The inaugural meeting of Helgi Magri was held here at 622 Ross St. in Winnipeg.
Hannes S. Blöndal was the club secretary while living in Winnipeg.
Ólafur S. Þorgeirsson took the initiative to establish a new Icelandic association in Winnipeg in 1902. In the association’s meeting book, its secretary, Hannes S. Blöndal wrote of the outline of the founding of the association: “It was on Gvöndardag, March 16, 1902, that several people gathered in J. G. Thorgeirsson’s house at 622 Ross St. in Winnipeg following a challenge from Ólafur S. Þorgeirsson in order to establish a society with him. A meeting was held there and O. S. Thorgeirsson was elected chairman of the meeting. He explained the topic to the participants in a way that had occurred to him, to try to establish a kind of “Club”, where people could come together for fun, but the main goal was to support the maintenance of the Icelandic language and promote patriotism with Western Icelanders. He also stated that it had occurred to him that it would be more prudent to tie the conditions of admission of members of this Club to a single district in Iceland, which he considered to be a greater guarantee that the Club would last a lifetime, rather than it becoming one Icelandic association. He put forward a proposal for this society, which follows: “The club shall be called ”Helgi Magri” and only those who are born in Eyjafjarðarsýsla and have lived there for about 10 years shall have the right to enter. However, this can be changed, if someone Icelandic is deserving in some way of being admitted to the Club and their admission is approved unanimously. He shall be called “Haukur Helgi Magria”. After one year, “Haukur” will have rights with other members, but can never become president of the Club”. After some discussion on the matter, the participants agreed to the proposal and a committee was then elected in the matter to draft a bill for the Club, and received a vote: O. S. Thorgeirsson, Albert Jónsson and Hannes S. Blöndal. It was then agreed to reconvene when the bill for the law was ready – discuss it then and approve. ” At the next meeting, the law was presented and approved. They sound like this:
1: The club shall be called Helgi Magri. (Helgi Magri was a viking settler in Eyjafjarðarsýsla.
2: The purpose shall be to strengthen and support the maintenance of the Icelandic language and therefore of the Icelandic nationality that is worth maintaining, as well as that it should be for entertainment and development for the members.
3. No one can become a member of the Club unless they were born in Eyjafjarðarsýsla and have lived there for 10 years and then their descendants in this country. However, Kl. [Club] can deviate from the rule in the circumstances that the person applying for membership has done the Club a favor in some way or is likely to become a member of the development team and applies for membership in the club. He shall be called “Haukur Helgi Magri”. He shall have all the rights and benefits of the Club on an equal footing with legitimate members and he has the right to vote after the first year – and he may never become President of the Club. He must always bear the name Haukur.
4. If the Club is dissolved or ceases to exist, assets, if any, shall go to the widow’s fund for drowned sailors by Eyjafjörður.
The law was passed and these officials elected: President Ólafur S. Thorgeirsson, secretary Hannes S. Blöndal, treasurer Albert C. Johnson. There were a total of nine founders. Ólafur was then re-elected president for fifteen years.” (Almanak 1938 pp. 28-30)
English version by Thor group.