Are We Saving Money – or Paying More in the End? The Wind-Down of Vaalijala Threatens to Disperse Unique Expertise

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Eloisa’s cost-cutting measures targeting Vaalijala don’t affect only South Savo – they threaten to dismantle a national center of expertise built over decades and shift overall costs, many times larger than the individual regional savings, onto the entire social and healthcare system. Eloisa’s adjustment measures now strike at the heart of Vaalijala. Closing four rehabilitation … Read more

Savonsolmu – A Dream by the Lake

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In 1976, Toikanniemi in Pieksämäki was changing. From behind the alder trees by the shore rose a concrete, aluminum-clad, glass-surfaced hotel that brought a touch of the big world to a small Finnish town. The newly opened Hotel Savonsolmu felt like a promise of things to come – a landmark of a new era that … Read more

Events Bring Life and Livelihood – and Boost Local Vitality

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Events are an important part of many municipalities’ identity and sense of community. They bring people together, offer things to do, and make life more enjoyable. Farmers’ markets, summer festivals, and cultural evenings are valuable moments in everyday life — experiences that can’t be measured in money. From an economic perspective, however, their impact is … Read more

The Internet Stole Clubs’ Secret Superpowers – Community and Connections

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Local clubs and associations once thrived on skills, contacts, and the exchange of information. Today, the same knowledge and networks are available online in seconds. Hobbyists haven’t disappeared—but they no longer need to join a club. Just a few decades ago, the idea of “community” was straightforward: it was your village, your neighborhood, or your … Read more

The Price of a Successful Event

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In the events industry, you often hear stories about endless workdays in the weeks leading up to an event, sleepless nights, and how—through sheer grit and sweat—the team somehow managed to pull it off. Cables were still being laid at the venue right up until sunrise, but in the end the event was a success. … Read more