Our Officers
 President Eric Johansson |  Vice President Bob Johnson | Counsellor Sue Olsen |
 Secretary Barbara Brownworth |  Recording Secretary Barbara Wikoren | Treasurer Elly Supinsky |
 Financial Secretary Thom Brownworth |  Editor Karin Ryan | Webmaster Thom Brownworth |
Want to join our lodge?
Join on-line at the Sons of Norway International website.
Click this link but be sure to join Loyal Lodge 3-252
Our History
Loyal Lodge 252 was founded in 1924 and that means we will be celebrating our 100th anniversary in three years. Here is a brief History of Loyal Lodge.
Loyal Lodge was founded on a Sunday in June 1924. The first few meetings were held in a Mechanics Hall in St. James. Later the meetings were held in Brother Carl Eriksen’s cellar. In the 1930’s the members of Loyal constructed their own hall, built of hollow tile finish with stucco and a wood roof. A mortgage was held by the Sons of Norway Home Office, but later taken over by Brother Carl Eriksen so Loyal would not have to pay interest on the loan.
After completion of the Hall, a Gala Dance was held to celebrate the event. This was the first Hall in St. James of any size and was available to local organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Democrat and Republican Clubs, Masons, and the Boy and Girls Scouts. It was also used as an electoral site for local elections.
Einar Drivdahl originated the Memorial Service in the Presbyterian Church in Smithtown and as President of Loyal expanded the Memorial Service as a yearly function of Zone 2. The Memorial Service continues today as a Zone 1 event and was moved to its current location at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Islip, New York. The construction of St. Mark’s church, financed by the Vanderbilt Family, is a traditional Norwegian Stave Church.
1955 – Loyal President Adler Pedersen held a mortgage burning celebration. In 1961 Loyal President Arne Olsen instituted our Annual Leif Erikson Day Dance.
1963 – Thom Pedersen and the Social Director started the annual Lobster Party, which is still a summertime event. The first Lobster Party was free to all members, but today includes a small fee.
1964 – Loyal President Harry Gabrielsen started the Loyal Newsletter and began the drive for lodge renovation and incorporation. This was the year that Loyal, together with Long Island’s other six lodges, hosted the International Convention.
1967 – Loyal President Ralph Larsen instituted the Drill Tram under the direction of Vice President (Master Sargent) Al Kruse and Karen Stromsten.
1972 – Loyal President Jorgen Fidje instituted Loyal Lodge’s Junior Lodge.
1973 – Loyal President Rolf Ekloff incorporated Norway Hall and its real estate as the Norwegian/American Lodge.
1979 – Loyal President Joseph Reduto started the Lodge Library of books on Norwegian heritage and kicked off the annual Heritage Day.
1981 – Sister Torun Reduto was elected as the first women President of Loyal Lodge.
2003 – Sisters Meredith Johansson and Monica Carlsen start the Little Vikings Club, which meets the fourth Friday of the month at Norway Hall.
2009 – Sisters Monica Carlsen and Meredith Johansson start the Little Vikings Lego Team called the Viking B.Y.T.E.S. (Bright Young Techies Exploring Science)
Since Loyal Lodge started, our members have been active in local, zone, and district levels. Our first Third District Officer was Rolf Ekloff and our first Third District President was Jorgen Fidje in 1986. In 1994, Loyal Lodge hosted the Third District Convention at the Marriott Wind Watch Hotel, Hauppauge, New York.
Annual Loyal Lodge Events
St. James’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in March.
Norwegian Day Parade in Brooklyn, New York in May.
Scandinavian Viking Auction held in September
Lodge Scandinavian Bazaar held in November.
Presidents of Loyal Lodge
| Ole Hammer | 1924-1925 | Rolf Ekolff | 1973-1974 | |
| Carl Eriksen | 1926 | Knute Stokke | 1975-1976 | |
| Haakonsen | 1927-1928 | Joseph Reduto | 1977-1979 | |
| Schoyen | 1929-1930 | Joseph Centineo | 1980 | |
| Helmer Knudsen | 1931-1932 | Torun Reduto | 1981-1982 | |
| Einar Drivdahl | 1933-1936 | Rolf Ekloff | 1983-1984 | |
| Louis Thompsen | 1937-1939 | Frank Woods | 1985-1986 | |
| Harald Nesting | 1940-1941 | Ellen Lyberg | 1987-1988 | |
| John Nilsen | 1942-1943 | Lynn Holm | 1989-1990 | |
| Harry Beckman | 1944-1945 | Odd Vinnelrod | 1991-1992 | |
| Tobias Trygsland | 1946-1948 | Carl Peterson | 1993-1994 | |
| Arthur Knudsen | 1949-1950 | Ester Fidje | 1995-1996 | |
| Fred Starheim | 1951-1952 | Gail Ekloff | 1997-2000 | |
| Adler Pedersen | 1953-1955 | Bill Monsen | 2001-2003 | |
| Hilmar Storetveit | 1956-1957 | Torun Reduto | 2004-2006 | |
| Harry Tobiassen | 1958-1959 | Alf K. Rasmussen | 2007-2010 | |
| Arne Olsen | 1960-1962 | Eric Johansson | 2011-2014 | |
| Thom Pedersen | 1963 | Edd Fleming | 2015-2016 | |
| Harry Gabrielsen | 1964 | Torun Reduto | 2017-2018 | |
| Kaare Ostensen | 1965-1966 | Eric Johansson | 2019-2022 | |
| Ralph Larsen | 1967-1968 | Marty Thomassen | 2023 | |
| Ole Norheim | 1969-1970 | Eric Johansson | 2023- | |
| Jorgen Fidje | 1971-1972 |
Loyal Lodge 252 