ABOUT

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.