NEWSLETTER OF THE FINNISH HERITAGE HOUSE NO. 40

NEWSLETTER OF THE FINNISH HERITAGE HOUSE NO. 40 ~ Winter 2014
Beginning of the “Winter War” in Karelia, Finland
November 30, 1939
Finnish Heritage House
The following paragraph is from a telegram. It has been
rewritten to make sense in English.
“At 6.50 am the Soviet artillery opens fire on the Karelian
Isthmus. An air alarm sounded at 9 o'clock in Vyborg and in
Helsinki, at 9:20. The Winter War started on the morning of
November 30, 1939. 74 years ago the Finnish Defence
Forces defended Finland.”
During the Winter War telegrams telling of the 105 day-long
war in the cold winter were very important.
The Defence Forces continued to play their role.
Officers
President: Jacqueline Harjula
Vice – President: Gary Aho
Clerk/Secretary: Jacqueline Laffely
Treasurer: Edna Montgomery
Newsletter Editor: Reggie Montgomery
Trustees
Fred Webel (January 2015)
Elsie Brown (January 2015)
Steve Gifford (January 2013)
Anne Little (January 2014)
Kirsti Fish (January 2014)
Building Committee
Chairman: Neil Harjula
Finnish Heritage House
P.O. Box 293
South Thomaston, ME 04858
Send articles to [email protected]
A bombed street in Helsinki Nov. 30, 1939.
Finnish Heritage House closed for the
winter!
The FHH will be closed until mid-April
2014
As always it will reopen for Saturday
morning coffee and tori shopping from
9:00am until 12:00 noon.
Also, there will be a membership meeting
March 15. This will be a joint meeting with
Finn-Am. There will be a pot luck lunch
celebrating St. Urho’s Day at 12 noon.
CHECK YOUR MAILING LABEL!
HAS YOUR MEMBERSHIP
EXPIRED?
Your name will be removed if you are more
than two years overdue.
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NEWSLETTER OF THE FINNISH HERITAGE HOUSE NO. 40 ~ Winter 2014
Finlandia Foundation National
Recipe Box
Time to Apply for Grants, Scholarships from
Finlandia Foundation National
Independence Day Cake (December 6th)
By: Irene Vaino
(PASADENA, California – November 26, 2013) –
Finlandia Foundation National (FFN), the premier
network of Finnish-American organizations in the U.S., is
accepting applications for its grant and scholarship
programs for 2014.
Cake:
1 ½ cup flour
¼ cup milk
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ stick butter or margarine melted
2 eggs
Non-profit projects related to Finnish and FinnishAmerican culture are eligible for grant monies; the
maximum award is $5,000 per grant. In 2013 FFN
awarded a total of $70,000 directed to 35 projects,
including the creation of pieces of art, film/video
programs and publications. Funds supported activities at
FinnFest USA 2013 and events related to the 375th
anniversary of the founding of the New Sweden colony in
Delaware in 1638.
Cream sugar and eggs well. Add flour with
baking powder, milk and melted butter. Pour
into greased cake pan. Bake at 350° for 25
to 30 minutes (test with toothpick). Cool 10
minutes in the pan.
Topping:
½ cup sugar
½ stick butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1Tbsp. flour
1/3 of a 10oz. bag of sliced almonds
Fulltime undergraduate (sophomore or higher) students
and graduate students at accredited post-secondary
institutions are eligible to apply for scholarships. The 28
recipients in 2013 are American, Finnish and dual citizen
Finnish-Americans in the U.S. and Finland. Their studies
include education, engineering, business, music, political
science and archeology. Scholarship awards range from
$1,000 to $3,000 per student. Applicants of FinnishAmerican heritage are given primary consideration, and
U.S. or Finnish citizenship is required. Law students may
be eligible for the P.J.C. Lindfors Legal Scholarship.
Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan, let
come to a boil and cook 2-3 minutes to get
glossy. Spoon topping over the cake while
it’s still in the pan.
Put under the broiler to get hardened and a
little brown on top. Watch carefully, it burns
easily.
NOTE: This cake is traditionally served at a
reception on December 6th at the Finnish
President’s home.
Guidelines and applications for grants and scholarships
are available at www.FinlandiaFoundation.org. The
postmark deadline for both applications is February 1,
2014.
About Finlandia Foundation National
Finlandia Foundation National is the premier network of
Finnish-American organizations in the United States.
Founded in Pasadena, California in 1953, it administers
grants, scholarships and programs supporting and
celebrating Finnish heritage and Finnish-American
culture and traditions. For more information about the
501 (c)(3) organization: www.FinlandiaFoundation.org.
Did you know???
Independence Day on December 6 is the most
important national holiday in Finland's history.
There are parades, patriotic speeches, special
Church services, cakes with blue and white icing
and other festivities. At 6 p.m. it's customary to
turn the lights off and burn two blue and white
candles on the window sill, out of respect for those
who fought for Finnish independence under the
repression of the last few years of Russian rule.
The Finnish Declaration of Independence was
adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6
December 1917.
Finlandia Foundation National
P.O. Box 92298, Pasadena, California 91109-2298,
United States
Phone: (626) 795-2081
Email: [email protected]
Contact: Kath Usitalo
Communications Manager
[email protected]
313-530-1129
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NEWSLETTER OF THE FINNISH HERITAGE HOUSE NO. 40 ~ Winter 2014
I attended a lecture by Anita Smiley about
traveling in Finland, and also one by our
illustrious member Richard Impola, a Finnish to
English translator. Many of his books are for sale
in our Tori, and his picture is included on our Wall
of Honor for Finnish WWII Veterans. I also had
an especially delightful time dancing until
midnight to the music of nine different Finnish
groups (on three different evenings). Celia,
director of Soumalaiset Jouset, spent most of her
time sharing her talents teaching kantele
classes, so wasn’t able to enjoy many of the
offerings the rest of us did. Because of her
enthusiasm, several new kantele players were
created. However, we all enjoyed a cookout
hosted by Kay and Hal Seppala at their camp
one afternoon, and a picnic at Camp Lahti
honoring the folk dancers before they headed
back to Finland.
Not to be forgotten was the Tori, with over 100
vendors offering high quality Finnish products
and crafts for sale. Children’s programs were
ongoing throughout the festival, as were musical
and dancing performances on stage in the Tori,
and in the park across the bridge in Hancock.
Finnish foods were in abundance, with not
enough room to sample them all. There is not
enough space in the newsletter to share all the
exhilarating experiences we all had at FinnFest
USA 2013, but maybe this sampling will
encourage you to attend one in the future.
FINNFEST USA 2013
FinnFest is held every year, and this year over
3,000 Finns and friends from all over the US,
Canada, and Finland gathered in
Hancock/Houghton, Michigan to celebrate all
that our heritage and culture has to offer. This
year’s event was over three years in the
planning, expertly chaired by Finnish American
Reporter Editor Jim Kurtti. What a wonderful
opportunity to learn about our Finnish heritage,
and in the process make new friends and renew
old friendships. There were about 50 people
there that I knew! The speakers, music, films,
demonstrations, art exhibits, dances, and plays
were held on the campuses of Michigan Tech
and Finlandia University, and in outlying towns.
FHH members Celia Jones, Anne Little, Steve
and Mary Gifford, and Jackie Harjula traveled to
MI in two cars to meet our hostess Laurie
Panian and her children Samantha and Cole,
who opened their home to us for a nine-day
stay, even though they had never met us. They
must have heard what an amusing group we
are! We didn’t disappoint them. Two more
members of Soumalaiset Jouset, Irene
Rochberg and Lyn Gordon, flew in and stayed in
a dorm. We all were honored to join 33 other
kantele players, including Wilho Saari (who
played a concert for FHH at Watt’s Hall a few
years ago) for a mini-concert. It was a special
treat to be in a group with so many talented
musicians.
Opening ceremonies were impressive, with
musical selections from Sattuma (who recently
played here in Tenants Harbor, sponsored by
FHH), Kaivama. Finn Hall Band, the Kivajat
Dancers, and other soloists. More than 140
lectures were offered, along with 15 films and
120 musical performances. Anne and I enjoyed
several cooking demonstrations by Sirpa Welch,
head chef at the Consulate General of Finland in
Los Angeles, including samples of the
“finnished” product. We tasted Finnish potato
salad, rye bread, lettuja, and Finnish-style
strawberry shortcake. (see photo)
We also took an all-day bus tour of Copper
Country.
By Jacqueline Harjula
Richard Impola,
speaking at Finn Fest
U.S.A.
Richard is a
decorated Finnish
translator. the Finnish
Ambassador to the
United States,
presented him with a
medal of the Knight
First Class of the
Order of the Lion of
Finland at the Finnish
Embassy in
Washington.
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NEWSLETTER OF THE FINNISH HERITAGE HOUSE NO. 40 ~ Winter 2014
FINN FUN WEEKEND
At noon, a Corned Beef buffet was served, after which
several of us carpooled to the Troy Elementary School for
the Tori/Marketplace.
The FINNFUNN WEEKEND was held at the East Hill Farm in
Troy, NH, from Nov. 14-17. There were 150 attendees,
with nine from FHH. The weekend started with a bus tour
to Newport, NH, stopping at the Kaarle Lehtinen Senior
Center for a program and a light lunch, and then on to the
Walpole Mountain View Winery for a film about wine
making and a wine tasting.
Here we were able to hear Scandinavian music by Bernie
Nowak (accordion) and Nancy Nowak (euphonium) and
also Bert Stromhom on the accordion. Walter and Lillian
Hood demonstrated basket weaving, and the Finnish folk
dancing group Revontulet of Fitchburg, MA, put on a
great show. There were many vendors selling Finnish
products and food, and we were able to indulge in our
great passion, shopping (at least, it’s one of my favorite
activities!).
After a 5-hour drive, several of us arrived later on Friday
and checked into one of their cottages. Some people had
rooms in the main building and others in cabins on the
grounds. The evening began with hors d’oeuvres, enjoyed
to the background music of Bert Stromholm on the
accordion. A delicious dinner of Roast Pork and Baked
Salmon was served family style. Bernie and Nancy Nowak
gave lessons in Finnish dancing, and then everyone
danced to the music of the Central Mass. Accordion
Players for the rest of the evening.
Free time was scheduled, during which we should have
taken a nap, but instead we just rested on the couch as
there were no phones or TV. Instead, we opened the
small refrigerator door and stared at the contents. Later
in the afternoon, some people had a good time at the
camp fire, making s’mores and playing Molkky (a game for
all ages) on the lawn. Our group went for a tractor-drawn
wagon ride around the area that covered the many acres
of farm land. (This was a working farm.)
Saturday started with a delicious breakfast in the dining
hall. The day’s events were listed in the program, with the
schedules for different topics. There was even an
opportunity to milk the cow or goat and pat the bunnies
in the barn. A panel discussion: “Why did the early
immigrants locate in specific regions?” was led by the
moderator, Jim Kurtti. He also spoke on these topics: “An
Adventure in Finnish Culture and Heritage, FinnFest 2013,
and Home and Hall: Envisioning the Future of the Finnish
American Heritage Society.” Moderator Anneli Johnson
led the panel discussion called “Finnish American Food
Today and Yesterday.”
Time to eat again, this time dining on Roast Beef and
Baked Chicken, while listening to the music of Hannu
Makipuro and Phil Palonen. The raffle winners were
announced during dinner. Bert Stromholm again played
dance music on his accordion.
Sunday morning arrived and it was time to join all our
friends for breakfast. Then we had two more programs:
Cheese-making with Farmer Dave, and “Celebrate
Christmas Finnish Style”, presented by Patti Folsom and
Anita Smiley. They displayed an assortment of Finnish
ornaments and spoke on different Finnish Christmas
traditions.
For lunch, a complete turkey dinner was served, with
the option of a box lunch for those who wanted to get on
the road early. Before saying our goodbyes, it was time to
visit the gift shop, which had a nice variety of items to
choose from. Of course, from the assortment of
children’s toys, I selected one for each of my four greatgrandchildren.
Now it was time to sit back and watch a movie. The first
one, “Letters to Father Jacob”, was a 1970 drama about
Leila, a pardoned convict who reads letters to a blind
priest. With English subtitles, it was both heartwarming
and sad. Next shown was “Christmas Story (Joulutarina)”,
from 2007, the touching story of how Santa Claus came to
be Santa. The third movie was “The 1913 Massacre”,
depicting the tragedy on New Year’s Eve in the mining
town of Calumet, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
This is the second time we have stayed at the Inn for
FinnFunn Weekend, and it is our favorite place to be for
the event. We hope to be there again next year.
Kirsti Fish
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NEWSLETTER OF THE FINNISH HERITAGE HOUSE NO. 40 ~ Winter 2014
Fifth Annual Fall Finn Fling
September 21, 2013
The Finnish-American Society of Mid-Coast Maine
and the Finnish Heritage House joined forces to
sponsor the fifth annual Fall Finn Fling. The day
began at 9:00 with kahvia ja pulla available in the
Finnish Heritage House where attendees could visit,
shop in the Tori and view this year’s exhibit honoring
Finnish-American World War II Veterans. Activities
continued at 10:00 in Jura Hall and featured a DVD
“Tradition Bearers: Finnish American Folk Artists”, a
display and presentation by Finnish-American
woodcarvers Roy Tapio and Ed Numelin from
Rutland, Massachusetts, the fifth anniversary edition
of the Finn Trivia contest, a concert presented by
our own kantele ensemble Suomalaiset Jouset and an
ineresting talk on the history of Finland and
especially Finnish Independence Day by attorney Ed
Kaarela, former Consul for Finland for
Massachusetts. A delicious buffet lunch followed at
12:00 with the largest attendance ever. Following
lunch the 50/50 Raffle was conducted, door prizes
were awarded and the drawing for the lovely rag rug
created and donated by Martha “Tooty” Wilson was
held. Martha Calinda held the winning ticket for the
rag rug. It was a great opportunity for our community
to gather to meet old friends, make new ones and to
celebrate Finnish Heritage. Kiitos to all those
attending and to all those who contributed to this
event.
A few wood carvings by Ed Numelin
RoyTapio and Ed Numelin displaying their
crafts.
Steve Gifford
Jackie Harjula
and Ed Kaarela
Ed Kaarela former Consul for Finland
Speaker of the day, Ed Kaarela, former Consul for
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Carving tools
NEWSLETTER OF THE FINNISH HERITAGE HOUSE NO. 40 ~ Winter 2014
Suomalaiset Jouset Performances
Finnish-American Veterans of World War II
Exhibit Completes a Successful Run
Finnish Strings had a busy holiday season, playing our
kanteles at several places, including The Farnsworth,
Bartlett Woods, Windward Gardens, Montpelier, The
Woodlands, and The Homestead. We have had about 17
“gigs” this year, and have expanded our repertoire
considerably. One folder isn’t enough to hold all our
music, and our Director, Celia Jones, keeps adding more!
Finnish Heritage House has sponsored exhibits
highlighting the Finnish-American midcoast
community for the past eight years. The honor roll of
Finnish-American World War II veterans that had
been displayed for more than fifty years in the
Finnish Congregational Church and a conversation
Steve Gifford had with Betsy Hannula, of
Westminster, Massachusetts during the summer of
2012 proved to be the catalyst that resulted in this
summer’s exhibit at FHH. Betsy is the driving force
of the Westminster Historical Society and very
active in Finnish-American activities as well.
Surveys mailed out to members of the Finnish
Heritage House and the Finnish-American Society of
Midcoast Maine resulted in over 40 veterans being
honored in this exhibit. Feedback regarding the
exhibit from the public, families of the veterans and
our members of the Finnish-American community
has been very supportive and appreciative of this
exhibit. Once the exhibit is taken down it will be
stored in the archives located in the attic at FHH and
scrapbooks will be compiled and shelved in the
library to provide ready reference to the material.
The directors of FHH would like to thank all those
individuals who contributed photos, stories and
biographical information to this project...it was a
privilege to be able to honor these veterans ....Kiitos
paljon.
We will be very busy in January, working with fourth
graders at Camden-Rockport Elementary School for a
“Finnish Immersion” month, organized by Celia Jones.
Using the additional kanteles that were purchased with a
grant from Finlandia Foundation National, we will be
teaching the students how to play them. Other activities
will include Finnish dancing lessons, pulla baking,
pannukakku preparation, making Finnish bookmarks,
tonttus (Finnish elves), Christmas stars, and paper twilling.
They will learn about famous Finns, geography, music,
customs, literature, drop spindles and wool. The trivia
questions from Steve Gifford’s FHH FinnFling contest will
be used as part of the exercises, as will the Moomin
stories.
The month will culminate with a public presentation
featuring student kantele players, Finnish folk dances,
artwork, classroom projects, and food-tasting treats for all
participants. This will be held in the school cafeteria on
Tuesday, January 28th from 1:30 to 2:45 pm. We are
delighted to have this opportunity to educate students
about our culture and heritage, and maybe this will
encourage more young families to attend some of our
meetings.
The subject of the exhibit for the summer of 2014
will be the well-known illustrator, comic book artist
and photographer Kosti Ruohomaa.
Steve Gifford
By Jacqueline Harjula
Joke Box
Finnish Extroverts
How can you tell the difference between a
Finnish introvert and a Finnish extrovert?
When he's talking to you a Finnish introvert
looks at his feet.
A Finnish extrovert looks at yours.
Suomalaiset Jouset performing at Finn Fling
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NEWSLETTER OF THE FINNISH HERITAGE HOUSE NO. 40 ~ Winter 2014
Some highlights from Finn Fest U.S.A.
FHH ANNUAL MEETING
Saturday, January 18, 2014
12:00 noon Pot Luck, Election of Officers, and
Speaker
The Nominating Committee, consisting of Anne
Little, Celia Jones, and Elsie Brown, contacted all
the officers currently serving (see listing in the
box on Page 1), and they have agreed to continue
for another term of office. This includes the
Trustees whose terms expire this year.
Nominations will also be accepted from the floor.
We are delighted that our speaker will be
Johannes Korhonen, a Finnish exchange student
from Oceanside East in Rockland. The snow date
will be January 25th, but we hope the weather
cooperates.
Demonstration float by Custom Sauna
Another of the great floats in the Finn Fest parade.
Model T Ford in Finn Fest parade
Dancers in the Finn Fest parade
"Hauskaa Uutta Vuotta"!!!”
Happy New Year”!
Jim Kurtti, Editor, Finnish American Reporter Steve
Gifford & Mary Gifford
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