Membership

The Independent Order of Vikings membership supports the social needs of you and your family, and provides opportunities for you to participate in the cultural, charitable and scholarship activities across the Order. IOV Members are eligible to purchase financial products through our parent organization, GBU Life.

New members are accepted through local Subordinate Lodges in seven states; check with your local lodge (listed below) about benefits for Adult and Junior members! National dues are only $15 annually which is collected with (in addition to) local membership dues at the subordinate lodge.

As a member of the IOV you will receive our quarterly newsletter, the Viking Journal. Published since 1899 the Journal is designed to inform its readers of lodge activities, Scandinavian Language Camp and Scholarship opportunities, and more! You will also receive The Reporter, a publication of GBU Life, on a quarterly basis. 

Many activities are held for active members of local lodges including: themed dinners and parties; holding Scandinavian instruction dances; smorgasbords; herring breakfast; junior clubs; bowling; golf; boating; initiation and drill teams, etc. We would love to list all of the activities, but each Lodge has its own unique schedule.

Sound interesting?  Please contact one of our local lodges listed below to learn more!

ILLINOIS:

  • Baltic Star #112  – Rockford, IL (Rosa Lee McCartney, Chief, 779-771-3020)
  • Drake #3 – Chicago, IL (Gene Sims, Chief, 773-983-4215)   
  • Ellida #25- Rockford, IL  (Faye Knutson, 815-988-6982)
  • Harald #13 – Tinley Park, IL (Larry Nichols, Chief, 708-986-4674)
  • Mimer #33 – Geneva, IL (Roger Rock, Chief, 630-715-6549)
  • Ring #18- Batavia, IL (Louie Lee, Chief, 630-761-9131; Membership – Mark Larson, pumpman900@gmail.com) 
  • Thor #9 – Moline, IL (John Keim, Chief, 309-737-0782) 

MASSACHUSETTS:

  • Edmund #91 – Haverhill, MA  (Jennifer Thissell, Chief, 978-380-0410) 
  • Gripsholm #83 – Lynn, MA (Barbara Davis, Chief, 781-598-2044; Membership – Carla Horton, 781-233-2789 or carlarabbits@comcast.net)
  • Stenkil #92 – Braintree, MA (James McRae, Chief,  781-293-4120) 

MICHIGAN:

  • Linne #57 –  Muskegon, MI (Shawn Perry, Chief, 231-7551892)

NEBRASKA:

  • Orvar Odd #24 – Elkhorn, NE (Sandy Olsen, Chief, 402-740-4159)   

NEW YORK: 

  • Ingjald #65 – Jamestown, NY (Tera Darts, Chief; contact Lodge Manager, 716-665-2457)   

OREGON: 

  • Skandia #68 – Portland, OR (Bruce Tolonen, Chief, bdtolonen@gmail.com)

WISCONSIN:    

  • Sigurd #30 – Kenosha, WI  (Jack Yule, Chief, 262-620-9390)