Church ready for guests!
Val, Bonnie & Shelley pose for a photo before the big event begins.
Church Basement Sisters pose for a photo before the event begins. Aprons they are wearing were sent by Val's friend Cindy. Hats from Aunt Ardella's collection.
Church ladies getting the Ladies Aid Lunch ready!
Beautiful flowers made for the Social by Shelley using Bonnie's zinnas along with wildflowers from the ditch & even a little dill from the garden! So Pretty!
Egg Coffee Crew - Sandee Michalenko (lives in Inez & Walter's house), Clara Hauck (good friend of Bonnie's who lives north of Bergen) and Rhoda Hagen (friend of Vals).
Val, Kevin, Jim and Rhoda making their way from the "Egg Coffee" preparation site to the church. Hey Egg Coffee!
History Display prepared by Val. History of Bergen, the Lars Helstedt family & Nils Olson Family.
Church Basement Sisters Shelley & Val!
Ladies Aid Cake Menu
Ladies Aid Lunch - Ham Salad (Dead spread) on buns, red jello (with & without whipped cream & bananas), assorted Ladies Aid Cakes, lemondaid & egg coffee!
The Helstedts arrive for the Social!
"Frumpy" Church Lady Val!
Merle Holte & Uncle Robert visiting
Kevin visiting with Larry Schatz, rural Bergen resident. Larry got in the spirit of the day & dressed in his Sunday best overalls complete with a tie!
Cousin Barb, Uncle Robert & Ardella viewing comments left by those attending the social.
Cousin Barg in her lovely church social hat, dress and special occasion gloves! Lovely!
Val & Kevin's good friends Cindy & Jerry from Bemidji, MN could not make the trip so sent themselves "on sticks" to the Social! What fun!
Shelley takes a break outside by an arrangement of flowers she made.
Lauren Larson & Curt
Val's friends Laura & Todd came all the way from Williston!
Val with good friends Denise & Laura whom she met in college and Denise's mom Jean on far right.
Shelley & Barb looking lovely in their church social attire!
Beverly & Warren Helstedt. Were married in the Bergen Church 61 years ago!
Crowd gets ready for the program.
Val with good friends Judy, Cindy & Alesha!
Alesha Schatz Keller & her mother Dorothy Schatz. Rural Bergen residents.
Bonnie & Curt! So glad Dad came to the social!
Elton Frantsen, Bonnie & Mavis Bergstad. All attended Sunday School together at the Bergen Church.
Bonnie & Mavis, Bergen High Classmates, visiting outside the church.
Bonnie & good friend Clara Hauck.
Robert & Ardella. Aunt Ardella wore a dress that belonged to her Grandmother Minnie Hoechst from rural Bergen (about 1920-1925).
Barb, Robert & Ardella! So fun to have Barb come for the social!
Mother & Daughter!
Val & Co-Workers at VEC
Val, Shelley & Curt gather round the piano for a photo with the official church social musician Bonnie.
Attentive crowd during program.
Attentive Crowd!
Organist/pianist Bonnie who played at the Bergen Church several years ago too!
Shelley with Lauren & Mavis Larson
Church Lady Bonnie!
Hats!!!
Larry Schatz, Mavis Bergstad, Bonnie, Merle & Donna Holte
Dawn, Beth & Virgina Feist representing the Nils Olson Family!
Shelley & childhood freind Melinda. MIndy came with her mom.
Robert & Ardella are ready for the social.
Bonnie with the official church sign.
The outdoor set up. Note the "VIP" (Very Important Porta-potty).
Kevin by the beverage table.
Cousins!
The "stick people" (Cindy & Jerry) oversee the Guest Book.
Beverly & Warren are excited to be in the church again.
Very hard workers Val & Kevin!
Shelley, Curt & Val pose for an official photo. (Could a father be prouder of what his daughter's have done?)
Relatives Helga (Hammer) Haga & daughter Zondra Haga Thompson. Just happened to see the church was open! Welcome!
Shelley got her dress (years ago) from Mabel Olson! Here they are together!
The "stick people" reunited with good friends!
Feists Unite!
Clara and Curt are ready for the program!
Val had everyone's attention during the program -- she did a terrific job!
Our fabulous hostesses!
Beth & Kevin (notice Beth's red gloves!)
Father & daughter!
Enjoying the lunch -- look at the great hats!
Beverly and Shelley enjoy the egg coffee.
The Velva Women's Club sporting their finery!
Shelley and Barb with a "top hat" view. Barb's hat was Great Aunt Fern's! She would have been proud that it made an appearance at the Bergen Church!
Shelley shows off her hand-crocheted gloves!
Enjoy these photos taken at the Church Social held Sunday, August 24th at the Bergen Swedish Elim Lutheran Church. The event was hosted by the "Church Basement Sisters" Val and Shelley with the help of their amazing & most patient partner Kevin. There were hours of preparation for this event & many volunteers who helped make it possible. It was a most enjoyable day & we have had so many tell us it was such a wonderful event and meant so much to them. Thanks to our mom for playing the piano & making cakes! To mom and dad for helping make the ham salad (dad got to use a meat grinder so was very excited), to cousin Barb for her enthusiasm and her duties as the official photographer and to Kevin for hauling tables & chairs, mowing, and being so supportive of our "ideas". It was a memorable day & we wish all of you could have been there!
