News of Finnish America - Marraskuu / November 2023

MARRASKUU / NOVEMBER 2023

Our 70th Anniversary Year

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

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Photo by Debby Hudson, unsplash

Did you know...

...that you can honor Finnish-American accordionist Viola Turpeinen

by supporting the nomination of her tune “Kauhavan Polka” to the National Recording Registry for 2024?

Each year, the Library of Congress chooses 10 songs to be preserved in perpetuity.

Please submit your nomination by December 4. It’s a simple three-step process; click box below for details.

Click here to listen to the music while you make your nomination.

NOMINATION INFORMATION

Greetings!

Syysterveiset! Hösthälsningar!

We are less than a week away from Thanksgiving. Every year, we are thankful for so many things. And this year, the 70th anniversary of FFN, we feel especially thankful.

We are thankful for the diverse talent within the Finnish-American community. In fact, we are excited to announce our 2024 Lecturer of the Year and Performer of the Year. We welcomed a new trustee to the national board as well as a new chapter affiliate in a new FFN state—North Carolina. We have been so thankful for the opportunity to grow as an organization as we welcome our new colleagues and programs at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, Michigan, and look forward to a successful future together.

We launched the Saving Finland in America campaign to raise an initial $3 million by the end of this year and although six weeks can feel like a split second and an eternity, we are getting close! Thanks to donors like Fern Malila, the Paloheimo Foundation and you, we will reach our goal.

We are gratified by the interest and support for Finlandia Foundation and its mission that we see every day, and thank you for being a part of it. We wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Tommy Flanagan

Executive Director

thomas.flanagan@finlandiafoundation.org

“Sometimes almost losing something makes you realize how valuable it is.”

Fern Malila grew up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where people ate pulla, church services were in Finnish and Finlandia University was a physical and institutional guardian of the region's Finnish heritage.

Fern traveled the world for her career before returning to her roots, and was moved by the demise of the school. "We lost a piece of our Finnishness with its closure,” she says in a chat that appears in the fall issue of FFN's Finnish Line. The threat to the irreplaceable assets and programs of the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, Michigan, motivated her to make a major gift to the Saving Finland in America campaign.

With caring contributions like Fern's, we will achieve our year-end goal of raising $3 million to save the "Smithsonian of Finnish America."

Thank you, Fern!

Photo by JMNiska Photography

CLICK HERE FOR FERN'S STORY

FFN NAMES TOURING PROGRAMS FOR 2024

The Lecturer of the Year and Performer of the Year will travel to FFN chapters across the U.S. from January through December of 2024. Chapters will receive details on booking their appearances.

LECTURER OF THE YEAR

Author Hanna Pylväinen is the 2024 Lecturer of the Year.

Her novel The End of Drum-Time is set in the 1851 world of Sámi reindeer herders, religion, beliefs, faith and love. The 2023 finalist for the National Book Award for fiction is called "an extraordinary feat of research and imagination.”

CLICK FOR MORE ABOUT HANNA

PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Miska Kajanus, a Finnish-American actor, comedian and filmmaker from Finland and now based in Los Angeles, is Finlandia Foundation’s Performer of the Year for 2024.

Miska will present a theatrical one-man show about his journey from Finland to America.

CLICK FOR MORE ABOUT MISKA

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

December 1: National Sauna Week Poster Contest Deadline; click here

December 31: Still time to give to Saving Finland in America 2023; click here

2024

January 17: Grant application deadline; click here

February 1: Scholarship application deadline; click here

February 1: Lindfors Law Scholarship application deadline; click here

February 18-24: National Sauna Week; click here

July 15-21: Soiva Music Camp; watch for details

July 25-28: FinnFest USA 2024 in Duluth; click here

Paloheimo Foundation Makes Major Gifts

The Saving Finland in America initiative to raise $3 million by the end of 2023 received an important boost with two generous grants from the Paloheimo Foundation, a charitable organization located in South Pasadena, California.

A matching grant of $100,000 will match dollar-for-dollar donations designated to Saving Finland in America up to that amount. A second award is a three-year commitment of $50,000 annually for a total of $150,000. Many thanks to Paloheimo Foundation for its support.

NOTE: If you haven't yet viewed the "Saving Finland in America" video, you can catch it at the FFN YouTube channel; click here.

CLICK HERE TO HELP SAVE FINLAND IN AMERICA

WELCOME!

FFN Trustee Jon K. Jurva

will fulfill the term recently vacated by Jarno Vanto.

Jon is Partner in the Chicago office of ArentFox Schiff law firm, where he is experienced in representing foundations and endowments. He has roots in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and is Finland's Honorary Consul in Chicago.

Triangle Finnish Association,

the newest FFN affiliate, is based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Founded in 1992, it has about 100 members.

Watch for more of their story in the December e-news.

SAUNA POSTER ART CONTEST ENTRIES DUE DECEMBER 1

Artists! Enter the National Sauna Week Poster Contest for the third annual celebration, February 18-24, 2024.

The poster will promote the authentic Finnish bathing method beloved by generations. Judges are FFN Artist of the Year Eric Aho and Carrie Flaspohler Vander Veen, director/curator of Finlandia Art Gallery. Click below for details.

SAUNA POSTER CONTEST

Soiva Music Camp Returns in 2024

After a hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the FFN's Soiva Music Camp will again be offered in 2024.

Maria Männistö, the multi-talented and well-known, Seattle-based soprano, songwriter, organist, music director and teacher, is working with the FFN Soiva committee to coordinate and plan the NEW Soiva Camp July 15-21 in the Seattle area.

The camp will be held in partnership with Helsinki's Sibelius Academy, with instructors from its Global Music Department. Watch for more information soon!

It is important that we offer programming and opportunities for children and young people, such as Soiva camp, scholarships to attend Salolampi Finnish Language Village and participation in the FFN Young Leaders Board.

Your contributions make these and other FFN programs possible. Please make your year-end gift today.

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 gift is tax deductible.

Thank You!

Kiitos!

Tack!

DONATE NOW

FinlandiaFoundation.org