Vasa Order of America

Vasa Order of America is a Swedish-American fraternal, cultural and educational organization. The organization seeks to benefit its members by means of the networking associations throughout the world affiliated with sharing Swedish and Scandinavian culture and heritage.

Philosophy

The objects and purposes of the corporation shall be to render aid and assistance to sick members of the organization, whether such sickness be temporary or incurable, and to render pecuniary aid toward defraying the funeral expense of members, and to promote social and intellectual interaction among its members.

History

Vasa Order of America was founded 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]

Organization

The Vasa Order comprises the Grand Lodge, 19 District Lodges, and nearly 300 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.

The Vasa Order of America (VOA) and it's subordinate lodges are a 501(c)8.

The Vasa National Archives (VNA) is a subsidiary organization and is a 501(c)3. The Vasa National Archives is supported through the VOA members assessments.

Local Lodges

Each of the local lodges are managed and maintained at the local level with 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.

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]

Membership

Membership requirements have changed over the years. Originally open to men age 15-50. In 1923 membership was open to white 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 Applications are available at VasaOrderofAmerica.org and the website lists the Districts and Local Lodges in the USA, Canada and Sweden.

Benefits

Old Age Benefit

Old Age Benefit Fund (OAB) for members.

Scholarships

At the Grand Lodge, District Lodge and Local Lodge levels you will find scholarship opportunities for higher education, Foreign Exchange (Sweden only), Language camps, Swedish camps and Elder camp.

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 is to be a member for at least one year prior before applying for the scholarship.

Vasa Star

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

Vasa National Archives

With each membership, the member is automatically a member of the Vasa National Archives.

Official Publication

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.

Programs

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]

Vasa National Archives

Located in Bishop Hill, Ill., 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.

For hours and to make an appointment to visit the Archives, call 307-927-3898. The Vasa National Archives President position is held by the outgoing Grand Lodge District Master for a term of four-years.

The Vasa National Archives is a 501(c)8 and it's parent organization the Vasa Order of America is a 501(c)3.

Vasa Park/Vasa Park Association

Throughout the USA you will find Vasa Parks that host Swedish events. Some of the Vasa Parks are leased out for public events.

Clubs and Groups

Scandinavian Celebrities and Music

Sweden

References

  1. ↑ Vasa Order of America 100 Years (nordicway.com website) retrieved February 5, 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, inc 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. ↑ About The Swedish-American of the year (Information about the Vasa Order of America)

Further reading

External links

Other Swedish American Organizations USA and Abroad