Sons of Norway commemorate contributions of Norwegian people to southern Alberta
By Tim Kalinowski on September 16, 2021.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDtkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com The Sons of Norway, No. 603 Solsyd Lodge Lethbridge, held two special dedication ceremonies on Wednesday afternoon at Henderson Lake and Legacy Park to commemorate those of Norwegian descent in southern Alberta who have come before, and to look toward a future of life, bounty, peace, freedom, tolerance, respect and solidarity and active participation in society for those yet to come.The Sons of Norway dedicated a specially planted Norway maple and a corresponding plaque near Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens at Henderson Lake, and then later travelled to Legacy Park to dedicate a park bench and a grove of 18 Norway maples there.
At the Henderson Lake ceremony Sons of Norway spokesperson Sharon Prenevost hoped the plaque and the maple would be symbols of life, reciprocity and solidarity with those who have come before.
“We wanted to highlight the value and the contributions Norwegian people have brought to the culture and community in southwestern Alberta,” she told The Herald. “We wanted people as they walked to the Japanese Gardens to stop and reflect on this, and reflect on the Norwegian heritage that is in the area. And on their own heritage too because we are all (mostly) immigrants here actually in this country. So think about their own heritage and their own ancestors, and their own contribution they can make to the patchwork quilt that Canadian culture is.”
Flagbearers carrying the Norwegian and Canadian flags flanked the especially quarried limestone from near Crowsnest Pass which bore the plaque during the dedication ceremony, and bouquets of aromatic wild mint and freshly picked garden flowers were later laid before it. The mint was laid for remembrance of those who have gone before and the garden flowers represented the hope of the Sons of Norway that future generations also would value their Norwegian heritage in a special place beneath this Norway maple at Henderson Lake.
Everyone in attendance was also given some sweet lefthsa as a gift of appreciation for coming out to the ceremony.
“We are proud of our Norwegian roots, and we are proud to be Canadian as well,” explained Sons of Norway local chair Betty Lambert, who laid the wild mint during the ceremony. “We consider ourselves Canadian, but we don’t want to lose the culture and the characteristics, the food, that is part of our culture. We want our children to remember that, and we want to remember too.” Follow @TimKalHerald on Twitter 4
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