During the recent Ballard Open House, we met two fine residents.

Meet Elizabeth Thatcher. If you travel down Market Street in Ballard (and who doesn't?) you likely will see this smiling lady pushing her newspaper delivery cart delivering free copies of the Coffee News to businesses down main street.

You won't find the latest news about crime or condo growth but if you are in a cafe that serves coffee you may see it and laugh at the trivia. It comes out once a week and Elizabeth does it mostly because she just loves meeting people and her winning smile makes a lot of friends.

Then there was this gentleman.

Meet Russ Oberg. This smiling guy is president of the Ballard Sons of Norway and a personable purveyor of insurance and long-term care financial planning. His organization has over 80,000 members worldwide but Russ just presides over the local branch of about 1,600 members.

He is not really 100 percent Norwegian. His dad was a burly Swedish born logger-fisherman living on the Olympic Peninsula and married a Norwegian beauty, which makes Russ half and half.

The Sons of Norway generously forgave the slight imperfection.

Jerry Robinson may be reached at publisher@robinsonnsews.com