A warm welcome to our new Board of Directors.
President: Outi McEachern
Vice President: David Hongisto
Treasurer: RJ Murray
Secretary: Cayla Dorman
Communications: Aicha Kouyate
Directors at Large: Salla Carson, Raheel Khan, Janice Kujala-Dorman, Meaghan Peuramäki-Brown, Seppo Sarvi.
Thank you to all members who attended the AGM, either in-person or via proxy.
Sunday, February 11, 2018: Annual General Meeting
Where: Viking Hall, Scandinavian Centre
When: 4-6 pm
Who: 2018 Members only
Note: Please watch for your agenda package via email or post around Jan. 10. Please bring a copy with you to the meeting. We will be voting on bylaw amendments and selecting our 2018 Board at this meeting. If you cannot attend, please fill out a proxy form (link below) and send to finlandiacalgary@gmail.com
Thank you to all CFCA Members who joined us for our wonderful Suomi 100 celebration last night. Below is a link to the greetings read to us by our Honorary Consul, Ms. Judith Romanchuk, from the Finnish Prime Minister, Premier of Alberta, and Alberta Minister of Culture and Tourism
Dear CFCA Members,
Please find attached Ambassador Vesa Lehtonen’s greeting to the Finnish Canadians, Finnish expatriates and friends of Finland in Canada (English and Finnish).
Finnish language classes will start on Monday, September 11th, 2017, from 7-9pm.
They are held at the Scandinavian Centre (739 20 Ave NW, Calgary) in the Saga Room, located in the basement.
There will be 10 lessons for the Fall 2017 session. Session fee (10 classes) is $70. Textbooks $120.
All experience levels welcome.
Class attendees must be Calgary Finlandia Cultural Association (CFCA) members. Payment for membership can be done at the first lesson.
This year there are a series of Finnish films at the Calgary International Film Festival. Follow the links to view information about each film and showtimes.
https://www.calgaryfilm.com/films/2017/other-side-hope
https://www.calgaryfilm.com/films/2017/borgmcenroe
https://www.calgaryfilm.com/films/2017/ceiling
https://www.calgaryfilm.com/films/2017/through-supermarket-five-easy-pieces
Here is a link to an article about Dr. Jim Wilce’s research on the revival of Finnish lament traditions. Dr. Wilce (Linguistic Anthropologist, Northern Arizona University) gave a wonderful talk to CFCA members this past winter 2017.
http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/how-an-ancient-singing-tradition-helps-people-cope-with-trauma-in-the-modern-world-20170516
Sunday, Apr. 30, 2017: KALEVALA & VAPPU CELEBRATION EVENING.
Viking Hall, Scan. Centre, 4:30-7:30 pm.
Guest speakers Tom Watrous, Suzanne McKegney and Patrick Kroboth.
Get-Yourself-There event planned afterwards (TBA).
Saturday, May 6, 2017: MOTHER’S DAY POTLUCK.
Valhalla Room, Scan. Centre, 4:30-6:30 pm.
Everyone welcome. Please bring potluck food item.
May 20-21, 2017: SENIORS OVERNIGHT TRIP DRUMHELLER-ROSEBUD.
Overnight trip open to all seniors, 60 years or older. See poster under May 2017 Events tab.
Saturday, June 24, 2017: MIDSUMMER CELEBRATION.
Picnic Site #2 at Edworthy Park, 3:00-9:00 pm. All welcome.
Pancakes provided by CFCA.
Please bring additional dish to share & BBQ items for yourself.
*PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE REGULARLY FOR NEW EVENTS AND UPDATES
Some Other Upcoming Events:
CFCA Board wishes all our members a Happy St. Urho Day. If you are not aware of this very serious Finnish-American/Finnish-Canadian holiday, here is a bit of information from http://www.sainturho.com/
The legend of St. Urho originated in Northern Minnesota in the 1950s. However, there are differing opinions as to whether it began with the fables created by Sulo Havumaki of Bemidji, or the tongue-in-cheek tales told by Richard Mattson of Virginia. Either way, the legend has grown among North Americans of Finnish descent to the point where St. Urho is known and celebrated across the United States and Canada, and even in Finland.
St. Urho’s Day is celebrated on March 16th, the day prior to the better-known feast of some minor saint from Ireland, who was alleged to have driven the snakes from that island.
The legend of St. Urho says he chased the grasshoppers out of ancient Finland, thus saving the grape crop and the jobs of Finnish vineyard workers. He did this by uttering the phrase: “Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen” (roughly translated: “Grasshopper, grasshopper, go to Hell!”). His feast is celebrated by wearing the colors Royal Purple and Nile Green. St. Urho is nearly always represented with grapes and grasshoppers as part of the picture.
Saint Urho has been recognized with proclamations in all 50 states. Minnesota Governor Wendell Anderson issued a proclamation in his state, the unofficial home of Saint Urho, in 1975.
We hope you enjoy our “After St. Urho’s Day” event on March 17 (see events listings). Feel free to share your St Urho experiences in the reply section below.
 |
