The Young Scandinavians Club was founded in 1950 by Arnold Rolkert, Gunnar Engen, Carlo Hojsgaard, Peter Larsen Bernard and Ulla Lindberg.
The Young Scandinavians Club, or YSC for short, is a social club for Scandinavian and Scandinavian-American individuals and families of all ages in the San Francisco Bay Area. Events take place throughout Northern California. Members have access to club-owned cabins in Clear Lake and Lake Tahoe, while social and cultural events take place year round in and near San Francisco.
OUR HISTORY
1950
On August 19, 1950, Arnold Rolkert gathered a group of friends together including Gunnar Engen, Carlo Hojsgaard, Peter Larsen Bernard, and Ulla Lindberg tto form what they called The Young Scandinavians Club of San Francisco. Thirty members attended the club’s first general meeting the following January, and Arnold became its first president. The name was later changed to simply The Young Scandinavians Club.
1960
YSC incorporated as a nonprofit organization; 10th anniversary banquet at Canterbury Hotel (anniversaries celebrated every 5 years since); first ski cabin rented at Lake Tahoe.
1961
Lisa Gille (now Wiborg) begins four-year reign as president. She later serves another year. Started renting current Clear Lake cabin.
1963
Clear Lake property acquired for $28,000 – $10,000 down and $200/month for 10 years. 40 members take group flight to Scandinavia.
1964
Cabin Manager and Activities Director positions elevated to Executive Committee status.
1966
Members make major improvements to Clear Lake property, including septic tank, parking area, and leach field.
1967
New bathrooms constructed at Clear Lake cabin. Executive Committee status.
1974
Clear Lake loan paid off. The cabin and it’s 3/4 acre lot is ours.
1976
New pier built at Clear Lake.
1980
New floating dock at Clear Lake.
1979-1981
Formed CL Task Force to rebuild cabin. Produced architectural plans and received bids from contractors for 2-story building, cost $135 to $160K. Plans were dropped due to an existing building moratorium and resulting permit problems. It was decided to renovate instead.
1981-1982
Major renovations on Clear Lake cabin, with member Inge Sullivan as key contractor. Total cost $80,000. (Plumbing connections for two shower stalls and a toilet were installed in the men’s dressing room)
1986
New floating docks with new steel pilings and sea wall reconstruction at Clear Lake.
1993
Tahoe cabin purchased for $190,000.
1996-1999
A Bathroom Subcommittee was charged with expanding and remodeling the bathrooms at CL. After ten different design schemes construction drawings were submitted for bidding. The plans incorporated a separate new structure complete with handicapped access and resistant to periodic flooding. At a cost of $106,000 it was decided that we might as well build a whole new cabin. Preliminary drawings for a 2-story structure were made for a presentation at our 50th anniversary. The Bathroom Subcommittee was disbanded in 1999.
1997
Andrew Vik, 24, becomes youngest president in YSC history. Changes made to the bylaws to include Tahoe Cabin Manager on the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees at six full members (formerly five plus an alternate)
2000
YSC celebrates it’s 50th anniversary with a grand party at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. Guest of honor: Arnold Rolkert – the first president, flies in from Sweden and delivers this speech.
2003
Clear Lake – Replaced 21 year old Ski Supreme with a brand new Moomba ski boat.
2007
Bathrooms finally remodeled according to 1982 scheme – move wall to add a toilet and a shower from men’s to women’s room, and installing two showers in men’s room using existing plumbing. Purchase new gas stove, an electric double oven and a refrigerator for the pantry.
2014
Tahoe Cabin – After a strong fundraising drive by the Tahoe committee, the John Rollings Memorial Sauna is inaugurated in November this year.
2015
In September, YSC celebrates its 65th Anniversary with a grand black-tie party at the Maritime Museum in San Francisco.
2017
Clear Lake – After several dry years with many wildfires around the lake it is finally raining again. The Clear Lake cabin is again flooded with a foot of water on throughout the cabin.
2019
With six consecutive years, Peter Nordström becomes the longest serving president of the YSC to date.
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the YSC, (together with most of the world), has to freeze all operations and close our cabins.