April 14

May 23:  The Auxiliary’s Salad Benefit Luncheon on Wednesday, May 23 features Chef Roger’s famous chicken salad and 21 delectable side salads made by the Auxiliary ladies.

June 24:  The Danish Home grounds bustle with hundreds of people, dozens of musical selections, favorite activities and foods on Sunday, June 24.  You and your family won’t want to miss this!

September 16:  The Danish Home Anniversary Luncheon is slated for Sunday, September 16.  This event marks the presentation of the Auxiliary’s gift to the Danish Home.

October 13:  The Danish Home Fall Brunch wows attendees and includes Scandinavian favorites on Saturday, October 13.

November 4:  The ever-popular Fall Festival and Frikadellar Luncheon will beheld on Sunday November 4 at the Danish Home.

The third Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. we welcome all who had a birthday and those who want to wish them well to the Danish Home for our monthly birthday celebration.

More information about each of these events will be added as it becomes available.

The Spring Luncheon

Save April 14 for our Annual Spring Luncheon.               

May 23 is the date for the Annual Salad Luncheon at The Danish Home features Chef Roger’s famous chicken salad and 21 delectable side salads made by the Auxiliary ladies.

The Danish Home Anniversary Luncheon is slated for September 16.  We have a few new ideas for this annual favorite that we’ll be sharing with you this fall.                                                                                                                                              

The Danish Home Brunch and Women’s Auxiliary Annual Meeting, sponsored by the Women’s Auxiliary, wows attendees and includes Scandinavian favorites, herring, blue cheese and pumpernickel.  Save October 13 for this special event.

Combine 2,000 frikadellers (Danish meatballs), 500 guests, dozens of Danish food, craft & gift items and mix well!  Imagine making thousands of frikadellers by hand.  If you were one of the more than 500 guests at this year’s November 6 Fall Fest — not including residents and staff — you saw and tasted the delicious results.

Chef Roger Sukhu and The Danish Home’s hardworking culinary team made more than 2,000 of these tasty Danish meatballs.  More then 40 volunteers helped serve them up to eager guests along with red cabbage, boiled potatoes, cucumber salad, rolls and rødgrød (fruit pudding) with cream.

In order to accommodate everyone, there were three seatings in The Danish Home’s beautiful dining and gathering rooms.  Before or after their dinner seating, guests shopped for Danish and Christmas-themed gifts at special booths.  These items included baked goods, sausages, jellies, jams, handmade quilts, crafts made by residents and other gift items.

According to festival chair Esther Sorensen, the event always draws hundreds from the Midwest, including many who’ve had a family member or friend at The Danish Home.

“For many, Fall Fest is nostaligic.  They want their children and grandchildren to know something of the Danish heritage.  And frikadeller is the Danish national dish,” she said. “Seeing all the people is amazing.  And working with such a wonderful, willing crew makes it run smoothly.”

Board president Jeff Anderson agreed.

Among the series of special events that kept residents, families and The Danish Home supporters on the go from May through November — as well as well-fed — was The Danish Home’s very special 120th Annual Anniversary luncheon held at the Park Ridge Country Club.

Entertainment was provided by singer/Neil Diamond impressionist Michael Palmisano.

Carol Vashinko president of the Women’s Auxiliary, presented President Jeff Anderson with an $11,000 check for The Danish Home on behalf of the Auxiliary.  The donation represented Auxiliary member’s attendance at events as well as private donations.  Additional funds are used to support prizes for residents’ games, birthday and gifts throughout the year.

Musical entertainment was provided by nationally acclaimed recording artist Laura Doherty who is best known for her acoustic folk-pop rock. The 50 attendees at the event included visitors to The Danish Home, who are interested in learning more about the warm and hospitable senior retirement community. These guests had the opportunity to visit with current residents and have a tour of the community.

“This was a great opportunity for us to show off much of what’s best about The Danish Home; our friendly and vibrant residents; gracious facility and engaging resident life, not to mention the fabulous creations by our very own chef,” said Scott Swanson, executive director of The Danish Home.

The Danish Home of Chicago’s 1st Vice President of the board of directors, Paul Roge, took his introductory role quite seriously and delivered several jokes researched just for this occasion. “It is very important to keep a sense of humor so I take considerable time to gather just the right material for these monthly parties,” confides Roge.

Speakers who followed contributed their own humorous antidotes, each keep the group’s laughter loud and lively. Music, always a staple at Danish celebrations, was contributed by Susan Keller’s daughter, Kirsten, 18, who played a medley of popular Danish tunes on her piccolo. The crowd was delighted and quite grateful that they were able to book her between her flute playing with the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra and her first year of college at the University of Illinois where she will play in the University’s regular and marching bands.

No celebration at The Danish Home is complete without the customary port wine toast, Rosinboller “raisin rolls” with Danish butter and birthday cake with raspberry filling between layers and real whipped cream.

Opened with the national anthem for Denmark and concluded with God Bless America, the honored guests, their family and friends thoroughly enjoy our birthday parties and look forward to it each month.

The Danish Home is a small, boutique retirement community nestled in an historic neighborhood of northwest Chicago, Norwood Park. Residents of all nationalities enjoy the continuum of care in this intimate, friendly community.