by Kim Samuelson
DULUTH, Minn. — The Finnish Americans and Friends (FA&F) group will be meeting on Tuesday, October 6 at Grace Lutheran Church in Hibbing. Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy a great program!
The FA&F have had a busy and enjoyable summer and early fall. Their September program was about the annual Wirtanen Farm Festival held this year on September 12.
This great event is celebrated at the wonderfully preserved and maintained Wirtanen Farm in Markham.
Summer events for the FA&F included two exciting August activities. The first was a tour of the Embarrass homesteads preserved and maintained by Sisu Heritage. The tour was a result of an interesting past FA&F program about Sisu Heritage, especially their work preserving the Seitaniemi housebarn, which was the highlight of the tour.
The second August event was the always popular summer picnic. This year, they met at the Clinton Town Hall where they enjoyed the music of two great groups: the Northern Stars, whose music stirred beloved memories, and the Sami Girls, who performed traditional songs.
The Knights and Ladies of Kaleva Pohjolaisen Maja #255 and Soinnuttaren Tupa #32 will be meeting on Thursdays, October 8 and 22, starting at 6 p.m. at Kaleva Hall in Virginia. Their meetings are followed by coffee and treats, and everyone is welcome to attend their meetings and programs.
In addition to meetings, the Virginia Knights and Ladies have been busy planning two big upcoming projects. First, they are deep in planning their 57th annual Holiday Bazaar for the community.
Mark your calendars and join them on Saturday, November 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kaleva Hall in Virginia. The hall will be filled with wonderful baked goods, crafts, and holiday items to buy for gifts or for yourself. You can also sit and chat with friends over a great cup of coffee and a treat.
Second, the Virginia Knights and Ladies have been searching for grants and individual donors to help fund the restoration of their 120-year-old historic Kaleva Hall building.
The hall needs some major repairs, and donations are being sought to preserve this wonderful, old building. The Kaleva Corporation is a 501(c)3 organization, and all donations are tax-deductible and are much needed and appreciated! If you would like to help with restoration, you can send your donation to: Kaleva Building Corporation, 125 3rd Street North, Virginia, MN 55792.
The Minnesota Finnish American Historical Society (MFAHS) State Meeting is coming soon! This annual, in-person state meeting will be held in Fargo, North Dakota on Saturday, October 10. MFAHS members are asked to save the date and strongly consider attending. Members will be getting more information through their local MFAHS chapter soon.
Duluth’s Lakehead Chapter of MFAHS is sponsoring the upcoming meeting of the Finnish Book Study Group on Monday, October 12. Held at 1 p.m. at a member’s home, this group will study the book “Homemade” written by Beatrice Ojakangas about her life, experiences and recipes. The Book Study Group started 39 years ago, in 1984, and is still going strong! If you are interested in joining the group, contact Rachael at r.rozellamartin@gmail.com for further information and the location of the meeting.
The next meeting of the Ladies of Kaleva Aaloittaren Tupa #15, Duluth, will be held on Monday, October 12 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Duluth (time TBD). Visitors and potential new members are welcome to attend and check them out!
The Duluth Ladies enjoyed a wonderful program at their September meeting. The guest speaker was Rachael Martin, who brought history to life by portraying her grandmother, Hilma Ylinen Laaksonen, a Finnish immigrant who followed her husband to Minnesota to farm in 1905. Rachael also spoke about the reunions in Finland that caused migration to America, as well as her grandmother’s journey overseas and her arrival in Minnesota.
The Duluth Ladies are also celebrating another successful Mojakka Day fundraiser! Held on Saturday, September 19 at Sampo Beach in Saginaw, the attendees enjoyed a sit-down lunch of mojakka, bread, and dessert. Mojakka-to-go could also be purchased. Music was provided by Dick Rees and Friends, and Ira Salmela gave a demonstration on vihta making. In addition, there were basket raffles, Finnish merchandise to purchase, a tori, and a baked goods sale. Attendees were also welcome to swim in the clean, crisp lake and visit the small sauna.
Thanks to everyone who helped to plan this wonderful event. Many thanks also to everyone who came to enjoy it, especially those who are faithful and attend every year!
Lastly, the Duluth Ladies report that Sampo’s much-loved, big sauna has been closed and is under renovation. Unfortunately, the project has become larger than anticipated, due to the discovery of rot in several areas. A lot of work has been completed, but this discovery was a setback. However, they continue to complete tasks as time and resources allow, and they give many thanks to the work and dedication of volunteers. They have also very much appreciate the generous grant they received from the Finlandia Foundation. Everyone looks forward to enjoying relaxing saunas in the big sauna again soon!