It got the great honor of having an idyllic childhood in Decorah, Iowa. When I was in the third grade, a letter came home after I went to a tryout at John Cline School. I'd been selected for the new group of Nordic Dancers.
Although this sounded neat, I had absolutely no idea what it really meant at the time. I got to be part of a group that only started every five years (and stayed involved for ten years). Only a small portion of my classmates got to be involved. Then the really big moment happened. After reading the letter, my dad cried.
What was this? Dad's don't cry. At least mine never had that I could recall.
Ever the book worm, I mentioned my bewilderment at this to a family friend while spending time at the Decorah Public Library. The friend's jaw dropped to the floor.
When the friend exclaimed "Don't you know your dad helped create Nordic Fest?" I knew it was time to ask some questions at home.
I confronted my father, the late Gary D. Svenson. I wanted to know why I had to find out about an important part of family history from a friend at the library.
His response?
"I couldn't just tell you that. That would be bragging!"
Dad's humble attitude about being, as he called it "in the right place at the right time" inspired me to ask many questions over the years about how he got wrapped up in his work, as the above Decorah Newspapers photo caption states. It absolutely inspired me to take on the volunteer Nordic Fest 50 project.
Most importantly, Dad's attitude illustrates the beautiful spirit of the people of Decorah whose tireless energy, careful planning and endless commitment have made Nordic Fest thrive over five decades.
I look forward to sharing more of their stories in future blog posts.
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