14 January 2026 Heritage meeting Master of Ceremonies, Bjørg Mapstone, handing over the gavel to our newly elected President, Mark Wedo.

Hello friends, 

I, Mark Wedo, am honored to serve as your new president of Fjellheim Sons of Norway Lodge. This community has always been a place where culture, tradition, and connections thrive, and I’m committed to building on that legacy. Together, we’ll celebrate our heritage, welcome new voices, and create opportunities for everyone to feel at home. I look forward to learning from each of you and working side by side to make our shared vision a reality.

Just a little about me. I grew up on a small farm in Northeast Iowa in a traditional Norwegian family, where there was plenty to do. Of course, we all had to learn how to make lefse, go to church, and, yes, finish eating the lutefisk on our plates. After high school, I decided to join the United States Air Force to serve my country, and I spent 24 years traveling around the world. The military was good to my family and me, and it paid for my bachelor’s, master’s, and MBA degrees. After the military, I became a defense contractor, doing the same work I did there—working on deep-space satellites.   I’ve been very fortunate and honored to be married for 48 years to my wonderful wife Cathy, whom many of you have come to know. We have two boys: Nicholas, who is married and has two wonderful children living here in Colorado Springs, and Christopher, my youngest son, who is married and lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with five wonderful children.   As your new President, I will do my best and encourage your ideas for celebrating our traditions and culture. One of my goals is to discover new and creative ways to involve more of our members in small but meaningful ways. We will continue holding our Heritage meetings, making lefse, and hosting many other special events and dinners.   I’m excited for the year ahead and look forward to talking with each of you. I appreciate the support from so many of our members, and I want to thank and recognize the numerous volunteers who make this organization what it is today.   Finally, I want to thank Terry Mapstone for his leadership as our past President and for his mentorship to me over the past two years. I look forward to seeing more of you at our special dinners and events and to a fantastic 2026.   ~Mark Wedo