Pioneer family honored by city

Rain didn?t dampen the spirits of those who came to memorialize one of Rocklin?s founding Finnish families on Jan. 27.Toting umbrellas and coffee cups, a crowd of about 150 turned out to honor the Ruhkala family as the city dedicated a community park in its name. Nearly half of the celebrants were Ruhkalas. ?This is definitely Finnish weather,? said Roy Ruhkala as he represented members of his family with a speech. ?It?s raining and it?s cold. I guess you could say the Ruhkala name is Rocklin and visa versa.?Ruhkala Park is situated on seven acres at Arnold Drive and Surfbird Lane in Rocklin. It boasts a turf field, picnic tables, barbecues, pathways, a basketball court and a sand volleyball court.?I believe that the Ruhkala park dedication has long-lasting effects for Rocklin. Community service pioneers like the Ruhkala's are what makes us want to live and support Rocklin,? said Mayor Brett Storey. ?The family has supported every positive endeavor in Rocklin and continues to provide leadership today. It was a wonderful tribute to a family that has meant a great deal to me and my family, as I said at the dedication.? Storey said when he became interested in the city he made sure he met with members of the Ruhkala family.?They taught me what community service is about, that helping build better organizations not only helps your kids and family, but instills a sense of community in all,? Storey said. ?For that I am eternally grateful and the gesture of dedicating a park in their honor will keep that feeling alive in me and my family.?Noting significant contributions made by the Ruhkala family Mark Riemer, director of Parks and Community Services, listed the names and endeavors of generations of Ruhkalas.Among them was Matt Ruhkala who came to Rocklin in 1889. He worked in the granite quarries while he and his wife Eva raised 11 children. The Ruhkala family worked at a granite company their dad opened in 1993. Since 1918 a Ruhkala has been on the City Council, mayor or served at some capacity on a city or school board.?I am deeply pleased my dad started it all out,? said Reuben Ruhkala, 91.?I and my brothers Ben and Abner, who passed away a number of years ago, worked hard when we were growing. We got into everything. My wife Marge, 88, was even a reporter for the Tribune for local news.?His first city service was on the school board, then the planning commission.?We wrote the first general plan for city,? he said. ?It was quite a job. We weren?t educated as planners, but the city did have an attorney and engineer. I guess we were a small community. You just felt like you can help, so you just did. It wasn?t like you had to strive to get the job. They were hoping you?d take it.?Candidates were voted into positions, but didn?t have to spend time or money on campaigns, according to Reuben Ruhkala. But growth has changed that era. ?I think we could see it coming (the growth) just have to accept the way it is and plan for it,? he said.Part of that growth includes more Ruhkalas ? the fourth generation.?I think growing up in Rocklin is nice,? said Carly Ruhkala Schimmelman 12,. ?I get to see my grandpa make accomplishments and see things grow in the city. It?s nice to because people say, ?oh, you?re a Ruhkala.??Cassie Ruhkala, 12, whose dad Paul Ruhkala is the Rocklin Recreation Commission chair, said she her Grandpa Roy is one reason she intends to stay in Rocklin. ?It is good to be able to live near grandpa and to see him move around and be healthy,? she said. ?He goes with the family on camping trips and does he does everything. He has no fears.?Both girls admitted they didn?t know very much about city politics, but they would learn if they needed to.Paul Ruhkala and his sister Royce Ann Burks both said they felt a sense of pride in their family roots.?I think it was not a tradition, but part of the family heritage to have my grandfather and uncles and dad on the City Council. Grandfather cared what the city did. I never knew him, but he instilled the ?don?t complain mentality? and ?be positive rather than negative? in us.?According to him, being a Ruhkala meant doing to people what you would want done to yourself.?If you respect that ? kind of like Rotary, is it the truth good to all concerned, that?s what it?s all about, do unto others,? he said. ?It was a small town. Everybody was involved in a lot of things. Everybody had to participate. The attitude was ?don?t complain just help fix it.??But did growing up as a Ruhkala in Rocklin add extra stress to the kids??When I was younger everybody kept track of everybody else would see you and report back,? Paul Ruhkala recalled. ?You had to be pretty careful or your parents would find out no matter what your name was. It doesn?t benefit you to say I?m better than the next person. We don?t need to have a park named after us by any means, but if they decided not to do that, I think my grandpa would be proud.?Counting heads and names, Burks estimated about 32 Ruhkalas living in Rocklin, with six or eight in Loomis. ?There are three Ruhkala children at Rocklin Elementary again and four at Spring View Middle School and two at Parker Whitney,? she counted. ?The Ruhkala family is very honored to have a park named after our family. The park is beautiful and our family plans to hold a family reunion there next spring. I'm sure that families that live near the park will spend many fun filled hours there.?