Community Notes

Historical Society continues with Finnish Research Project

The Westminster Historical Society had another information-gathering meeting recently of the Westminster Finnish Farmers, with 12 people in attendance. New attendees marked the location of their family's farm on a large map. One couple came from Maine for the meeting, Paul and Elaine (Seppelin) Brown, Elaine's mother, Eila Seppelin, also came from Fitchburg.

More people brought in family photos to share. One special photo was of the Farmer's Coop bakery truck, which traveled from the Coop in Fitchburg to all the Finnish farms twice a week. People reminisced how the families loved to see the truck arrive when they could purchase Finnish rye bread "Reikka Leipa" or the wonderful "S" buns made of sweet bread dough to have with coffee.

This Finnish Research Project is a part of the Historical Society's larger project of researching the history of the town that is being written in time for the town's anniversary in 2009.

Nearly all the Finns in Westminster purchased farms that were previously owned by Yankee families but were no longer in agricultural use. In previous meetings, persons gave information about dairying, raising chickens and selling eggs and growing blueberries for Hay Market Square, in Boston.

The Westminster Historical Society has set another meeting for 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30, at the Society House, 110 Main St. Anyone with knowledge of any of the Finnish farmers in Westminster is invited to attend this meeting.

The Society has also planned its June meeting to be held on "Juhannus," or St. John's Day, which is June 21, and this year falls on a Thursday. The meeting will be held at the Old Farmers Cooperative Association building on Leominster Street, Westminster.

For more information, call (978) 874-5569.

Reservations being taken for financial workshop

"Solving Income, Financial and Emotional Independence Needs" will be presented from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, at the Westminster Senior Center, located at the American Legion Hall, 127 Main St. This is a financial workshop for ages 50 and over. The event includes a catered dinner, a question and answer period, and a special door prize drawing. Reservations needed by Wednesday, June 6. For information, or to make reservations, call (978) 874-7402.

New members welcomed to join Circle of Artists

Circle of Artists, a group of aspiring artists from Westminster and surrounding communities, meets twice weekly on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the American Legion Hall/Westminster Senior Center, 127 Main St., Westminster.

Members of this group explore art in a diversity of media that include watercolor, pastel, oil, colored pencil, collage and photography. They share their knowledge and skills and learn from each other and are very fortunate to have Joanna Draugsvold, Master of Art, from The Studio in Winchendon, as an instructor.

Meetings are always open to the public. For more information, contact Virginia Krul at (978) 874- 0375.