Tammy bravely endures life without Timmy's

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The following message from Southern Finland is one of many special greetings we're publishing over the holidays from expatriate Saultites.

If you're a former resident now living 200 or more kilometres away, SooToday.com would be delighted to post your message and photo.

For details, click here.)

********************* Hi!

My name is Tammy Aalto (formerly Hunter) and I moved to Salo, Finland (Southern Finland) with my two Sault-raised children Jacob (now 11) and Austin (now 8) in 1998 to be with my husband, Tuomas Aalto who is Finnish.

It is a wonderful culture and nice knowing another language.

My children today are very fluent in both English and Finnish.

Finland is quite beautiful and rich in history but its biggest downfalls are no Tim Hortons, Walmarts or (to my children) Ruckers :-(

It has a lot of other cool things though.

Born and raised in the Sault. Went to St.Veronica's elementary and then to St. Mary's College. Was there the first year it went co-ed.

Have many fond memories of all the events and still wonder today if it is same attending an East-West Game, all the fun we had.

I am sure rules were a bit more relaxed back then.

Not a day goes by when myself or my children are not talking about or with family or friends from the Sault.

You can move away from the Sault but can't take the Sault out of us.

My children had not been home in five years and I took them home this past summer for their first home visit since they left, and I seen they are forever Saultite Canadians by nature.

I am employed as an overseas sales and marketing manager for an international firm and have the opportunity to frequently stop by the Sault to catch up with family and friends after my business is done in North America and nothing ever changes but that is the beauty of the Sault.

Familiarity, the beauty of the environment and the feeling of really being home.

After traveling the world I have come to discover we do have some of the nicest, brightest people in the Sault.

True good heartiness is a hard trait to find these days and there is an abundance in the Soo. Appreciate it.

It is a place where every one is known as "Bud," even if you're new in town.

People go out of their way in times of need and your friends and family are REALLY there for you when ever in need.

We miss being there for the holidays with our extended (LARGE) family but maybe some day, we hope we can make it back permanently or for a few years.

The Sault and the people in it are one of a kind and should be proud of who they are. One of the finest communities I have ever seen.

Sadly many of my high-school friends have left but it is nice to catch up, wherever we might be and share stories of our past and hope for the possibility of returning one day.

The Sault will bind us forever. It was the best place to have been raised and I hope to give my children a touch of the "Northern Hospitality" that has made me proud of my home community.

I proudly say when asked "Where are you from" and I always reply "I am true Northern Canadian girl from the SAULT, where the best Canadians come from."

I want to wish all my friends and family a wonderful Christmas and hopefully we will see you in the summer of 2005.

BTW this picture was taken this summer in the Sault while visiting my family.