director Johan Aura
Maria Männistö Singing Songs of Sibelius
President Elect, Bill Carlson, thanking Dick Erickson for over a decade of SFHS leadership
Per-Edvin Persson giving thank you gifts to SFHS Board Members with help from SFV Director Johan Aura
Per-Edvin Persson presenting a thank you gift
Mark Hillman enjoying social hour
Syrene Forsman Introducing Maria Männistö
Thelma Mosebar, Syrene Forsman & Dick Erickson enjoy during the social hour at the 2015 Annual Luncheon. This year’s luncheon is March 12, 2016. We would love to see you there.
George Miller Conducting Board Elections
Volunteers Nino & Hannah
Syrene Forsman
Dick Erickson holding his award and thank you gift for over a decade of SFHS leadership
Thelma Mosebar, Larry Sandell & Cami Haskins
Board Chair of SFV, Per-Edvin Persson
Connie Harrington & Shirley Jenkins
Our beloved caterers
Torr Rosback & Ed Brannfors
Syrene Forsman hanging out with the band
Maria Männistö Singing Songs of Sibelius
Sunnie Empie with guest
Caterers happy it’s over. Kal Gellein and his talented crew of caterers.
Lorene Mara inviting SFHS members to the 90th Anniversary of Runeberg Lodge 124
Gunnar Damstrom

Relive the Social Hour in Two Minutes

SFHS members spent an hour and a half socializing before heading downstairs to lunch. We would like you to experience a taste of the luncheon wherever in the world you may be. The hour and a half has been edited to a 2 minute time lapse to make that possible.

Timelapse video courtesy of Jeff Hubner ©2015

Annual Meeting & Luncheon 2015

This year’s luncheon was a resounding success! It started off with good conversation, coffee and cardamom bread accompanied by the accordion trio of Lars, Leif, & Lena (some of you may know Lena by the name of Sunnie Empie. We then enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by our Swedish Finn Chef, Kal Gellein. The guests were serenaded during lunch by Maria Männistö singing songs of Sibelius. Jean Monsebroten, our featured guest, gave an interesting talk on “The Swedish Finns of Coos Bay.” The talk interspersed Jean’s own memories of her family along with accounts of what life was like for the immigrants. Our honored guests from Svenska folkskolans vänner (SFV) gave some wonderful gifts to the board. The Board Chair of SFV, Per-Edvin Persson, told us a little about the history of SFV and why it is important today. He stressed the importance of SFHS and SFV maintaining close ties. The luncheon was adjourned after outgoing President, Dick Erickson, gave awards to Syrene Forsman and Gunnar Damstrom for their unwavering support of the SFHS mission. Dick was surprised by President Elect Bill Carlson handing out his own award to Dick Erickson for over a decade of SFHS Leadership.

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