Nordmanns Forbundet met for a 80th Anniversary Celebration in Bloomington, MN on Oct 10, 2009.(more).

Skimaking at the Skien & Telemark booth at the 2009 Norsk Høstfest in Minot ND in October was a great success. Tarjei Gjelstad from Morgedal got the idea when he visited Norsk Høstfest in 2008, and he brought with him old tools and materials when he set off for Minot in North Dakota early in the morning on Sept 28.(more).

In Skien and Telemark we are now planning for our visit to Norsk Høstfest in North Dakota in Sept/Oct 2009. We will have our booth in Reykjavik Hall where we will promote Telemark with the canal and many wonderful sceneries, Minot's sister city Skien, Morgedal Ski Adventure, Telemark University College, Telemark Heritage & Genealogy and the war history from Rjukan.
Before coming to Minot we plan to visit Sons of Norway's HQ in Minneapolis, the Henrik Ibsen bust in Como Park in St. Paul and the Henrik Ibsen statue in Wahpeton ND before going to various meetings in Fargo ND and in Bismarck ND.(more).

On RootsWeb you can find large family trees with several thousands names from Tinn and from Gjerpen in Telemark. If you know the names of the people who emigrated from Tinn or Gjerpen in Telemark you can hardly miss finding many more members of their families on RootsWeb.(more).

Orion Samuelson and 40 American farmers came to Telemark on June 24, 2009. The tour was arranged by Juven Tours in Fargo ND. Their first stop in Telemark was Heddal Stave Church at Heddal near Notodden. After Heddal the delegation came to Sauherad and after that to Gjerpen in Skien.(more).

It was planned that the well known investor and hotel-owner Olav Thon should honour the famous skier from Morgedal in Telemark and perform the laying of the wreath on Sondre Norheim's grave in Denbigh ND on Tuesday September 29, 2009. However, very unfortunately, Olav Thon has to cancel his visit to Denbigh and to Minot. The laying of the wreath will now be performed by Charles R. Swartz, a great great grandson of Sondre Norheim.(more).

On May 14th 2009 our friend from Linfield College in Oregon, music professor Joan Haaland Paddock, presented a slide show and gave personal recollections of the Halcyon Trio Oregon's tour to Telemark and Norway in 2007. Joan did the presentation together with Jackie Van Paepeghem and Debra Huddleston at the Grieg Lodge in Couch, Portland. They also presented a "mini" musical program with Joan (trumpet), Debra on piano and Jackie provided vocals.(more).

Participants from Faculty of Arts, Culture and Teacher Education at Telemark University College, Notodden Campus visit Minot State University in Minot ND in May 2009.(more).

Orion Samuelson, this time together with his wife Gloria, is back in Telemark.

Orion Samuelson is a familiar voice and face of the world's agriculture. He is regarded as the most recognizable agriculture figure in the world, and we are very proud of having him as our guest in Telemark in June. Orion and his wife Gloria arrive in Telemark on June 24 together with a delegation of approx. 35 farmers from the U.S.(more).

It is exciting how Minot and Telemark are growing closer and closer.(more).