Viking Magazine - September 2013 - 14

continued from page 12
" We're hoping we can be a good
partner and help support their
goals, " Heiberg says of the discussions
with Minnesota's leaders.
Through a web portal and
companion social networks, NorwayConnects
goes beyond Sons of
Norway's own offerings to connect
20-somethings with Norwayrelated
scholarships, internships
and jobs posted by businesses,
nonprofi ts and educators, as well
as giving sound fi nancial advice.
" For instance, there's information
on how to protect your credit rating
and things like that, " says Janie
Kelly, a member of Nordahl Grieg
6-052 in San Jose, Calif., and an
international director for Sons of
Norway. " These are really essential
tools for young people. "
There are other trends worth noting
in the fi nancial services industry,
too. Just as credit unions have
become a popular alternative to big
banks, fraternal insurance companies
are seen by some consumers as
a more personal and service-oriented
alternative to big insurers.
" Ironically, " given Sons of
Norway's origins, " the majority
of the members today don't
take advantage of the fi nancial
benefi ts. I'm one who does, "
says Jim Townsend, president of
Nidaros 1-001, Sons of Norway's
very fi rst lodge, in Minneapolis.
" You can talk to one of
the fi nancial benefi ts counselors
and there's no pressure, " he says.
" They'll point out plusses and
minuses to your questions, but
you make the decision. "
" My clients know they can call
me pretty much anytime, " Krause
says. " And if they should call
Sons of Norway Headquarters for
any reason, they will get a person
and it's a lot easier to get your
question answered. "
Explaining fraternal insurance
in an interview two years ago, JoTreasury
balance
of the
newly-formed
Sønner af
Norge in
January, 1895.
One year later
the balance
had grown
to $725.
seph Annotti, CEO of the American
Fraternal Alliance (of which
Sons of Norway is a member),
said, " People want to do business
with organizations that have a social
conscience, and moreover
deliver real value not only to
them as consumers, but to the
local communities where they
live and work. "
" We see this within our lodge
system, " says Heiberg, noting that
funding from fi nancial operations
strengthens lodge programming,
which includes community service
activities. In 2012, Sons of Norway
members contributed more
than 500,000 hours of volunteer
service and donated nearly $1.5
million to their communities
through their lodges.
What began as a blended
fi nancial and cultural mission has
become a stool with three legs,
Heiberg says: fi nancial products,
fraternal benefi ts and a foundation
that only stand fi rm when all three
are in place. He says, " Together,
we're all stronger. "
... continued from page 13
Sons of Norway comMinneapolis.
After many years
of renting space around the city,
and then buying and remodeling
a building in 1955, the organization
builds its own home.
District 8 is created in
Norway. At this time Oseberg,
the fi rst Norwegian lodge in
Tønsberg, has been meeting for
18 months.
14 VIKING SEPTEMBER 2013
memorates its centennial with
celebrations throughout the
organization.
Penny Joseph
Knudsen is elected
Sons of Norway's
fi rst female
International
President.
sonsofnorway.com
The Sons of Norway
Foundation reaches nearly
$5 million in assets for the
fi rst time.
Sons of Norway
launches NorwayConnects.org.
From left: Sons of Norway
International Headquarters in
Minneapolis; Sons of Norway
centennial coin.
http://www.NorwayConnects.org http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - September 2013

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