Velkommen, Fontenehuset i Tromso
In August of 2011, TandC Associates, LLC made a site visit to Fontenehuset i Tromso in North Norway. We were invited there by the Executive Director, Reidar Svare, and Board Director, Gunhild Johansen, when we met them as well as a member and a program staff member. They all were participating in the ICCD clubhouse training seminar at Fountain House, New York City in the previous year.
Christine and another Fontenehuset i Tromso staff member greeted us at the wharf, having taken the Heuteboate up from Finnsnes that morning. On the brief walk up to the Fontenehuset through the winding streets, we learned that the building was in an historic section of Tromso, and secured for a very small sum. It has a basement, with 3 upper stories, and is in the process of being renovated and refurbished by the members and staff. As a matter of fact, two days before our visit, everyone had stayed down for a work party to install some cupbords and a sideboard in the dining room for dishes and coffee cups. (In North Norway, coffee is a national beverage!) The dining room takes up much of the space of the second floor and is filled with lovely birch tables and chairs, capable of seating 20-30 members and staff — but we get ahead of ourselves!! (More about that later.)
- View of the Dining Room, with newly installed cupboards – Fontenehuset i Tromso
After the prerequisite tourist-y photograph of the exterior and clubhouse sign (at the top of this posting) members in reception welcomed us heartily. Our member tour guide introduced himself as “Jack” Jakobsen. Jack informed us proudly that he had just completed his transitional employment placement at a law firm where he had been a file clerk for the past 6 months, something which he had enjoyed immensely. He had volunteered to be our tour guide because it would give him a chance to practice his English (which was impeccable), and at the same time show off his clubhouse, of which he was justifiably proud. Right away he pointed out the fresh paint job on the exterior, facing the front of the house and the side through which we entered! The clapboard had been thoroughly sanded by members on the contracting team, and they also participated in the paint job, too, he made sure to tell us. (We were duly impressed.) The first floor reception area where we entered flowed into the large Clerical area, where members were working on the clubhouse newsletter. A member stepped up to Tom, introducing himself, and informed us that he would interview Tom after our tour, before lunch. Everyone said Reidar Svare would be back soon because he was “fishing” for our lunch. Off the first floor reception area was another large area, for hanging coats and storing knapsacks, as well as the restrooms — all freshly renovated and painted.
We were taken upstairs to the top (third) floor, where a small space was set aside for staff offices and meetings. No staff was up there because everyone — staff and members — was working together throughout the clubhouse. But we had a great view of Tromso from the windows overlooking the back yard of the clubhouse. On our way downstairs, we had a tour of the efficient kitchen where lunch is prepared according the weekly menu selected by members with staff who have culinary and nutrition training. Jack then showed us the very spacious dining room, which was the full-length of the front of the clubhouse, with windows overlooking the street, Skolgata.
The tour was completed with a trip downstairs to the ground floor, and a deck in the back yard, where chairs were set up for all to enjoy some informal conversation. Gunhild Johansen, Board Member, joined us from her busy schedule as Mayor of Tromso, and we could share our delight with her in person having just seen the clubhouse so beautifully developed. At that point, Tom was taken inside for his interview, and I got to socialize with some of the members taking a break outside. Plans for an organic vegetable and herb garden were in the making, and an expansion of the deck — all to be worked on by members and staff! Tom rejoined us, wearing a Fontenehuset i Tromso t-shirt! You can see what it looks like in the photograph at the top of this posting — Christine is wearing one, too.
The Fountain on the deck, Fontenehuset i Tromso
A short time later, lunch was announced and we all gathered upstairs in the dining room. And what a feast! Reidar had brought back two kinds of fish — Salmon and a really nice Halibut — from the Fish Market just that morning. It was served with a light Veloute sauce and cooked to perfection — quite a feat to prepare fresh fish entree for such a large group. We enjoyed our lunch and a little introductory speechifying with the rest of the members and staff.
Typical Lunch at Fontenehuset i Tromso
Before long, it was time for the afternoon meeting, for which Reidar was nominated to conduct. Since it was Friday, a lot of reporting out took place, with items checked off the big white board “Assignment List” for the week. Very little was left over for completion for the following week. At the end of the meeting, the newsletter with Tom’s interview was distributed. We were impressed with the articles published in both Norwegian and English, in a four-page format of two columns per page. Very professional!!
Afternoon Work Meeting – Fontenehuset i Tromso
As we enjoyed so much time during our visit to Fontenehuset i Tromso, we decided it was time to leave to let the members and staff wind up the activities of the Day Program on this Friday. We were invited back for another visit when we returned to North Norway so we might see more program expansion and further development!
This site visit to Fontanhuset i Tromso was arranged to facilitate the establishment of a clubhouse in Finnsnes in Lenvik Kommune, where Ciri’s paternal family members reside. The inspiration for establishing a clubhouse came from her cousin Olav Winther, who visited Fountain House in New York City prior to 2001. In a future posting, we will describe the progress of the development of a clubhouse in Finnsnes. Your comments are most welcome below or at our e-mail address:
tandcassociates@gmail.com