WITH VIKING SPIRIT WE CREATE SAFER AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES

The Vikings knew that the opposite of fear was love which they viewed as force that would bring people together and with it overcome any challenges. They believed their life was not random, and that they where born with a predestined life (blueprint) including time of death. The Vikings had a high level of consciousness, which was reflected in all parts of their lives.  With mastering to control their inner world and be free of external negative influences they where able to live life to the fullest banding together young and old together with their beloved animals roaming the earth venturing fearlessly into the unknown as explorers of the world to win the game of life.

Norwegian Viking Leif Erikson who travelled more than a 1000 years ago with his sister Viking warrior Freydis Eiríksdóttir, brave team of 35 Vikings and little army of Forest Cats where to become to the first European to set foot in North America. This was 500 years before Christopher Colombus. Traveling to the New World meant set sail in an open boat to go ALL IN with Viking sprit, with limited food supply into stormy unforgiving oceans not knowing if they would make it back alive .With the trait of being fearless also meant a heart of love.  On his return from his voyage Leif encountered a ship from Iceland sinking in the storm. Putting his life on the line once again he ventured into the storm and saved the men from drowning to bring the them back safely to their families in Iceland.

To honor the Norwegian Viking Leif Erikson and the bold Viking spirit, which means pushing boundaries and make the impossible possible by hard work and applying the Norse traits; Imagination, Vision, Collaboration and Fearlessness the US Congress approved on September 2, 1964, and authorized the President of the United States to proclaim October 9th of each year as “Leif Erikson Day.”  Jimmy Carter, Former President of the United States, stated; “The name of Leif Erikson symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit.” In 2012 the the day was made official in Las Vegas, Nevada by Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Christian Schoyen who travelled to Nevada from Norway to bridge the police with community, by first spearheading the Leif Erikson day initiative on behalf of Vegas Viking Lodge of the Sons of Norway in conjunction with implementing the Leif Erikson drawing competition in the Nevada School system.  Next followed the city transformation program with Christian as project director with the police and the local partners recruited where  the 1000 year old Norse Althing philosophy was applied to turn around the most dangerous Las Vegas neighborhood. The transformation resulted in  a record 75% crime reduction and the kick-off the national Neighborhood Rescue Challenge, which other cities later replicated with the same great success.