Countdown to Convention: 13 Days Left

There's just under two weeks left until things kick off at Sons of Norway's 60th Biennial International Convention. On Wednesday, August 27th, delegates from all eight districts in the U.S., Canada and Norway will gather together for the opening ceremonies that will kick off 4 days of fun and excitement!

In the meantime, all delegates should have received their Convention Report Books by now and we hope you will take some time to familiarize yourself with its contents. In addition to all the financial and membership information, there's a lot of other important stuff to take in, and we'd like to point out a few areas to pay special attention to.

1. Agenda: The agenda, on page 2, is probably one of the first things a delegate should read. It provides an outline of the meetings and special events for delegates, with room assignments and start-times. Participation is important, so give the agenda a red-through to find out where all the excitement is happening during the convention.
   
   
2. Reports Section: This section, found on pages 8-39, contains the reports from our International President, Ted Fosberg, as well as our CEO, John Lund, and the rest of Sons of Norway's Senior Staff. The information has been broken down by department to make specific information easier to find. Take some time to read through this section and learn about the various departments at Sons of Norway have been doing over the last biennium and what their new plans are for the future.
   
   
3. 2006 Action Items: At the last convention, in Vancouver B.C., there were a number of resolutions passed on issues ranging from our mission statement to the reports of some departments. The Action Items section of this year's report book, found on page 84, review the status of these resolution and provide an update for delegates and our International Board of Directors.
   
   
4. Proposed Law Changes: Since the proposals of this section have a direct bearing on our Charter and Constitution, which is the foundation of our beloved organization, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with this information, which can be found on page 91.
   
   
5. Proposed Resolutions: On page 105 you'll find all the resolutions that will be discussed and voted on during the convention. It's important for a couple of reasons to read this section prior to your arrival.
   
   First, it gives you the opportunity to think about how you feel about a particular resolution, good or bad, and develop your arguments for or against it. Remember, at the convention each resolution will be given time for discussion where you can speak your thoughts and provide your arguments for or against said resolution.
   
   Second, by reading the resolutions well in advance you will have time to discuss them with other members in your lodge, and maybe even others in your district. This is paramount, because when you cast your vote, it will have an effect on both your lodge, your district and the people in them who you are representing.
   

If you have any questions about your report book, or any section within it, do not hesitate to contact the Sons of Norway headquarters for clarification. Call us at (800) 945-8851 and we'll be happy to help you in any way we can.

Also, don't forget that the convention is more than just business meetings and resolutions. There's going to be a lot of fun events to enjoy also. For example, in the evening on Thursday, August 28th, there will be a recruiter reception open to all attendees or guests who have recruited a new member between the dates of June 28th and August 28th, 2008. It's going to be an exciting event for everyone who comes and there will be more information posted here in the coming days about it. But until then, you can learn more about it by reading the invitation on the inside front cover of your convention report book.

Well, that's all for now, but be sure to keep checking back for more information about the convention as well as some some interesting articles on other topics related to Sons of Norway!