A 28-year-old Montana native with strong family ties to the Flathead Valley got in touch with her Norwegian heritage in a big way as part of the reality TV cast for the popular “Alt for Norge” show.

Kelsey Iverson was chosen out of 800 applicants last year to join 11 other Norwegian Americans for the seventh season of “Alt for Norge,” known in America as “The Great Norway Adventure.”

“It is an amazing reality show over in Norway that brings Americans back to their motherland to be immersed in Norway’s culture, customs, traditions and language,” Iverson said. “The coolest part is that it is not the typical ‘dramatic’ conflict-driven show you would see on American TV.

“You compete each week to stay longer, learn more about Norway and your ancestry,” Iverson said.

The grand prize is $50,000 and a family reunion with the winner’s living Norwegian relatives.

A researcher studied each participant’s family lineage, tracing their Norwegian ancestry.

Iverson, who was born in Conrad and spent part of her childhood there before moving with her family to Emmett, Idaho, has paternal great-grandparents who emigrated from Norway. Her maternal grandmother also was from Norway.

Participants in the show must “have some Norwegian blood in your veins,” a casting website says. To vie for a spot, Iverson made a short video and then was flown to Chicago for an interview. She spent 50 days in Norway while footage for the weekly episodes were videotaped.

Filming for the seventh season has been completed and participants are back on U.S. soil. Iverson works as the chief stewardess aboard a luxury motor yacht in the Atlantic Ocean, but is visiting her Flathead relatives now through early October.

She has been sworn to secrecy not to reveal the winner, but said “I can tell you that it has been the most inspiring, powerful and moving experience of my life so far, being able to come back to my family’s roots over in Norway.”

Her grandmother, Rose Marie Iverson of Kalispell, said she’s very excited to see the season premiere, which will be shown at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, and again at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, at Wild Jo’s Frozen Treats & Hot Dogs in Columbia Falls.

The viewing is free, but space is limited. Those planning to attend should RSVP by calling 208-602-0308 or emailing kelseymiverson@gmail.com. Depending on the interest, subsequent viewing may be moved to a larger venue next week, Iverson said.

“We are also working on figuring out a way to view it on YouTube, as currently you need a Norwegian credit card to watch online at TVNorge,” she said.

Shannon and Tracy Click, owners of Wild Jo’s, are Kelsey Iverson’s aunt and uncle. Iverson spends a couple of months in the Flathead each year and helped the Clicks get their new restaurant up and running last month.

Iverson’s father, Richard, lives in Missoula and spends time in the Kalispell area every couple of weeks for his job.

Rose Marie Iverson said the family celebrates its Norwegian heritage during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons with meals featuring lutefisk (Norwegian lye-soaked cod) and lefse, along with pastries such as rosettes, krumkake and kransekake.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.