Armbruster elected Grand Lodge president

FALLBROOK – Janna Armbruster of Fallbrook was elected president of the Grand Lodge (GL) at the 54th Daughters of Norway convention on July 24. A charter member of Hulda Garborg Lodge #49, Armbruster was the outgoing GL vice president (2014 – 2016) and had served as GL financial secretary (2012 – 2014).

The treasurer of Hulda Garborg, Armbruster was president of her lodge from 2012 – 2014 and vice president from 2010 – 2012. A retired elementary school principal, she is half Norwegian and joined Daughters of Norway when her lodge was instituted on Aug. 29, 2009.

“We all have devoted time to this endeavor of connecting with our Scandinavian heritage. Being elected national president was one of the most emotional times in my life. I am proud to be a descendent of those Norwegians who came to have a better future in America,” said Armbruster.

Twelve other members of Hulda Garborg attended the convention, titled “Golden Gateway to Our Heritage”, in Burlingame, Calif. They included dual member Ronna Clymens of Banning, outgoing GL President, whose home lodge is Turid Jespersen #37 in Mission Viejo. She assumed the office of judge during the installation of officers.

The lodge’s delegates were Joy Cook, who also served as chaplain; Judy Lucas, and Suzy Moramarco. Their alternate delegate was Lucette Moramarco. The musician for the first day’s business meeting was Pat Hensley who, along with lodge sister Lynne Bradley, performed as part of the Southern CA Damekor (women’s choir) at the banquet on July 24. Lucas is from Oceanside; the others are all from Fallbrook.

Members attending the cultural day of the convention included Linda Larson of Fallbrook, Linda Hoffman of San Diego, Amy Nolan of Oceanside, Julie Watts of Temecula and Tammy Simmons of Riverside. Various workshops were held from rosemaling (painting) to wheat weaving and from carving a butter knife to folk dancing followed by the Nordic Butikk where lodges and vendors sold Scandinavian items.

Counting 101 delegates sent by the 28 lodges to the convention, more than two hundred women (and a few men) traveled to the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront Hotel from Washington (12 lodges), Oregon (3), Nevada (2), Montana (1), Iowa (1), Minnesota (1) and North Dakota (1) besides California (7). The conventions are held every two years with the next one set for July 2018 in Seaside, Ore.

Hulda Garborg meets the second Saturday of the month at the Fallbrook Woman’s Club. The next meeting will be on Aug. 13, starting at 10 a.m. For more information, call (760) 468-7406 or visit www.daughtersofnorway.org.