Hotelies Travel to Lapland to Attend the EMEA Regional Meeting

In April, CHS members and friends set off on an extraordinary journey to Lapland, located in northern Finland, to attend one of the most memorable EMEA meetings yet. We began in Rovaniemi, Lapland's capital, where we convened at the Sky Hotel Ounasvaara for dinner in the aptly named Sky Kitchen Restaurant. This location boasted stunning floor-to-ceiling windows that provided a breathtaking view of the snowy hillside. Deiv inaugurated the weekend with a warm welcome, expressing his gratitude to his event planning team, including Martti Palonpera, who was unable to attend, and Susan Boyle, the executive director of CHS. He also paid tribute to his dear friend, Leif Evensen ‘66, who sadly passed away earlier this year and made significant contributions to the development of the European CHS community.

Dean Walsh was a guest of honor at the event, and joining her from Ithaca were three students who received the Philippus Miller III Legacy Award, which covered their travel expenses for this incredible trip. The students were Theo Belin ‘26, Emma Roder ’26, and Sam Kimball ’27.

The dinner started with a water tasting showcasing Kuohu Artesian Waters sourced from Finland's aquifers. These waters are purified and flavored by the bedrock, adding to their natural mineral richness. Guests sampled various waters, paired with Banfi wine from the Mariani Family, to evaluate how the water elevated the wine's complexity.

After enjoying another lovely lunch at the Sky Hotel, we collected our bags and boarded buses for our next destination. On the way, we made a stop at the Arctic Circle border and visited Santa Claus Village for a special encounter with Santa himself. To our delight, he proclaimed that we were all “nice,” and we eagerly anticipate full stockings next Christmas!

Once back on the buses, we journeyed for another 90 minutes into the mountains of Suomu to reach the Hotel Suomutunturi, where our hosts, Kari and Qian Tirkkonen, warmly welcomed us. Some guests settled in the main lodge, while others enjoyed nearby cozy two-bedroom chalets equipped with a kitchen, living room, and sauna. On our first night, we indulged in local delicacies, including deer meatballs, various salmons, and a variety of salads, along with Bread Cheese, known in the US as squeaky cheese, served with Arctic Cloudberries, which are only available in the Arctic.

Our adventures began after dinner, with each guest receiving outdoor winter gear, including a snowsuit, helmet, boots, and gloves. As the sun set and night fell into darkness, we hopped onto snowmobiles to head to the top of the fells, hoping for a glimpse of the aurora borealis. Along the way, our adventures led us to a small hut, where a surprise guest awaited us. Santa Claus was there to greet us and offer us a warm beverage. As we descended the mountain, we caught glimpses of green light dancing through the sky. Suddenly, the sky burst into an array of colors, with vibrant bands of green light swirling across the heavens, appearing and vanishing, and then erupting into colors once again. It was everything we had hoped for and more than we could ever have imagined. We were inspired to sing our Alma Mater, probably the first time it had been sung in the open air in the Arctic. 

We then warmed up inside and were treated to a musical demonstration of Finland’s national epic, which took us into the story of the sons of Kalevala, the forefather of Finns. It led us to mythical ancient stories. It was explained in Finnish and translated by Kari of Suomu into English. The demonstration was accompanied by music and songs with instruments including the violin and a Karelian string instrument.

The following day started with a sumptuous breakfast before we boarded the buses to begin our adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to feed reindeer up close, followed by a sleigh ride with these enchanting animals. Our next destination was a dog sled training facility, where the enthusiastic dogs barked eagerly, ready for us to hop onto the sleds and take off around the track. After a few laps, we gathered around fires in teepees to roast sausages over an open flame.

Although this year’s gala dinner was slightly more casual in dress, we gathered in a spectacular room overlooking the ski slopes and dined on a delicious meal of reindeer, arctic char, or elk stew. As always, the highlight of the evening was the auction. First, Jeff Scott presented Deiv with a certificate in recognition of the Deiv Salutskij PDP Scholarship, one of the three scholarships funded by the auction proceeds, along with the Rudy Munster GMP scholarship and the Leif Evensen MMH scholarship. Bidding commenced for prizes, including a stay at Relais Balcone Giulietta in Verona, Italy, and the Radisson Blu in Split, Croatia. The total amount raised exceeded €27,000. The party continued into the evening, where regulars reminisced about the adventures of the last three days, and newcomers were excited to have participated in something truly special.

One thing is for certain: we all hold a special place in our hearts for these trips, and what makes them special is the people who plan them, driven to share their excitement about their homeland and striving to convey their culture, passions, and life stories to a group of old friends and new lifelong friends. As we bade each other a fond farewell, we looked forward with anticipation to our next adventure in Greece, hosted by Evan Pezas ‘72. Until then, we say “hei hei” (goodbye) to Lapland and “yassou” (hello) to Greece in March 2026.