Olav Thon cancels visit to Denbigh ND (revised Sept 22)
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).
The Wreath-laying Ceremony starts at 9 am at the Norway Lutheran Church & Cemetery, Denbigh ND. We look forward to meet the Master of Ceremonies, Rev. Luther Hanson and hear the Viking Lur Fanfare by Joan Haaland Paddock & Bob Gustafson.
After the wreath-laying ceremony we meet in the church. The program includes remarks and introduction of Sondre Norheim's descendants by great great grandson of Sondre Norheim, Charles R. Swartz from Port Clinton OH, greetings by the official Leader of Skien Delegation, Skien, Norway, Minot’s Sister City, Greetings and Remarks by Erling Dahl from Telemark County Council, and a summary of the life of Sondre Norheim in North Dakota, by Rolf Haugen, City Attorney, Skien, Norway.
After the meeting in the church we go to a reception in the Norway Lutheran Church Fellowship Room. The reception is hosted by the Espeseth Family, annual hosts since the visit of HH Princess Astrid of Norway in 1983.
In the Telemark Heritage image gallery you find many pictures from previous ceremonies at Denbigh.