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Do you want to participate and help, but don't know where to start?
Sompasauna works only if everyone contributes to the upkeep of the saunas. We have many regulars, volunteers and visitors who help - there are many ways to get involved, and every small contribution counts - be it a few minutes of sawing woods, heating up the sauna and keeping it hot, bringing firewood, cleaning a sauna, helping at events or donating money.
Especially during the summer, we have huge numbers of visitors - it's not enough if only a small amount of regulars does some work, everyone needs to contribute or the saunas will go cold very quickly. If we have more consumers than contributors, the upkeep will become difficult.
Get in touch with a sauna regular or email the board (sompasauna@sompasauna.fi) if you want to get more info about how to get involved - below you'll find a guide to the most simple tasks that can be done by absolutely everyone without previous knowledge. Bigger tasks are e.g. the participation in "wood runs" (driving to construction sites to pick up palettes and firewood - we have a trailer, but drivers and/or helping hands for loading and unloading are needed.) or the return of bottles and cans. (The money raised by recycling bottles is a significant part of Sompasauna's budget and is needed to buy new stoves - but returning bottles takes time, so help is very welcome.). Renovation and repair help is also always needed, we usually organize specific events (talkoot) to fix things, clean up, and build new stuff. Sometimes we also need specific skills - like a piano tuner, architect, diver or similar. So if you have any skill or profession that could be useful, please get in touch!
Follow the rules
Follow the rules
Read more about the rules and how to behave at Sompasauna here. Don't be stubid, be nice to others. Sompasauna is a safe space, zero tolerance towards harassment and misbehavior.
Fetch water
Fetch water
No seawater to the stoves! Het fresh tap water from the tap about 100m away from Sompasauna. There is a trolley at sauna, which can be loaded with canisters to make it easier for you to get the water.
Make firewood
Make firewood
Behind the saunas, you will find the woodshed and saws and axes for chopping wood. We only burn dry and untreated wood. A huge amount of wood is consumed every day, so there is always plenty of wood to chop!
Keep the area clean!
Keep the area clean!
The area stays tidy if you clean it up! Garbage to the trash and cigarettes in the receptacles provided. Empty cans and bottles to the can recycling box.
Donate wood
Donate wood
Here is a guideline if you want to bring wood to Sompasauna. (In Finnish, please write us an email if you need instructions in English.)
Sompasauna doesn't work without money donations - one stove usually lasts only 3 months, we need to empty the toilets, buy building material etc.
Become a member
Become a member
You can become a member of the association here, the membership fee is 40€ (20€ for students, unemployed and everyone else who can't pay the full membership price.) By joining, you increase our official statue when dealing with the city. You also get to enjoy other saunas around Helsinki twice a year and vote on topics regarding Sompasauna.
Participate in events and renovations
Participate in events and renovations
The saunas need maintenance and renovations, and the area needs to be cleaned. Therefore, we organize so called "talkoot", events where we build and clean together, eat some sausages and pancakes and have a good time. Everyone is welcome to help, check social media for the next event.
Lit the fire and keep saunas going
Lit the fire and keep saunas going
Before heating the sauna, empty the ashes from the drawer and firebox. Lit a fire, you can chop small wood pieces at the woodshed. Don't use the sauna before it has reached a sufficient temperature and the stones are hot. Help to keep saunas going by always checking if there is enough wood when you're entering a sauna, and adding more if needed.
Clean the sauna
Clean the sauna
The saunas need to be cleaned daily. The pink storage room contains cleaning equipment. Washing is done with seawater, which can be heated in the vesipata next to the storage. We use pine soap as a detergent. The best time to wash the saunas is while waiting for the stove to heat up.
Help to return bottles
Help to return bottles
Sompasauna covers a significant part of the expenses with money made from returning bottles! This is a time-consuming activity, so help is more than welcome. Contact the board or a regular if you want to help out.
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