Current Monthly Newsletter and Past Meetings of the Chicago Torske Klub

The letters that are sent to the members have served to document the past meetings as well as the known meetings to come. The letters sent to the members in the last couple years are available in electronic format. Enjoy the past.

• 2025-2026 Season
• 2024-2025 Season
• 2023-2024 Season
• 2022-2023 Season
• 2021-2022 Season
• 2020-2021 Season
• 2019-2020 Season
• 2018-2019 Season
• 2017-2018 Season
• 2016-2017 Season
• 2015-2016 Season
• 2014-2015 Season
• 2013-2014 Season
• 2012-2013 Season
• 2011-2012 Season
• 2010-2011 Season
• 2009-2010 Season
• 2008-2009 Season
• 2007-2008 Season
• 2006-2007 Season
• 2005-2006 Season
• 2004-2005 Season
• 2003-2004 Season
• 2002-2003 Season

Instructions to read the letters:
These documents are available in Adobe PDF format represented by . A free reader is available from Adobe which should work for most computers. The downloads may be large and take a long time for those with slow connections.

Microsoft Word is also available where indicated for those that have such software.

2025-2026 Season

• Jan. 2026 - Fred Glure speaking about the Rio Grande Zephyr Train - Sweater Day
• Dec. 2025 - Christmas Celebration- lead by Tom and Lynn Maxson
• Nov. 2025 - Andrew Schneider status of the new Emil Bjorn park in Logan Square
• Oct 2025 - Ken Larson on 200th Anniversary of Norwegian Immigration
• Sep 2025 - Moorings of Arlington Heights

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2024-2025 Season

• May 2025 - Charles Peterson on Sami and Rare Earth mining
• April 2025 - Andrew Schneider on Logan Square Developments
• Mar 2025 - Normennenes Singing Society on Father/son/daughter day
• Feb 2025 - Wisconsin Historical Society director and CEO Christian Overland
• Jan 2025 - Minnekirken Pastor Johnson
• Dec 2024 - December Luncheon- Christmas Celebration
• Nov 2024 - November Luncheon- The Hjemkomst by Tom Asp
• Oct 2024 - October Luncheon- Bruce Carlson on Roros Norway
• Sep 2024 - September Luncheon

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2023-2024 Season

• May 2024 -Comfort Dogs- Ray and Jan Permoller
• Apr 2024 -Author Eric Dregni -"In Cod We Trust"
• Mar 2024 -Tom Maxson - Frank Lloyd Wright on Father/Son/Daughter day.
• Feb 2024 - Garry Grube -Beekeeper Update on Ladies Day & Sweater day.
• Dec 2023 - Christmas Celebration
• Nov 2023 - Egil Juliessen- Norway Green Tech
• Oct 2023 - Carl Vogel - Cook County Forest Preserves
• Sep 2023 - Matt Nygard President of of the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce

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2022-2023 Season

• May 2023 - Anniversary Month honoring Boss Lowell Olberg
• April 2023 - Civilian Conservation Corp - Steve Larson
• March 2023 - Brad Seaton - NFL Offensive Tackle
• February 2023 - Women on the Prairie with Connie Wiemer and Dana Kelly
• January 2023 - Antarctica with Gary Skoien on Sweater Day
• December 2022 - Christmas Celebration
• November 2022 - World War I by Gary Midkiff
• October 2022 - Leif Erikson Review by Dr. Charles Peterson
• September 2022 - New Season of Chicago Torske Klub

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2021-2022 Season

• May 2022 - Dr.Ray Newgard on 62 Years of Chicago Torske Klub
• April 2022 - Friends of the Viking Ship
• March 2022 - Boston Red Sox Scout Terry Sullivan on Father/Son/Daughter Day
• February 2022 - Hon. Norwegian Consul Susan Meyer on Ladies Day
• January 2022 - Logan Square Preservation - Sweater Day
• December 2021 - Christmas Celebration
• November 2021 - Vasa Park by Bruce Carlson
• October 2021 - Cryptocurrency by Ken Larson
• September 2021 - Restart Luncheon

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2020-2021 Season

• January thru May 2021 Canceled - January to May Luncheons are Canceled
• December 2020 Canceled - December Luncheon is Canceled
• November 2020 Canceled - November Luncheon is Canceled
• October 2020 Canceled - October Luncheon is Canceled
• September 2020 Canceled - September Luncheon is Canceled

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2019-2020 Season

• May 2020 is Canceled - Lying low for Coronavirus Month - 60th Anniversary
• April 2020 is Canceled - Lying low for Coronavirus
• March 2020 - Father/Son/Daugher Day - Veteran American Soccer Executive Peter Wilt
• February 2020 - Ladies Day - Author Greg Borzo on Chicago Restaurants
• January 2020 - Jim Ascot talks about Lane Tech
• December 2019 - David Langseth leads the Christmas Program
• November 2019 -Jerry Gryttenhol from Livsreise Heritage Center in Stoughton WI
• October 2019 -Magic by William Pack   Also an attachment from Northwest Quarterly Magazine, Witness to War, featuring a story about Kaare Nevdal. Honoring his 99th birthday
• September 2019 -Paul Anderson- Retiring Honorary Norgweian Consul General

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2018-2019 Season

• May 2019 -Chicago Spelmanslag
• April 2019 -Norway House with Jon Pederson
• March 2019 -Father/Son/Daughter Day- Kathy Glasder on Olympic Ski Jumper Mike Glasder
• February 2019 -Ladies Day-Nancy McNully-Illinois Historical Sites
• January 2019 -Gary Midkiff on 10 Major Illinois Events
• December 2018 -Christmas Program by David Langseth
• November 2018 -Carrie Rodamaker on Taliesin Preservation - Frank Lloyd Wright
• October 2018 -Jim Weren about G. Borghum and Mount Rushmore
• September 2018 -NovaCare Rehabilitation

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2017-2018 Season

• May 2018 -Author Eric Dregni
• April 2018 -Charles Peterson speaks on "Why are the Nordic people measured year after year as the happiest in the world?"
• March 2018 -Father,Son Daughter Day- Richard Ferrer and Greg Olsen- "Viking Sword"
• February 2018 -Ladies Day- Beth Sair- "If Statues Could Talk, What Would They Say?"
• January 2018 -Vernon Squires presents on the Edmund Fitzgerald ship
• December 2017 -David Langseth leads the Christmas celebration
• November 2017 -David Furholmen discusses the Carpetbaggers of WWII
• October 2017 - Prof. Ken Sawyer speaks on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation
• September 2017 - Ron Solberg, Author of "Oohs and Ahs: Those Magnificent Traveling Salesmen (and Saleswomen) of Illinois"

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2016-2017 Season

• May 2017 - Hagen's Fish Market
• April 2017 - Brian Ibsen - Friends of the Viking Ship
• March 2017 - Author Rory Spears - Sports Journalist, Golf Expert, ESPN
• February 2017 - Author Kathleen Ernst - Normennenes Singing Society on Ladies Day
• January 2017 - Gary Johnson of the Chicago Historical Museum - Norwegian Immigration to Chicago
• December 2016 - Pastor David Langseth and Ken Spengler lead Christmas Celebration
• November 2016 - Julie Nordan - Diabetes
• October 2016 - Kaare Nevdal-Witness to War in the Royal Norwegian Air Force
• September 2016 - Bruce Bohrer- Best Seat in the House! Diary of a Wrigley Field Usher

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2015-2016 Season

• May 2016 - Dave Johnson speak on Norske Museum
• April 2016 - Phil Judson on 1952 Hebron Basketball Championship
• March 2016 - Baard Titlestad on Cultural Heritage
• February 2016 - Kimberly Kenny on Ibsen and Marriage
• January 2016 - Nick Selig - Author of Lost Airports of Chicago
• December 2015 - Pastor David Langseth and Ken Spengler lead Christmas Celebration
• November 2015 - Dr. Charles Peterson on Norway Constitution
• October 2015 - Eastland Disaster presentation
• September 2015 - Wesley Hougsted speaks about the Norwegian Sloopers

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2014-2015 Season

• May 2015 - Bob Levi speaks about Victor Borge
• April 2015 - Jon Satrum speaks about 'The Shetland Bus'
• March 2015 - Self Driving Cars with Egil Juliussen, Ph.D., on Father, Son, Daughter Day
• February 2015 - Presidential Sites with John Radzinski, Normennenes Singing Society, on Ladies Day
• January 2015 - Akvavit Theatre with Bergen Anderson
• December 2014 - Christmas celebration with Rev. David Langseth and Ken Spengler
• November 2014 - Lodve Solholm- Fylkesmann (Governor) of M re og Romsdal County in Norway
• October 2014 - Garry Grube - Beekeeping in Chicago
• September 2014 - Mike McCarron of Minneapolis, founder of Gamle Ode

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2013-2014 Season

• May 2014 - JFK Assassination Presentation
• April 2014 - Olympic Speedskater and Coach Nancy Swider-Peltz, Sr.
• March 2014 - Father Son Daughter Day- Cyclist Bob Hoel
• February 2014 - Polar Explorer John Huston
• January 2014 - Prof. Reinhold Munch speaks on Edvard Munch
• December 2013 - Rev. David Lanseth and Ken Spengler host Christmas Celebration
• November 2013 - Ken Larson tours Norwegian Stavkirken
• October 2013 - Solveig Schavland Quinney, translator for book "And Then Came The Liberators"
• September 2013 - Judge Perry Gulbrandsen - "Humor in the Courtroom"

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2012-2013 Season

• December 2013 - Prof. Reinhold Heller discusses Munch
• May 2013 - Michael Toohey, CEO of Norwood Life Society
• April 2013 - Jon Satrum speaks on Roald Amundsen
• March 2013 - Running Back Garrett Wolfe on Father, Son, Daughter Day
• February 2013 - Arctic Explorer John Huston on Ladies Day(noting that David Jones of Class Afloat spoke)
• January 2013 - Remembering Per Bye Ohrstrom and Liv Ohrstrom. Led by Don Hoganson
• December 2012 - Christmas Celebration with Pastor David Langseth and Ken Spengler
• November 2012 -Ambassador J.D. Bindenagle: A witness to the fall of the Berlin Wall
• October 2012 - Chuck "Coach" Enge speaks on Education Challenges
• September 2012 - Larry Ekstrom speaks on the Economy

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2011-2012 Season

• May 2012 - Norwegians in Hawaii in 1881.
• April 2012 - Fred Glure on Trains. Lomen Stavkyrje Article
• March 2012 - Bob Levi on Pop Culture
• February 2012 - Eric Dregni, author of "Vikings in the Attic" and "In Cod We Trust"
• January 2012 - Dave Nordin discussed the Chicago Landmark, the Viking Ship.
• December 2011 - Pastor David Langseth, Julian Ronning and Ken Spengler lead the Christmas Celebration
• November 2011 - Steve Gorham of the Climate Science Coalition of America
• October 2011 - Pastor Sigurd Grindheim of Minnekirken on missionary work in Ethopia.
• September 2011 - First luncheon of the year. Sara Drower presents Scandinavia.

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2010-2011 Season

• May 2011- Anniversay Day and Nordic Travel
• April 2011 - - Fr. Michael Zaniolo -Chaplain for Midway and O'Hare Airports
• March 2011 - Father/Son/Daughter Day - Melissa Hulting from the EPA discusses climate
• February 2011 - Ladies Day - Ladies Day with noted theologian Dr. Martin Marty as speaker
• January 2011 - Investment Counselor - Sweater Day  Norwegian Sweater Day with investment speaker Benjamin Klein of Okman/Klein/Bjornstrup group at Merrill Lynch
• December 2010 - Christmas Celebration - Christmas Celebration with Pastor David Langseth, pianist Ken Spengler, Julian Ronning
• November 2010 - Marc Pommerance - Forensics Expert order - Also Story and photos from the October 50th Anniversary Dinner
• October 2010 - No Torske Luncheon- 50th Anniversary Formal Dinner - Monthly Letter, Vinland Seminar .  The 50th Anniversary keynote speaker is Svein Ludvigsen, Fylkesmann of Troms County Norway. MC is Dick Johnson of NBC Chicago.
• September 11, 2010 - Sara Dower, "The History of Salt", Invitation for 50th Anniversary Dinner in October.

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2009-2010 Season

• May 8, 2010 - Chicago Torske Klub 50th Anniversary Celebration - Reflections by Selected Members.
  Ray Newgard Remembers the last 50 years
• April 10, 2010 - Mr. Shon Morris , Director of Athletic Activity at Northwestern University
• March 13, 2010 - Father/Son/Daughter Day - Douglas Meyer of the Alliance Defense Fund
• February 13, 2010 - Ladies Day - Joint Chorus of Bjornsen and Normennenes
• January 9, 2010 - Norwegian Sweater Day - Rudy Valbunker of Manor Health Services
• December 12, 2009 - Christmas Program with David Langseth, Julian & Kristian Ronning
• November 14, 2009 - Beekeeper Harry Patterson.
• October 10, 2009 - World traveler Bill Helmuth presents Russia and Moscow.
• September 12, 2009 - Greg Borzo and the Chicago L System

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2008-2009 Season

• May 9, 2009 - Jostein Bakken - Board Director of the Sons of Norway International 
• April 11, 2009 - The Marshall Plan for Norway  
• March 14, 2009 - Bud Herseth, Principal Trumpet for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1948-2004; on father/son/daughter day.  
• February 14, 2009 - Tina Winther entertains on ladies day.  
• January 13, 2009 - Gary Skoien discusses Chicago and Cook County.  
• December 10, 2008 - Bjornson Male Chorus entertains for Christmas.  
• November 8, 2008 - Actor R.J.Lindsey brings Franklin Delano Roosevelt.   Accompanying article about Finn Braathen.
• October 11, 2008 - Attorney Steven Levin discusses Nursing Home Abuse.  
• September 13, 2008 - Special Investigator Brian Etchell discusses the FBI.  

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2007-2008 Season

• May 10, 2008 - Dr. Christopher Brand from Federal Wildlife Service discusses Wildlife and Human Diseases.  
• April 12, 2008 - Steve Larson talks about GPS Satellites.   Also an attachment from Northwest Quarterly Magazine, Witness to War, featuring a story about Kaare Nevdal
• March 8, 2008 - Father/son/daughter Day with documentary about Crown Princess M rtha 
• February 9, 2008 - Ladies Day with Normennenes Singing Society 
• January 12, 2008 - Sweater Day with world traveler Bill Helmuth 
• December 8, 2007 - Christmas celebration with Pastor David Langseth 
• November 10, 2007 - Ron Moore from Fermilab discusses the 
  particle accelerator 
• October 13, 2007 - Edward J. O'Donnell, Commander, Bomb and 
  Arson Section, Chicago Police Department.   
• September 8, 2007 -  Tina Winther Sings. First Dinner of a new season

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2006-2007 Season

• May 12, 2007 - 47th Anniversary, Ladies day and noted Chicago personality and TV Reporter Mary Ann Childers
• April 14, 2007 - Judge James Wascher - Our Jury System
• March 10, 2007 - Dr. Lisbet Ronning - Scandinavian Healthcare compared to US Healthcare
• February 10, 2007 - Mr. Robert Iverson, the Veterans Administration Regional Manager
• January 13, 2007 - Lt. Col. David James, representing the Red Tail Project , Americas Tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen
• December 9, 2006 - Sweet Adelines and Christmas party
• November 11, 2006 - Larry Monroe, V.P. of Player Operations for the 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox
• October 13, 2006 - Rev. Henry Soles, chaplain for Chicago Bulls, Bears and White Sox
• September 16, 2006 - Linda Kimball from OASIS

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2005-2006 Season

• May 13, 2006 - Sven and Ole entertain for 46th anniversary and ladies day
• April 8, 2006 - Barry Cooper of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• March 11, 2006 - Sinclair and the Rovers - Irish music from Norway; Father/son/daughter day. See an article about the day.
• February 11, 2006 - Bobby Douglass - Chicago Bears Quarterback from 1969-1975. Norwegian Sweater Day [and Bears Sweatshirt day]
• January 14, 2006 - Prof. Haakon Andreasen. His presentation is entitled What is the United States of America?
• December 10, 2005 - Toufic El Rassi - Professor in History Dept. at Oakton, Community College in Des Plaines, IL discusses the history of relations between Iraq and the US.
• November 12, 2005 - Ms. Womazette Jones of the Illinois Dept. of Children and Family Services (DCFS) speaks to this group about the child abuse hotline, and the trends and reasons for the things we see in the news relating to children.  
• October 8, 2005 - Oktoberfest! Wolfgang Gruener speaks about the history and his experiences at Munich's Oktoberfest.
• September 10, 2005 - Norwegian Genealogy. Speaker Ken Larson discusses his
  research and the collections of stories and interesting anecdotes and observations.

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2004-2005 Season

• May 14, 2005 - 45th Anniversary Dinner, Ladies Day, guest speaker got Valle, the President of the Norwegian Odelsting and member of the Storting for Hordaland County.  A special 45th anniversary booklet was prepared.
• April 9, 2005 - The Rev. Robert Furrboe discusses his trip to Peru, Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands.
• March 12, 2005 - Normennenes Singing Society and Swedish Glee Club, Waukegan - Father/son/daughter day.
• February 12, 2005 - David Wright of Vesterheim Museum; Norwegian Sweater day.
• January 8, 2005 - Chuck Sedivick of the Norge Ski Club; their 100th ski jump event.
• December 11, 2004 - Pastor David Langseth  Christmas Carols and celebration
• November 13, 2004 - Steve Baskerville - CBS Channel 2 (WBBM-TV) Weatherman and Broadcaster
• October 9, 2004 - Paul Anderson - Honorary Royal Norwegian Consul General speaking about Leif Ericcson Day
• September 11, 2004 - Robert Lahey - Executive Director of Northern Illinois Public Service Training Academy (NIPSTA).

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2003-2004 Season

• May 2004 - 44th Klub Anniversary! Ladies day! Entertainment by Normennenes Singing Society and Swedish Glee Club, Waukegan!
• April 2004 - Speaker: Chicago Fire Soccer Organization. Director of Community Relations,  Don Ortalle and Executive Paul "Caddy" Cadwell. Father/son/daughter day.
• March 2004 - Speaker: Ken Nordan, Knowledge Management and Norwegian Heritage
• February 2004 - Speaker: James Peiper, Federal Reserve System,
• January 2004 - Speaker: Anders Malm, the General Manager of the Central USA for SAS
• December 2003 - Christmas Carols
• November 2003 - Rob Alsaker - Auditorium Theater (Letter includes photographic collage from Madison Trip).
  All individual photos are available here (select the Category of 'madison')
• October 2003 - Ken Larson - work at the Library of Congress
• September 2003 - Dr. Ray Newgard - Chiropractic medicine and Norwegian Heritage

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2002-2003 Season

• May 2003 - Ladies Day! Klub Anniversary! Ray Nilsen on Accordian
• April 2003 - Normennenes Singing Society & Swedish Glee Club.
• March 2003 - Extra Page of Photos from February.  Dick Fjeldheim - Norwood Park Home Chairman
• February 2003 - Svein Ludvigsen - Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Governor of Troms. (See link)  Also Halvard Johansen, Norwegian Fisheries Minister in Washington DC.
• January 2003 - David Hardy - Legal Counsel for the Lutheran Church
• December 2002 -Christmas Carols led by Pastor David Langseth
• November 2002 - Jerry Rosholt - "Ole goes to War" - Norwegians in the Civil War
. See Jerry's book, Ole Goes to War: Men from Norway who Fought in America s Civil War
• October 2002 - Marv Meyer - Military and Airline pilot
• September 2002

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