Countdown to Convention: 9 Days Left

There's just over a week left until the 60th Biennial Sons of Norway International Convention gets underway. This year there will be Breakout Sessions offered to all delegates, guests and other attendees. We had a great experience with them in Vancouver, back in 2006, that we decided to bring them back again. They will be held on the afternoon of Thursday, August 28th and the format will be the same as last time--Eight total sessions in four time slots, allowing attendees to choose from two different sessions during each time slot. The schedule is as follows:

Time: 1-1:45 p.m.
Option A: Investing in Our Future: Youth Programming
Option B: Lodge Resources Booklet

Time: 1:45-2:30 p.m.
Option A: Technology Resources for Lodge Programming
Option B: Brainstorming Session 1: Lodge Programming Ideas

Time: 3-3:45 p.m.
Option A: Planning a Successful New Membership Dinner
Option B: Brainstorming Session 2: Lodge Fund Raising Ideas

Time: 3:45-4:25 p.m.
Option A: Norwegian Genealogy Today: Great Progress Through Technology
Option B: Successful Programming Through Foundation Funding

If you haven't already, it's probably time to think about which of the Breakout Sessions you want to attend on Thursday afternoon. To help you make your decision, please take a look at the descriptions of the various sessions below:

Investing in Our Future: Youth Programming
In this session attendees will explore an assortment of programs designed specifically for Sons of Norway lodges who wish to develop youth programs. The session will be moderated by International Vice President, Dan Rude.

Lodge Resources Booklet
Learn about the newest lodge tool from Sons of Norway. The session, lead by Sons of Norway Headquarters staff Erik Evans and Nichole Neuman, will unveil the Sons of Norway Resources Booklet that lists and describes all of the resources available to lodges for programming.

Technology Resources for Lodge Programming
The Technology Resources session will be moderated by Sons of Norway IT Director, Rachele Hockert and staffer Erik Evans. Here, attendees will learn about all the existing and new programming resources available from www.sonsofnorway.com. Topics will include downloadable offerings, the Sons of Norway Blog and the new message board available to members.

Brainstorming Session 1: Lodge Programming Ideas
This brainstorming session, lead by Jon Tehven, will be an idea-generating discussion for members. During the session, everyone will have the opportunity to share ideas and success stories about their experiences with lodge programming.

Planning a Successful New Membership Dinner
Here, Director of Agencies Leonard Carlson will lead a panel discussion on New Membership Dinners. He and his panel will discuss the benefits of working with FBC's to plan the event and how much success other lodges have experienced through this program.

Brainstorming Session 2: Lodge Fund Raising Ideas
During this session District 6 President, Janie Kelly, will lead a brainstorming discussion on issues related to lodge fund raising. She will have a panel of speakers on hand to discuss their success, but will also be asking attendees to share their experiences, good and bad, as well.

Norwegian Genealogy Today: Great Progress Through Technology
In the past, conducting genealogical research as a lodge program has been a time consuming effort. This session explores the numerous time-saving tech tools available to lodge genealog programs, including online databases and the Sons of Norway genealogy programs.

Successful Programming Through Foundation Funding
Because participation in Foundation-related programming can strengthen your lodge and help recruit new members, Foundation Director Cindy Olson will lead a discussion on all the available resources from the Sons of Norway Foundation. This session will illustrate the potential for success through a discussion and presentation.