April 7, 2006
Susan Stephenson
DATE ICC-Q ESTABLISHED:
In the archives of the ICC-Q there are papers and membership lists indicating earlier clubs, as follows:
The Icelandic Canadian Club of Montreal 1976 – 1977
The president was Irvine Christjanson and the past president was Evelyn Thorvaldson. There were 26 names on the list of members. Three names on it are current members in the ICC-Q - Örn Arnason, Edda GunnarsdóttirRowland, and Bernice Oddson Kinnon.
There was a ‘Thorrablot’ held February 19, 1976.
In 1976 receipts for donations made include:
$25 to the Department of Icelandic, University of Manitoba
$166 to the Lögberg-Heimskringla
$77 to Betel Home Foundation, Gimli
On the receipt for the latter is written acharming note: “kept in reserve to be used for a wine and cheese party for the residents on Valentine’s Day”.
Kvíbekksklúbburinníslendinga 1979 – 1980.
There are 26 names indicated on the 1980 membership list, of which Malcolm Olafson, Edda Gunnarsdóttir Rowland and Börkur Bergmann are current members (2006).
The Icelandic Canadian Club of Quebec/Club Island-Canadien du Québec was founded in 1998 following the chance encounter of Susan Stephenson and David Franklin. Susan was parallel parking her car and as she then looked at the car parked ahead of her, she was surprised to see an ‘IS’ bumper sticker. Delighted at the rare chance of finding a fellow Icelandic Canadian, she left a note on the car windshield with her phone number and, a few days later, David called. They met at his law offices - Susan brought a freshly baked vinarterta! David declared himself to be a ‘friend of Iceland’ and mused that if there was one like Susan (!) there had to be others.
FIRST ICC-Q EXECUTIVE:
David called a meeting at Wilbur Jónsson´s home, and 9 persons of Icelandic descent attended. At the meeting, David announced the formation of a club, the club name was chosen and he then distributed club responsibilities – David: President, Susan: Vice-president, Ástvaldur Léo Sigurbergsson: Treasurer and Johanna Blondal: Secretary.
Salome Árnbjörnsdóttir Davidson reports that there was an association of people living in the Montreal region (including a number of Icelandic pilots) that would socialize together at this same time as well as prior to 1998. Many of those have since returned to Iceland. David tried to integrate those remaining in the newly formed ICC-Q, but only some were interest in a club format. The most notable activities from this time were the ’Thorrablot Café’ - held in the lovely penthouse suite above David’s offices. David’s quarterly newsletters shared information regarding events happening in our city of interest to ‘Iceland-ophiles’ and announced club meetings at which were introduced interesting visitors such as Svavar Gestsson.