Emotional memories have both been created and awakened

"My friends call me Kyljyskuiskaaja," said Niko on the cusp of last summer. The Citymarket fishmonger who served as a social media ambassador also goes by the name Kyljyskuiskaaja on social media, where his activities were followed throughout the ambassador year. What did the year include...

By far the biggest thing, I’ve been involved in as an ambassador is a day at Kapeenkoski. We carried out a collaboration with photographer/#hiddenaanekoski ambassador Ilona Pietiläinen, Kapeenkoski Oy, Hiushalkomo, Lumpeenkukka and K-Citymarket Äänekoski. The team at Hiushalkomo created stunning hairstyles for my family and Lumpeenkukka crafted flower crowns. 

I waded in Kapeenkoski, carried my Kamado grill to a Kapeenkoski lean-to (one of the many). K-Citymarket Äänekoski provided the ingredients, and at the lean-to I cooked a three-course menu. The Kapeenkoski crew opened the beautiful, history-steeped Myllytupa for our use, where we displayed the dishes I had prepared. Ilona captured this entire fantastic day through her lens! Ilona also wrote a story about the day, which can be found on the Visit Äänekoski blog as well as in Terassi magazine! My social media profile photo is also from that day.

As an ambassador I also rode down the rapids at Kapeenkoski on a river sled! It was quite an experience, hanging on to the sled as we plunged into the whitewater.

In the spring I thought about what kind of stunt I could do as an ambassador. It was the day of the Ice Hockey World Championship final, Finland–Canada. As a hockey enthusiast I decided that if Finland won gold, I would walk a certain distance in its honor. If Finland lost, I’d walk anyway — but I couldn’t exactly announce it like that

On Google Maps I spotted in Sumiainen a beach about 27 kilometers from my workplace. I decided to walk there, and along the way I could photograph Äänekoski’s scenery for my social channels. 

Mika Lankinen, the retailer of K-Citymarket Äänekoski, got excited about this stunt and said he’d join us. We were also joined by Tiina, a summer employee of the City of Äänekoski and Visit Äänekoski, and the three of us walked the planned distance. During the gold walk I promised to walk to Parantala if there was Finnish success in the Neste Rally. Ott Tänak of the Toyota team won that rally, and in honor of team principal Tommi Mäkinen’s success, the walk I promised is planned for spring/early summer 2020. So stay tuned!

During my ambassador time I’ve reminisced and brought up places important from my childhood. Having grown up in Hietama, for example the old aspen, Julmanvuori and the Aittokoski bridge have brought wonderful memories to mind. I’ve discovered completely new places in Äänekoski as @Sini&Pete have photographed numerous locations for their social channels. There are endlessly amazing places here.

Now, as a retail worker, I’m slowly recovering from the shock of Christmas. From here on I’ll start highlighting in my writings and social channels the hobby opportunities around town. I myself started recreational hockey at the end of October, my little brother Juska plays basketball, and a close friend coaches a girls’ football team… Sports-related hobbies will come up through my own circle, but Äänekoski also has a huge number of cultural hobbies, for example, which I intend to explore!

You can follow me on Facebook as Kyljyskuiskaaja. During my ambassador time I also learned to use Instagram and on Twitter I’m still finding myself as @kyljyskuiskaaja. As a new channel I plan to start a YouTube channel this January, of course under the name Kyljyskuiskaaja. Be sure to follow, as I’ll be chatting about family life in Äänekoski, hobby opportunities, food, local producers, meat and fish handling, smoking and grilling, and of course ice hockey!

Niko - Kyljyskuiskaaja