Saturday 10am-3pm
by Jovette Hiltunen, FHM reporter
After World War 11, many parts of the world were left in ruins. From this disaster, Operation Democracy Project was born. Its goal was to make connections from one community to another. Ron Toivonen, member of our FHM community came to our meeting to share this project. It was time to heal, to bring peace. And the best way to do that was to give ordinary people, in this case Americans, a chance to take the steering wheel and promote international goodwill by building a system of sister cities between US cities and war torn European cities.
Locally, Mentor, OH, chose the sister city of Suolahti, Finland. The confirmation of this choice was documented by a Western Union Telegram that stated: “Operation Democracy is thrilled by your splendid gesture toward a community in Finland. This is courageous experiment and will undoubtedly attract International attention. Please be assured that we will cooperation in every possible way. Signed, Isabella Greenway King, Operation Democracy.”
Why Suolahti? Approximately 450,000 people from the areas of Finland that had ceded to Russia during the war had crowded into this city. Who were these people? Every 9th citizen is a displaced person. Every 16th man is permanently disabled. Every 17th woman is a War Widow. Every 25th child is a War Orphan.
Items of what was most needed was generated and many elected officials from both regions spread the word. Members of various clubs, churches, and PTAs, as well as many individuals contributed. The local newspapers also contributed to spreading the word and volunteering their time and items. Collectively, the volunteer citizens of the Mentor and surrounding local communities were able to put together food, clothing and household goods worth $35,000.00 ($450,000.00 in today’s dollars). Through the help of Help Finland, Inc. in New York City these goods were shipped free to the Suolahti through Finnlines Shipping. The Mannerheim League of Suolahti sorted and distributed the goods to needy families.
How was this possible? So many area groups found ways to encourage individuals to give. From the Boy Scouts in Mentor on the Lake raising the Finnish flag to a community concert food and clothing donations, special tribute football games (Mentor vs. Fairport), and so many more. But then there was the packing. Volunteers were needed to pack the items once they were collected. Mayors, police and fire, and many other volunteers then packed the trucks that would carry the goods to New York City. The goods were then shipped on Finnlines, Inc. for free to Suolahti.
Once the items arrived in Suolahti, the Mannerheim League of Soulahti spent 500 hours sorting and distributing the goods. On January 7, 1949, the Mayor of Soulahti, Olavi Piha, wrote to Mr. Anton Toivonen asking for his assistance in sending the names and addresses of “the proper people” in Mentor so they could properly and officially thank them.
In December of 2022, Aira Laine wrote to Ron Toivonen, our speaker. She was a child of evacuees from Karelia. She said that her oldest living sibling, an 82 year old remembered the American package. She said that the box had 7 jackets, some other clothes and things and wonderful cookies. She said that in their city now are about 300 Ukrainians who fled the Russian war. Their city is paying the kindnesses forward and are assisting the Ukrainians who are there now. It is important to note that our speaker, Mr. Ron Toivonen, who went door to door to collect goods to be sent to Suolahti. Never underestimate how far the simplest of kindnesses can go.