For more than 50 years, International Neighbors has offered friendship and culture to many of those who came to the Copper Country with ties to Michigan Tech.
“The idea was always simple—build friendships across cultures,” said Donna Cole, one of the group’s longest-serving members.
Founded in 1970, the group began as a small cooking circle called “International Cooks,” formed by Portage Lake Church Women United—a coalition of local churchwomen aiming to welcome international residents to the area. Elvi Ruotsala was the first president of the group. As membership grew, the group expanded beyond cooking, eventually adopting the name“ International Neighbors”. Since then, more than 1,000 men and women representing over 50 countries have participated in its programs.
From the start, the group has maintained a close relationship with Michigan Tech. Many of its members have been spouses of graduate students and faculty. In the 1980s, the group was largely composed of Indian housewives whose husbands taught at the university. Today, the group also welcomes international students.
Alison Keeble coined the term “Diary Dates” for the group’s biannual activity schedule—a title still in use today. “Diary Dates” lists activities ranging from cooking and crafts to pumpkin carving, cultural storytelling, and outdoor hikes.
In 2007, members Daiva Umeziene and Mariana Yorgova compiled a cookbook featuring recipes shared at gatherings. The cookbook and several early photo albums are preserved in the Michigan Tech Archives.
Aside from recreational activities, the International Neighbors also collaborates with its sister organization, the Elaine Bacon Literacy Program, which provides free English tutoring to international adults in the Houghton-Hancock area. Together the groups organize joint cultural activities such as potlucks, berry picking, and field trips, and they have participated in the Parade of Nations since its inception in 1989.
The Literacy Program, founded in 1969—a year before International Neighbors—now primarily supports non-native English speakers, many of whom are affiliated with Michigan Tech. According to the program’s website, it currently serves about 40 students from countries including Afghanistan, China, Iraq, Indonesia, and Brazil. During the COVID-19 pandemic, tutoring shifted online and remains available via Zoom, allowing students around the world to participate.
While the group has evolved over the decades, its core purpose remains unchanged: to create a warm and welcoming space for international men and women and their families living in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
“This group may look small from the outside,” Cole said, “but the friendships formed here echo across oceans.”
Today, International Neighbors meets weekly on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Portage Lake United Church in Houghton. For more information, contact Donna Cole at donnafcole@gmail.com.
