Sons of Norway District 5

In the fall of 1987 the New Vision Gallery at the Marshfield Clinic had an exhibition of "Folk Arts of Norway", providing the opportunity to discover if there might be an interest in a Sons of Norway lodge in the area. Enough people signed the list to encourage Anne-Grethe Cook and Field Staff Representative Sigrid Kahoun to search for others to form a steering committee.

In May the committee made up of Dick and Anne-Grethe Cook, Bernie and Marcia Benning, Don and Dorothy Berg, pastor Carmen Peterson along with Sigrid and Jack Kahoun met to begin months of concentrated work and commitment to form a lodge in Marshfield.

Myrmarken Lodge 609 was instituted on October 16, 1988 by District President Clare Almquist, at a ceremony in the Faith Lutheran Church, attended by a number of District Officers and International Director Cy Wittrock. Members were initiated by District Vice President Jon Grinde and officers installed by Director Wittrock.

Months of additional hard work paid off when 127 members' names were on the charter presented by President Almquist on January 15, 1989. Myrmarken President Dick Cook was M.C. at a dinner attended by over 130 members and guests. The childrens' dance group performed, and over 30 new members were initiated as part of the program. International Director Jim Holms brought greetings from the International Board and acquainted the new lodge with the relationship of the local lodges to the District and International Lodge.

Myrmarken, meaning "marsh field", is well on its way. The many young people who have expressed an interest in their heritage may very well become our leaders in determining how we can best preserve the Norwegian traditions.