Finlandia SPRING 2018 Foundation® National Our Mission is to sustain both Finnish-American culture in the U.S. and the ancestral tie with Finland by raising funds for grants and scholarships, initiating innovative national programs, and networking with local chapters. FFN @ 65 At the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Finlandia Foundation in 1983, founder Yrjö Paloheimo recalled its origins, beginning the story in World War II, “when the Finnish-Americans were united more than ever before, or after, in trying to help Finland.” As Field Secretary for the Help Finland organization, Paloheimo had traveled to Finnish-American communities in 1945-46 to assist with relief efforts. He learned that the young people were leaving the Finn Halls and churches, and distancing themselves from their Finnish roots as they gravitated to joining the American mainstream. “Everyone asked me to try to do something and to find a solution to the problem,” Paloheimo relayed. Pictured: The Pasadena home where Finlandia Foundation was founded in 1953. Story continued on page 21 Word from the President FFN Welcomes New Trustees Hyvät Ystävät: wo very successful n November of 2016, we organized a Joint t the March board Hilary-Joy and her Tyears are behind IChapter Meeting to offer our (then) 52 affiliated Ameeting in Dallas, husband, Ron Stewart, us: 2015 was the 150th organizations an opportunity to strengthen Finlandia Foundation live near Hancock with anniversary of the birth of cooperation and improved communication trustees elected Eeva their three children: composer Jean Sibelius, among us. Syvanen and Hilary-Joy Alexander, Andrew and who was the first Patron Virtanen to three-year Anneli. She is honored to of FFN; and last year we We will continue to work with our chapters--- terms on the board. serve on the FFN board celebrated the 100th year now numbering 58---and help them to undertake because of the immense of Finnish Independence. their events based on their wishes for support. We Hilary-Joy Virtanen support FFN has shown will also examine our own priorities to be more is a native of Toivola, her as a student and Our calendar included responsive to their needs, and how we are perceived in Michigan’s Upper researcher, and she looks more than 500 events by the Finnish-American community at large. Peninsula. As a child, her forward to helping others during these two years, family moved frequently through this work. with about 150 of them directly sponsored or ne priority has already emerged: we will focus throughout the U.S., supported by us. We are pleased to present a Omuch more on the younger generations. An which allowed her to eva Syvanen was special insert in this newsletter describing many indication of this new focus is the membership of see American cultural Eborn and raised in of the Finland 100 activities hosted by Finlandia our newest chapter: the Finnish School of North diversity firsthand. It Helsinki, and has been Foundation and its chapters throughout 2017. Texas, which joined FFN in March while we had our helped her to understand a resident of San Diego board meeting in Dallas. We have established a new her Finnish ethnicity since 1994. She grew up inland 100 has carried over into 2018: board committee to examine how we will proceed, as, she says, “a unique in a very international F and to prepare an action plan for us. square in a dazzling environment, attending 1. On March 13, the day that the Winter War ended cultural patchwork quilt.” the French School of in 1940, I was in Helsinki for the unveiling of a We encourage a community approach in which all Helsinki and learning plaque at the Ministry of Defense that lists the age groups work together to strengthen the Finnish- ilary-Joy holds a several languages. Eeva names of major donors in the funding of the American community, which is claimed by some HMaster’s and Ph.D. earned a Bachelor’s Winter War Memorial, Finlandia Foundation to be dying out. We are aware that there are many in Scandinavian Studies Degree in International National among them. (More details on page 12 younger Finns who have moved to the U.S. over the from the University of Marketing at the Helsinki of this newsletter.) past years. Our task is to bring them together and Wisconsin-Madison; School of Economics strengthen our existing organizations. a Master’s in Folklore before joining Finnair, 2. FFN has selected two Lecturers of the Year for from Indiana University; where she was employed 2018-19. One of them is James Ford Cooper, who I wish you an enjoyable spring and summer ahead. and a BA in English Hilary-Joy Virtanen as a flight attendant for served at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki twice, and Anthropology from 16 years. in the 1970s and 1980s. He is available to the Michigan State University. FF chapters to talk about “Finland and the Cold As the assistant professor Eeva Syvanen In San Diego, she first War.” His experiences are summarized in his Ossi Rahkonen of Finnish & Nordic worked for the Finnish well-regarded book, On the Finland Watch. Studies at Finlandia company Suunto for University in Hancock, 10 years, and in 2010 Michigan, she directs started a career in real the academic program estate with Berkshire FFN BOARD Richard Ahola Anne-Mari Paster CONTACT he newsletter is [email protected] [email protected] Tproduced twice and teaches most of its Hathaway. In the year Dundee, NY Lexington, MA Finlandia yearly by the FFN classes. 2000, Eeva was one of the PRESIDENT Foundation Communications founders of the Finnish Ossi Rahkonen Dennis M. Anderson Teuvo Pulkkinen [email protected] [email protected] teuvo_pulkkinen@ National: Committee: As a researcher, Hilary- School in San Diego; she McLean, VA Rochester, MN hotmail.com Jacqueline Harjula, chair; Joy focuses on festival San Diego, CA Maria Kizirian and Katariina Lehtonen, served as its president for Jacqueline Harjula Assistant to the culture and symbolic 15 years. She’s now in her Tarja Silverman Betsey Norgard and VICE PRESIDENT [email protected] Board of Trustees Tarja Silverman ethnic practices of Finns second term as president Thomaston, ME [email protected] Paul O. Halme office@finlandia and Finnish-Americans. paul@halmeandclark. Greystone, NY Additionally, FFN of the House of Finland, com Katariina Lehtonen foundation.org produces a monthly, She is the assistant editor the FFN chapter in San [email protected] Anita Häkkilä Smiley Solvang, CA [email protected] free E-news; sign up of the Journal of Finnish Diego. Lake Oswego, OR Preston, CT 626.795.2081 to receive it at the FFN Studies and a member TREASURER Peter Makila website. of the Finnish Theme eva says that her Dirk Schulbach PeterMakila@bellsouth. Eeva Syvanen Mailing address: dschulbach@comcast. net eeva_syvanen@ P.O. Box 92046 ubmit chapter news Committee, Hancock’s Ethree adult sons were net yahoo.com and other items of Lake Worth, FL San Diego, CA Pasadena, S FFN chapter, and served raised to be proud of Portland, OR CA 91109-2046 interest and photos to on the boards of the Betsey Norgard FFN Communications their Finnish heritage, Hilary-Joy Virtanten Michigan Oral History SECRETARY [email protected] hilary.virtanen@ Please inform us of a Manager and all are fluent in the Päivi Anneli Tetri Bovey, MN gmail.com change of name Kath Usitalo Association and the Finnish language, culture [email protected] Hancock, MI [email protected] Copper Range Historical and customs, adding, St. Louis, MO Tim Nurvala or address. [email protected] Hanna Wagner Society. “Finland is always in my Gladwyne, PA [email protected] heart!” Washington, D.C. FinlandiaFoundation.org 2 3 New POY Lecturers of the Year Offer Diverse Programs Juli Woods Sets By Betsey Norgard By Jon Saari Finnish Folk Trustee and POY Coordinator Trustee Emeritus Frank W. Eld Songs to inlandia Foundation National’s rank W. Eld and James Ford Cooper, two writers FPerformer of the Year for 2018- Fwith very different interests, have both been Jazz 19 brings the haunting melodies appointed Lecturers of the Year for 2018-19. They of Finnish folk songs alive in jazz offer choice and variety to FFN chapter audiences. arrangements through her tenor saxophone. Juli Wood, of Chicago, Frank W. Eld has spent 50 years creating a has 20-plus years of jazz performance museum to bring the bypassed town of Roseberry, and recordings. She has played with Idaho back to life; his love of old log buildings, in the best of the Chicago jazz scene, particular, led to the research behind his book traveled extensively to jazz clubs and Finnish Log Construction — The Art (2013). festivals, and has begun to celebrate the music of her Finnish heritage. The grandson of a Finnish carpenter, Eld is on a mission to document and preserve the buildings All four of Wood’s grandparents made by Finnish immigrants to the United States immigrated from Ostrobothnia and and Canada. He travels in his “Finnebago,” which ended up on Minnesota’s Iron Range is a Toyota pick-up truck with a log cabin on the and in Duluth in the early 20th back. Frank crisscrossed the continent last year, century. Her parents, members of putting on 17,500 miles while researching his next the Finnish American Society of book, about Finnish-North American settlement and Milwaukee, steeped her in Finnish vernacular architecture. Many who have met him on heritage. She fell in love with his travels are looking forward to inviting him back Finland’s culture and countryside on for an entertaining talk about his findings. her first trip there in 1977, following her high school graduation.