IODE awards scholarships 
Fourteen students receive support

Auther: Vicky Isliefson, Jon Sigurdsson Chapter, IODE

On Sunday, October 26, 2025, the Jon Sigurdson Chapter IODE awarded fourteen scholarships worth $1,000 each to deserving postsecondary students. The Scholarship Awards reception was held at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre with 39 people in attendance, including the students, their family members and guests, and chapter members. The event featured two guest speakers and two musical performers, all scholarship recipients. Refreshments were served by members of the chapter.

The first guest speaker was Cecilia Sif Thompson, the Eugene and Rose Clyde Scholarship recipient, who spoke about her research project into teaching art, including a slide show of the project. The second speaker was Desiree Penner, the Margret J. Benedictson Scholarship recipient, who spoke about her work at Genesis House, a domestic violence shelter. She also shared an original poem.

Our first musical performance was by Tyrsa Friesen on violin, accompanied by Darryl Friesen, performing the Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216, 1. Allegro by W.A. Mozart. Tyrsa is the Kristin and Albert Stephensen Music Scholarship recipient. The second performance was by Gordon Plant, who played piano and sang excerpts from his original musical, Making Music. Gordon received the Anna Skaptason Memorial Music Scholarship.

Each year, the scholarships are awarded to students who have graduated from a Manitoba high school. The requirements for each scholarship vary, and the application form becomes available in mid-April with the deadline to be determined.

Prior to the presentation of scholarships at the event, we were pleased to complete our chapter’s project for the IODE’s 125th anniversary by presenting children’s books, collected and donated by our members, to Robyn Burnet, executive director of Day Nursery Centre, for distribution to the children who attend four Winnipeg inner-city daycare centres. The books were accompanied by 125 beautifully hand-sewn book bags made by member Natalie Denesovych and her Trinity Sew-and-Sews quilting group. More than 250 books were collected so that each child could receive at least two books. In addition, a box of new books was donated by children’s author Nicole Petroski of Purple Tuesday Press. Member Laureen Brandson made the presentation.

Application forms are available at iodejs.blogspot.com