The Swedish American Heritage Society of West Michigan was founded to preserve, foster and perpetuate traditional customs and culture of our Swedish heritage, as well as that of other Scandinavians.
If you are of Swedish heritage, or the spouse of same… or if you simply have a sincere interest in Swedish or Scandinavian heritage, you are invited to join us!
Make a donation to SAHS!
Note: PayPal accepts all major credit cards, debit cards, money from a PayPal balance, and PayPal Credit. You can also send a check to us at 29 Pearl St. NW, Suite 127, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. SAHS is a 501(c)3 organization, so your donations are tax deductible.
Doris & Clarence Anderson Memorial Scholarship Applications are now open
Once again, SAHS is sponsoring our annual Lucia scholarship competition. The Doris & Clarence Anderson Memorial Scholarship is in memory of two of our organization’s founding members. Doris and Clarence were involved in almost every activity that our organization undertook. Doris was an especially integral part in our annual Lucia celebration. Among Doris’ many achievements was her selection many years ago as Chicago’s first Lucia.
The Scholarship Committee will award $500 each to a high school senior girl and senior boy who have been participants in our local Lucia pageant. Additionally, each applicant must be either the child or grandchild of a member of SAHS/WM. Applications can be downloaded here (PDF) and are due Nov. 25. We look forward to announcing the winners of this annual competition in December.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Swedish Reading Club: The Colony (Stacken) by Annika Norlin
7 PM
Winner of the Vi Literature Award and Swedish Radio’s Novel Prize, two of Sweden’s biggest literary awards, The Colony is a gripping portrayal of contemporary society and its alternatives.
“A disturbing, engrossing portrait of a tiny community living beyond society.”
—Joumana Khatib, The New York Times Book Review
“Norlin’s writing (as translated by Olsson) is clever and incisive, poking fun at modern society and the woodland community in equal measure… Ultimately, this is a treatise on humanity, on the things people need and the power and frailty of human connection. This is a novel that will stick with you.”
—Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
Visit the Upcoming Events page for more info and how to join.