The James E. Lampila Memorial Skateboard Park
by Jeanne Pakkala Frandsen

In an article in The Ithaca Journal dated February 18, 2004, Sally Marx writes: (used with permission of Sally Marx)

The Van Etten Planning Board is moving ahead with a plan to build a skateboard park by Chuck Alderman Field.

The board wants local skaters to help in the planning, design and construction of the park. The park will be named the James E. Lampila Memorial Skateboard Park, in honor of Jim Lampila, who was raised in Van Etten and worked for the school district.

Lampila built a ramp in his yard and encouraged the local kids to skateboard there. He lived a good distance out of town, so getting there was not easy. He dreamed of bringing the community together to establish a bigger and better skateboard park in the village, where it would be accessible to all, but he didn't live to see that dream come true.

His friends have not forgotten his dream, however, and the need for a safe place for the kids to skateboard is evident.

The exact site is not finalized, but grant requests are in the works and organizers are seeking funding. Anyone who would like to donate may write a check out to the James E. Lampila Memorial Skateboard Park and send it to: Village of Van Etten, P.O. Box 156, Van Etten, NY 14889. Donations are tax deductible.

When I read this in the newspaper I thought of Jim and how much he is missed by the community, the school district and his friends and family. As he was of Finnish descent, being the son of Ed and Ethel Lampila of Van Etten, I thought about all of the friends he has scattered about the country who are members of our Finger Lakes Finns. I thought maybe some of you would like to donate money to this, in my opinion, very worth cause.

Kiitos.

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