2019 Featured Donor – Jean Hangartner Cook

By Honor Schauland

Friends of Finland recently got a nice donation from the estate of Jean Hangartner Cook, who was originally from here in Finland, MN, but who made her home in Michigan.

I met Jean back in 2008 when we both staffed the Finland Minnesota booth at FinnFest USA which was held in Duluth that year. I was representing the community center (which wasn’t built yet) and the Finland Co-op. Jean was representing the Finland MN Historical Society. I remember we had a lovely conversation about Finland’s history and where it was going, and when later that year, the newly formed Friends of Finland organization put out a call for donations for building the community center, Jean made a donation of $1,000. I remember thinking that our conversation must have really made an impression on her! After that, she made regular annual donations. I had no idea that she would remember us in her estate. What an unexpected gift!

If you are interested in supporting Friends of Finland beyond your own lifetime, you can plan for it now. It’s easy to leave a bequest of any specific dollar amount, or a percentage of your estate, by including the proper language in your will.  Please contact us for more information – 218-353-0300.