alive and well

I'm responding to the article "Swedish-Finn society leaves" and the comments about Ballard not keeping up its status as a Nordic center.

Reporters love "Ain't it awful?" articles because they get more attention than "Ain't it great?" articles. But this "news" ignores some important information.

Ballard's Leif Erikson Lodge remains the largest of the 400 Sons of Norway lodges around the world. Its Kaffe Stua caf/ is filled to capacity every weekday and the lodge recently held a bazaar where they took in $20,000.

Ballard's brand new Leif Erikson Plaza at Shilshole is the setting for rune stones carrying the names of Scandinavian immigrants. Family groups travel from all parts of the United States to see them.

Ballard's Nordic Heritage Museum has purchased property on Market Street and is in a fundraising drive for a first-class museum. At their recent auction, they took in a record-setting $200,000.

Two Ballard authors wrote recent Arcadia books about Scandinavians, Swedish Seattle and Norwegian Seattle.

The Swedish-Finn Historical Society is moving to the Swedish Cultural Center on the east side of Queen Anne Hill, (some consider it a suburb of Ballard) but this is a temporary move. The museum is making plans for groups such as the Swedish Finns to have space in the new building. Communities evolve and everything is different than it was in the 1930s and 40s. Let's stop wringing our hands. Nordic heritage is alive and well in Ballard.

Kristine Leander

Cultural Director

Swedish Cultural Center