POHJOLA BK'A' 
By Vehkalahden Veikot received the Pohjola Award of Hyvä Seura (Good Sports Club), worth 10,000 euros, in Suomen Urheilugaala (Finland's Sports Gala) on 16 January 2012. This award is annually given to sports clubs in recognition of their invaluable and highly effective efforts in sports club activities.
Established a century ago, Vehkalahden Veikot is a sports club with over 2,000 members in Kymenlaakso, some 150 kilometres east of Helsinki. They cater for a number of sports - orienteering, skiing and biathlon, track and field, triathlon and physical exercise. The village clubs also engage in, for example, volleyball, pesäpallo (Finnish variety of baseball), football and floorball.
The club has clear plans and a vision and strategy that are carried out with determination. Vehkalahden Veikot is a big club for a town of only some 12,000 inhabitants. There are plenty of sports for children and youngsters to choose from, not forgetting special needs groups. Thanks to the active village clubs, you never have to go far to pursue your hobby. The club is in active cooperation with other clubs, companies, sports federations, sports academies, the regional SFS association and Hamina Garrison.
The club is fully run by volunteers and can make use of its great numbers when organising major sports events. In the summer of 2011 Vehkalahden Veikot organised, for the third time, the traditional Jukolan Viesti orienteering competition, which was the tour de force of volunteer work: over 1,500 volunteers participated.
In recognition of grass-root level sports club activities
The characteristics of a good sports club (Hyvä Seura), defined together by sports organisations, are used as the criteria for awards, highlighting Fair Play values and an inspiring leadership and operating culture that enhances the spirit of togetherness. Good sports clubs may come in various forms. Depending on the club, it may emphasise competitive or world-class sports, activities for children and youngsters, keep-fit exercise and exercise for health promotion for adults, exercise with the family or special physical training. This year the emphasis was on how the club promotes and maintains an active volunteer base.
"We wanted to celebrate our theme year of volunteering by making it one of the criteria for the winning club. Volunteering in sports clubs in immeasurably valuable. Finnish clubs do a lot of good work to promote wellbeing in Finland, and in doing so contribute to closer ties between people in the community," says Pohjola Insurance's President Jouko Pölönen.
"With the Pohjola Award, we wish to thank all clubs and their volunteers for the important work they do. Over a million people in Finland are involved in grass-roots club activities. I really appreciate the fact that Pohjola Insurance wants to support Finnish sports club activities in such a significant way," says Timo Laitinen, President of the Finnish Sports Federation.
In addition to this first prize given in cooperation with Finland's Sports Gala, Pohjola grants its regional Pohjola Award to 16 clubs. These awards will be given in cooperation with the regional organisations of the Finnish Sports Federation during spring 2012.
Vehkalahden Veikot
- Club from Vehkalahti providing opportunities for a number of sports: orienteering, skiing, biathlon, triathlon, track and field, triathlon and physical exercise and in the village clubs also volleyball, pesäpallo (Finnish variety of baseball), football and floorball
- Established: 1911
- Number of members: 2,044
- Chairman: Marko Koskiaho
- More information on the club: www.vehkalahdenveikot.fi
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Source: Pohjola Pankki Oyj via Thomson Reuters ONE
