LANTANA, Fla. — In the heart of Lantana, a Finnish flag proudly waves outside 'Suomi Talo' — which means "Finland House" in Finnish. Located on Finlandia Boulevard, this special place serves as headquarters for some of South Florida's most passionate Panthers fans.
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The Finland Club has been celebrating Finnish culture in Palm Beach County for 80 years. Step inside, and you'll find walls lined with pictures and crests representing every town and city across Finland. Club members were excited to give WPTV Anchor and Panthers 360 host Mike Trim a tour of their beloved gathering place.
"The Finns came with Flagler, building The Breakers, and then shipped back to Lake Worth in the evenings," explained one longtime member, referencing the area's deep Finnish roots.
The Panthers roster boasts four Finnish players who have become local heroes: Captain Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola and Eetu Luostarinen. All four played crucial roles in the Panthers' two Stanley Cup championships, making Finnish pride at the Finland House reach new heights.
The excitement reached even further last June when Barkov and Lundell captured gold for Finland at the World Hockey Championship.
"Oh, it warms my heart — it's extremely important," said Jyrki Koiveharju about what these Finnish players mean to their community.
When Barkov and Lundell clinched that gold medal, the Finland Club sprang into action.
"We just called all the Finns Sunday morning, and the whole place was packed," recalled club member Jorma Olsson. "When he scored that overtime goal, the president was afraid we were going to lose the roof!"
Members believe Finland's hockey success stems from an early start. In Finland, skating is built right into physical education classes during winter months.
"When you go to P.E. during wintertime, the boys always go skating. We start at a very early age," Olsson explained.
The results speak for themselves: Last season, 43 Finnish players competed in the NHL — remarkable for a country with just over 5 million people.
Olsson couldn't be prouder of how the four Finnish Panthers represent their homeland.
"All these four players are humble, show excellent behavior, and are fantastic representatives of Finland. We couldn't be more proud," he told Trim.
The connection between Finland and the Panthers runs so deep that the team holds an annual Finnish Heritage Night at Amerant Bank Arena. In previous years, fans have flown all the way from Finland just to attend that special game. The Finland House also hosts a large festival each year in Bryant Park, typically held in late February or March, keeping Finnish traditions alive in sunny South Florida.
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