Vasa Order of America

Last updated

Vasa Order of America (Swedish : Vasa Orden av Amerika) is a Swedish-American fraternal, cultural and educational organization. The organization seeks to benefit its members by sharing Swedish and Scandinavian culture and heritage.

Contents

Philosophy

The objects and purposes of this Fraternal Organization are to promote and share Swedish Heritage through cultural events and fellowship. In doing so, they hope to promote social and intellectual interaction among members.[ citation needed ]

History

Vasa Order of America

Vasa Order of America was established in 1896 in New Haven, Connecticut at the height of Swedish immigration to the United States as a Swedish-American fraternal order. [1] Vasa Order of America emerged from the many Swedish societies that existed as a safety net for early immigrants. Named for the House of Vasa, the historic Royal House of Sweden, it has been noted as one of the largest Swedish-American ethnic or cultural organizations [2]

Vasa National Archives

Located in Bishop Hill, Illinois, for forty years, the Vasa National Archives houses documents of lodges and some artifacts. The purpose as described in the incorporation document is for "Educational, historical and research to preserve and display and make available records, documents, works of art, science, inventions and manufacture by persons of Swedish ancestry and to promote public knowledge of an interest in the history of persons of Scandinavian and particularly Swedish ancestry." The main purpose is to preserve the records of the Vasa Order of America and its members.

Vasa Star

The official publication of the Vasa Order of America is the Vasa Star (Swedish: Vasastjärnan) and as of fall 2013 the publication is included with Nordstjernan a Swedish American publication. Prior to this change, this was a stand-alone publication being produced several times annually.

Organization

The Vasa Order comprises the Grand Lodge, 18 District Lodges, and nearly 200 local lodges. Local lodges in the United States, Canada, and Sweden offer cultural, language, and scholarship programs. The organization owns and operates the Vasa National Archives at Bishop Hill, Illinois, and administers an Old Age Benefit Fund (OAB) for members.

The organization is led by a Grand Master, Vice Grand Master, Grand Secretary, Grand Treasurer and Executive Board Members for the Eastern Region, Midwest Region, Western Region, Canada and Sweden. The Grand Lodge oversees the Grand Lodge Deputies and other Grand Lodge committees. The term of office is four years and the exiting Grand Master assumes the role of president for the Vasa National Archives for a four-year term. The Grand Lodge Convention and Annual Meeting are held once every four years and the Grand Lodge Board meetings are held at their discretion.[ citation needed ]

The organization maintains and runs the Vasa National Archives whose sole purpose is to preserve the records of the Vasa Order of America and its members.

Ritual

The society has had a ritual since its founding. It has been revised several times, for instance in 1915 and 1923. The Order also works three degree which correspond to the Local, District and Grand Lodge levels of the organization. [3]

Grand Lodge

The Grand Lodge officers oversee the organization and its operation.

District Lodges

The District Lodges oversee the Local Lodges and provide leadership and support. The District Lodges hold a convention or annual meeting each year or on designated years. District Lodges can be found on the web site or listed below.

District Lodges Territory

Region Districts

Under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge, the lodges in these Region Districts are provided the support and leadership through the Grand Lodge.

'Local Lodge'


Each of the local lodges are managed and maintained at the local level with promoting and maintaining membership, providing enrichment activities, events, programs, outreach and scholarships. Some local lodges network with various Swedish and Scandinavian organizations bringing the organization to a different level of professionalism, business associations and friendship and interact with the social media. Lodges may offer their own education scholarships and health and benefit funds.

Membership

Membership requirements have changed over the years. Originally open to men age 15–50. In 1923 membership was open to men and women of good health who could speak Swedish or had Swedish ancestry. [4] Today membership is open to all people born in a Nordic country, of Nordic ancestry, spouses and widows of Vasa members and anyone else who is "committed to the promotion and advancement of Swedish and Nordic heritage and culture." [5]

Membership in the Vasa Order was at its height in 1929, when the organization had 72,261 members. It has declined since, with 35,000 members in 1979 [6] and the same number in 1994. [7]

Membership Levels

Benefits

Old age benefit

The Old Age Benefit Fund (OAB) is for active members, and maintained through the Grand Lodge.

Hospital benefit

Provided though some of the local lodges, and maintained through the Local Lodge or District Lodge.

Scholarships

Scholarship opportunities are available at the different levels of the organization and you will find scholarship opportunities for higher education, Foreign Exchange (Sweden only), Language camps, Swedish camps and Elder camps. The scholarships offered can be found at the Vasa Order of America website and the District Lodges and Local Lodges. The main qualification for applicants before applying for the scholarship is to be a member for two years at the Grand Lodge level and can be different at the District and Local Lodge levels.

Vasa Star

Included with membership are four issues of the Vasa Star which is included within the Nordstjernan publication. A reduced subscription rate is available for Vasa members to subscribe to all issues of Nordstjernan.

Vasa National Archives

With each Vasa Order membership, the member is automatically a member of the Vasa National Archives located in Bishop Hill, IL.

Social media

The Grand Lodge has several social media pages as well as the Districts and Local Lodges. You are invited to visit their pages and engage with them.

Facebook Pages

Many lodges have their own Facebook page

Programs, clubs and groups

Swedish-American of the Year

Since 1960, The Vasa Order of America has selected a prominent American citizen of Swedish birth or descent to become Swedish-American of the Year. Every year the two Sweden District Lodges of the Vasa Order of America select an American of Swedish descent to be The Swedish-American of the Year. The Swedish-American of the Year is honored during Sweden-America Days in various places in Sweden. A tablet containing the names of all award recipients is kept in the Swedish Emigrant Institute (Swedish: Svenska Emigrantinstitutet) in Växjö, Småland, Sweden. [8]

Clubs and Groups

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Order of Odd Fellows</span> American fraternal organization

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political, non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd Fellows founded in England during the 18th century, the IOOF was originally chartered by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in England but has operated as an independent organization since 1842, although it maintains an inter-fraternal relationship with the English Order. The order is also known as the Triple Link Fraternity, referring to the order's "Triple Links" symbol, alluding to its motto "Friendship, Love and Truth".

The Independent Order of Vikings is a Swedish-American fraternal organization promoting Swedish and culture and language. It was founded in Chicago the 1890s and has members throughout the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fraternal Order of Eagles</span> American fraternal order

Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) is a fraternal organization that was founded on February 6, 1898, in Seattle, Washington, by a group of six theater owners including John Cort, brothers John W. and Tim J. Considine, Harry (H.L.) Leavitt, Mose Goldsmith and Arthur Williams. Originally made up of those engaged in one way or another in the performing arts, the Eagles grew and claimed credit for establishing the Mother's Day holiday in the United States as well as the "impetus for Social Security" in the United States. Their lodges are known as "aeries".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fraternal Order of Police</span> US fraternal organization of police officers

The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is a fraternal organization consisting of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It reports a membership of over 355,000 members organized in 2,100 local chapters (lodges), state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge. The organization attempts to improve the working conditions of law enforcement officers and the safety of those they serve through education, legislation, information, community involvement, and employee representation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benefit society</span> Organization formed to provide mutual aid

A benefit society, fraternal benefit society, fraternal benefit order, friendly society, or mutual aid society is a society, an organization or a voluntary association formed to provide mutual aid, benefit, for instance insurance for relief from sundry difficulties. Such organizations may be formally organized with charters and established customs, or may arise ad hoc to meet unique needs of a particular time and place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Americans</span> American of Swedish birth or descent

Swedish Americans are Americans of Swedish descent. The history of Swedish Americans dates back to the early colonial times, with notable migration waves occurring in the 19th and early 20th centuries and approximately 1.2 million arriving between 1865–1915. These immigrants settled predominantly in the Midwest, particularly in states like Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin, in similarity with other Nordic and Scandinavian Americans. Populations also grew in the Pacific Northwest in the states of Oregon and Washington at the turn of the twentieth century.

A 501(c) organization is a nonprofit organization in the federal law of the United States according to Internal Revenue Code and is one of over 29 types of nonprofit organizations exempt from some federal income taxes. Sections 503 through 505 set out the requirements for obtaining such exemptions. Many states refer to Section 501(c) for definitions of organizations exempt from state taxation as well. 501(c) organizations can receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, and unions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sons of Norway</span> Fraternal organization for descendants of people from Norway living in North America

Sons of Norway, founded in 1895 as the Independent Order of the Sons of Norway, is a fraternal organization principally representing people of Norwegian heritage in the United States and Canada. The organization includes in its mission the promotion and preservation of the heritage and culture of Norway and other Nordic countries and to provide life insurance and other financial products to its members. The organization is classified as a non-profit 501(c)(8) fraternal beneficiary society.

Freemasonry in Sweden was introduced by the Swedish Order of Freemasons, founded in 1735 as the oldest still active Swedish fraternal order, working the Swedish Rite of Freemasonry. It is under royal patronage of the King of Sweden and closely associated with the Lutheran Church of Sweden. It is a jurisdiction that admits Christian men only, and is recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England as a Regular Masonic jurisdiction, being the only Regular Grand Lodge that admits a 34th informal Masonic Degree. Its total membership is about 16,500.

The Order of Scottish Clans was a fraternal and benevolent society The dual purpose of the Order was to provide life and disability insurance to Scottish immigrants and their descendants, and also to preserve the culture and traditions of Scotland among Americans of Scottish ancestry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancient Order of United Workmen</span> Fraternal organization

The Ancient Order of United Workmen (AOUW) was a fraternal organization in the United States and Canada, providing mutual social and financial support after the American Civil War. It was the first of the "fraternal benefit societies", organizations that would offer insurance as well as sickness, accident, death and burial policies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sons of Hermann</span> German-American mutual aid society

The Order of the Sons of Hermann (German: Der Orden der Hermanns-Soehne, also known as Hermann Sons, is a mutual aid society for German immigrants that was formed in New York, New York, on July 20, 1840, and remains active in the states of California, Ohio, and Texas today. Open to members of any heritage today, the order provides low-cost insurance and mutual aid and has historically promoted the preservation of the German language and traditions.

The German Order of Harugari, sometimes called the Ancient Order of Harugari or by its German name, Der Deutsche Orden der Harugari, is a mutual benefit and cultural association of German Americans founded in New York City in 1847 that was at one time the largest German secret society in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Ancient Order of Druids</span> Fraternal organisation

The United Ancient Order of Druids (UAOD) is a fraternal organisation founded in England, in 1833 after a schism with the Ancient Order of Druids. Its motto is United to assist.

Swedish American of the Year (SAY)/Årets Svensk Amerikan is an annual award program of the Vasa Order of America which is run by the two Sweden District Lodges – District 19 and District 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Order of Freemasons</span> Swedish fraternal order of freemasonry

The Swedish Order of Freemasons is a Swedish fraternal order of freemasonry, founded in 1735 as the oldest still active Swedish fraternal order. It is the native Swedish manifestation of Swedish Rite Freemasonry, recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England as a Regular Masonic jurisdictions. The total membership is 16,500.

References

  1. ↑ "Vasa Order of America 100 Years (nordicway.com website) retrieved February 5, 2008". Archived from the original on November 19, 2006. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  2. ↑ The Ethnic Enigma: The Salience of Ethnicity for European-Origin Groups (Peter Kivisto, Balch Institute Press. 1989) ISBN   0-944190-03-0 available on Google books webpage. retrieved February 5, 2008, p. 138
  3. ↑ Schimdt p.347
  4. ↑ Alan Axelrod International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders New York; Facts on File, 1997 p. 251
  5. ↑ Vasa Order of America (A Swedish American Fraternal Organization) How to apply for membership
  6. ↑ Schmidt, Alvin J. Fraternal Organizations Westport, CT; Greenwood Press p. 347
  7. ↑ Axelrod p. 251
  8. ↑ "The Swedish-American of the year (Information about the Vasa Order of America)". Archived from the original on 2008-09-22. Retrieved 2010-10-16.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.