Volunteers at Lyngblomsten’s State Fair dining hall gather for a photo, circa 1920.

By Mara Gawarecki

When the founders of Lyngblomsten selected the building site in Como Park, they little knew how important its closeness to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds would be.

In those early days, members of Lyngblomsten’s branches raised funds through various means. One of the more ambitious undertakings was running a dining hall at the State Fair. Some years were more successful than others. In the first year of the project, possibly 1910, the women of the St. Paul branches bought kitchen equipment and rented space in the Deer Webber Building. Cold, damp weather kept many away from the fair that year, but the chilly temperatures increased demand for the hot waffles the ladies sold. Even the governor at the time visited with his family.

“The waffle irons were hot all day long, but still the women could not supply the demand. … Whoever had the longest fork and reach, snatched the waffles from the iron almost before they were done”. (p. 18, Lyngblomsten Thirtieth Anniversary Souvenir Book)

Despite their best efforts, the profit that year was only $9.12 (about $300 today). What really mattered was their hard-won experience, which they put to use over future years to greater success. “It was always a strenuous undertaking, especially for the leaders, and the effort was equally great no matter what the proceeds resulted.”

Eventually, branch members turned their attention to other, somewhat less labor-intensive methods of fundraising. In 1924, they rented out the kitchen equipment for $100 ($1,971.31 today) during the State Fair rather than staffing a dining hall. By 1933, when the Thirtieth Anniversary Booklet was published, they had ceased operations at the fairgrounds and sold the equipment for a good profit.

Starting at some point in the late 1980s, Lyngblomsten volunteers staffed a lefse booth near the fairgrounds’ eastern entrance on the former Sholom Home property. Customers could top their lefse, a traditional Norwegian potato flatbread, with butter and sugar and buy take-home packages. The booth regularly sold out of its 500 (or more) rounds of lefse, and the fundraising event continued until 2001.

In recent years, and for at least three decades, residents from the Lyngblomsten Care Center have made an annual pilgrimage to the Great Minnesota Get-Together two and a half blocks away. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers and staff, they can enjoy the delights of the fair—from fried foods to farm animals—on opening day. Each resident requires an aide to accompany them, making it one of the more volunteer-intensive activities of the year. If you’re interested in helping with this year’s fair outing on August 27, please call (651) 632-5464 or email volunteer@lyngblomsten.org.

Residents of the Lyngblomsten Apartments put their own spin on State Fair attractions, like these chocolate chip cookies from “Sweet Helen.”

For those who remain on campus, fair-themed parties are usually held complete with all the typical refreshments and activities. Last year, residents of the Lyngblomsten Apartments even made their own spin on Sweet Martha’s popular cookie booth.

It’s true that Lyngblomsten at Como Park’s proximity to the state fairgrounds makes parking difficult for guests and staff at the end of summer.  But the joy it’s brought and continues to bring residents outshines the inconvenience.