Jacqueline L. Harjula

Jacqueline L. Harjula has deeply ingrained personal connections to Finland and Finnish culture. Her paternal grandparents came to the United States at the turn of the century, started a dairy farm and raised 13 children. Some of her fondest childhood memories are of going to the “farm” every Friday for a sauna, and attending the Finnish American polio dances every year.

Jackie has traveled to Finland seven times since 1995 to learn more about the land of her ancestors. She has attended nearly every New England FinnFunn Weekend and has assisted with some of them, particularly the ones held in her home state of Maine.

As president of the Finnish Heritage House, she has organized Finnish language lessons and is a member of the FHH kantele group Suomalaiset Jouset. She has baked 15 loaves of pulla every Friday between March and December to sell at the FHH Bake, Book and Tag sale, with the proceeds going towards programming. The FHH is open to the public, with a computer available for genealogical and other research, and a well-stocked tori. The FHH website is www.finnheritage.org