MAALISKUU / MARCH 2024

The Most Important Source of Support for Finnish Culture in the United States

Young people are invited to make music together at Soiva Camp in July! Camp Coordinator Maria Männistö (left) and instructors from Sibelius Academy of Finland, Artur Uronen and Kata Vuoristo, will hold a virtual informational session on March 23. See story below.

Did you know...

...that you can purchase the National Sauna Week poster?

Debbie Paver's winning poster in the inaugural Sauna Week art contest is available from North Wind Books and online.

PURCHASE POSTER FROM NORTH WIND BOOKS

Salute St. Urho on March 16

Wear your green and purple to honor the man who chased the grasshoppers out of Finland and saved the grape crop.

FFN chapters and Finnish-American communities celebrate the legend. Not familiar with the story? Click here

Greetings:

What an exciting time it has been at Finlandia Foundation National!

Together with our chapters, staff, supporters and friends, our calendar has filled up with interesting and relevant programming—and this newsletter speaks for itself! I encourage you to take a look and pencil in some of these important dates you will find below.

Especially exciting is the relaunch of our Soiva Music Camp, which has undergone a bit of transformation itself. Whether you are familiar with previous Soiva camps or interested for the first time, you can learn more at the webinar on March 23 (see link, below).

And, yes, kevät tulee! Spring is coming, which means it is already time to start looking toward summer! FFN wants to highlight FinnFest 2024. We look forward to seeing you in Duluth in July, and encourage you to get your tickets early.

Above all else, we continue to be thankful for you, our community, and you'll see our latest outreach in the stories here.

February brought us another historic moment. The announcement of the $4 million gift from FCA Senior Citizens’ Housing Association in Farmington Hills, Michigan was both record-breaking and transformational.

With that gift, we exceeded our expectations in the Saving Finland in America campaign. If you missed the news, please take a look at the "One Year Later" item below.

In April, FFN will meet at the Finnish American Heritage Center for our annual board meeting. Look forward to updates after that. Until then, thank you / kiitos / tack for your support—you make all of this possible!

Sincerely,

Tommy Flanagan

Executive Director

thomas.flanagan@finlandiafoundation.org

SOIVA CAMP INFO SESSION MARCH 23

After a COVID-caused hiatus, FFN's Soiva Music Camp returns July 15-21, 2024, with a new approach, new location and new affiliation with Sibelius Academy's Global Music Program.

There will be a virtual session at 1 p.m. (Eastern) on Saturday, March 23 to learn about this exciting camp for students ages 12-17, who may have any level of musical experience, or just a love of making music and cultural connections.

Learn about Soiva 2024 at the website (click here) and on March 23, bring your questions to Camp Coordinator Maria Männistö and instructors from Finland, Artur Uronen and Kata Vuoristo.

THANK YOU, GLENN JARVI

Finlandia Foundation Natonal appreciates the generous gift to Saving Finland in America made by Glenn Jarvi. He has long supported FFN, including a tribute to his late wife Kim (Poikonen) Jarvi; click here to read her story at the Finlandia Foundation Family Tree.

Most recently, Glenn directed his attention to continued operation of the Finnish American Heritage Center.

"I am absolutely committed to achieving that goal so that the world can understand and appreciate all the contributions and the tenacity that our forebearers made in making this country great," said Glenn. "It is also vital for all to see the hard work and difficult circumstances they had to face. Out of this we gave the world sisu.”

With that, he provided a moving account of his ancestors and their early 20^th century migration from Finland to Duluth, Minnesota, and the fate of those who returned to pursue the promised Karelian “paradise.”

With Glenn’s support and the donations of so many others dedicated to preserving the history of Finnish America at the FAHC, the Historical Archive and a variety of programs, these stories will be available for generations to come.

Finlandia Foundation On the Road

American Scandinavian Association

FFN President Anne-Mari Paster (with bouquet) spoke to ASA members about FFN programs and projects at their January meeting in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Click for more about ASA

From Hancock to Helsinki

In late January, Executive Director Tommy Flanagan represented Finlandia Foundation at Heikinpäivä, the annual wintertime festival in Hancock, Michigan, home of the Finnish American Heritage Center. FFN was honored as "Hankookin Heikki" in the all-in-good-fun grand parade.

From Michigan, Tommy flew to Finland, where he met and strengthened relationships with representatives at the U.S. Embassy, Sibelius Academy, Finnish Cultural Foundation and SAM (Suomi-Amerikka Yhdistysten Liitto).

Finns, Fun and Sun

Tommy attended the Midnight Sun Festival in Lake Worth, Florida, where he connected with members of the Finlandia Foundation Florida Chapter. In the photo (from left) are Anja Laurila, Tommy Flanagan, Armi Sturges and Reija Kilpinen.

FFN was a Silver Sponsor of the annual March celebration, which features Finnish foods, bands, vendors, car show and fun events like the wife carrying contest.

ONE YEAR LATER

Finnish America has changed tremendously since March of 2023, when Finlandia University announced that it was closing its doors.

Thanks to the outpouring of support for the Saving Finland in America campaign launched last year by Finlandia Foundation National, the caring Finnish-American community has accomplished more than even the FFN board thought possible.

If you missed our e-message of March 8, click the button at right for a short video that recaps the enormous strides we've made. We also take a look at where we go from here.

ONE YEAR LATER VIDEO

National Sauna Week: Hotter Than Ever

Click below for:

SAUNA WEEK VIDEOS

SAUNA WEEK INFO

The third annual National Sauna Week, February 18-24, was packed with six virtual programs, an exclusive documentary screening, new theme song, inaugural poster art and Instagram contests---and those are just the activities delivered by Finlandia Foundation.

FFN chapters from Boston to Sonoma held their own celebrations, including a series of events in Hancock, Michigan and a special "Sauna is Life" exhibit in Portland, Oregon.

In New York, the Finger Lakes Finns' program featured second and third generations who are maintaining family saunas or finding ways to build their own, like the Fedocks (sauna carving at left).

Many independent sauna companies and retailers jumped into the celebration with sauna week promotions and sales, and media coverage increased, as well.

4th National Sauna Week: February 16-22, 2025

Are you an alumni of Fulbright Finland?

FFN is partnering with Fulbright Finland Foundation and Fulbright Finland Alumni Council to celebrate the 75th year anniversary of U.S.-Finnish exchanges.

All Fulbright Finland alumni are invited to attend the event in Mystic, Connecticut.

Interested in attending? Please contact us at office@finlandiafoundation.org for more information.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

All times are Eastern

March 23: 1 p.m. Virtual Soiva Music Camp Informational Session; to register click here

April 1: 1 p.m. Finnposium with Phyllis Fredendall on Weaving in Finland Today and Yesterday: Folk Schools, Taitos and Beyond; click here

April 23: 8 p.m. Virtual Joint Chapter Meeting

April 27: Noon Finnposium: The Forest Finns; click here

April 29: 1 p.m. Artist of the Year Eric Aho In Conversation; watch for details

April 30: Soiva Music Camp registration deadline; click here

April 30: Salolampi Language Village grant application deadine; click here

July 15-21: Soiva Music Camp; for details click here

July 24-28: FinnFest USA 2024 in Duluth; click here

REGISTRATION IS OPEN

for the July 24-28 event in Duluth

Click here to register

Your Gifts are Appreciated and Needed

Your contributions make FFN programs possible. Your contribution to FFN is matched dollar-for-dollar by the Paloheimo Foundation (up to $100,000 annually).

Finlandia Foundation National, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization, so your donation is tax deductible.

Please make your gift today.

Thank You!

Kiitos!

Tack!

DONATE NOW

FinlandiaFoundation.org