People make the village - part 1 of the story series

Picture: Veera Vuorelan perhealbumi

But then, Kerkonkoski!

Veera Vuorela's family of four, who lived in the village of Mämmi in Äänekoski, decided to change their scenery, but they were completely unsure of where to go. It was important that Veera's beloved horse would be brought with them to the new location. Another criterion in choosing a place to live was the village school. Milla, who was about to start preschool at the time, was wanted in the village school, as it was a familiar destination for her mother from her own childhood.

Things started to move forward when a friend found a stable for Veera's horse in Kerkonkoski for the fall of 2019. One thing led to another and they started looking for an apartment in the Rautalammi municipality. A rental apartment was found in the village of Kerkonkoski, in a renovated townhouse in the municipality, but the corners of the two-room apartment soon started to get small for a family of four. Soon, Veera and Joni got a tip that a detached house had become available for rent just a stone's throw away, and this made the family happy. An agreement was reached with the tenants to renovate the yard so that a shelter and a stable could also be renovated on the plot for the horse. Since then, a couple more horses have appeared in the yard and the Finnish horse mares Allu and Rilla and the tenant boy Nakki currently live there. The house has also been renovated so that the one-bedroom house has become a three-bedroom home with the insulation of the upper floor.

Veera's husband Joni has just got a new job at Rautalammin Kome, which manufactures truck bodies and trailers. Veera works at Rautalammin Neste, but she has also become familiar with working at the summer restaurant Kerkonkoski Keitaa. Veera describes working at Keitaa as a springboard for getting to know the villagers. Last summer, in addition to work, it was nice to chat and get to know the villagers better and notice how nice people are in Kerkonkoski. Friendships are made little by little and Veera points out that a lot also depends on you. Veera has been involved in village events with Rilla-hepa, for example, to the delight of children and adults alike.

According to Veera, the best thing about Kerkonkoski is that it is a peaceful rural village and the people have been happy and friendly towards the family from the beginning. One of the most important things for Veera's family is the village school and daycare. For the children, it is important that the groups are small and it is nice and convenient that 3-year-old Saku and Milla, who is now in 3rd grade, are under the same roof.

A big thank you to Veera for the chat!

The author is Johanna Koponen, a project worker for the Kerkonkoski Ketterän Kerkolla Kylään project. The project has received Leader support from the Development Association Mansikka ry.

The purpose of this feel-good series is to make life in Kerkonkoski visible and bring the villagers closer to each other. The series introduces new and old acquaintances, those who have moved to the village and those who have lived there all their lives.