Kettle River honors longtime community helpers
August 4, 2023

Dan Reed
Kettle River's Ma & Pa Kettle Days parade grand marshal Sam Huhta and his wife, Linda, settled in the Automba area in 1973. Sam has volunteered on many projects and served on many boards since then.
Next weekend, Aug.11-13, Kettle River will mark the 36th celebration of Ma & Pa Kettle Days. Started in 1985, the theme of this year's gathering is "Our work is never Finn-ished," in a nod to the many Finnish descendants in the area.
The grand marshal for this year is Sam Huhta of Automba, accompanied by his wife Linda. Also recognized for their commitment to community is the new Ma & Pa Kettle: Mark and Tina Tollgaard of the city of Kettle River.
Huhta was raised in Rice River Township in Aitkin County and attended first grade in McGregor. He was formally named Arvid Huhta Jr., af...
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