From left: James Hetfield, the lead singer of the American supergroup Metallica, Heikki Hursti and his daughter Sini Hursti from the Veikko and Lahja Hursti Charitable Trust and the drummer, guitarist and bassist of Metallica, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo. Picture: Veikko and Lahja Hursti Charitable Trust
The American metal supergroup Metallica has donated 25,000 euros to the Finnish Veikko and Lahja Hursti Charitable Trust. The band was visiting Finland to play two sold-out concerts at the Helsinki Arena.
The act of one of the most celebrated metal groups in history took Heikki Hursti, who has been running the organization in his father’s footsteps for over a decade, by surprise. “They had gotten our contact info from somewhere and wanted to help us,” Hursti said.
The organization has been arranging bread queues in Helsinki twice a week for unemployed, pensioners, students . . . — anyone in need. When Heikki Hursti took the reins in 2005, the bread queues consisted of about 300 people. Today, the number is about 2,800.
According to the charity’s webpage, they have been struggling with financial troubles. “During the past few years, the number of private donors and the support of the public sector has been on a downward spiral,” the organization says.
Hursti said that the money donated by Metallica will be used to running the everyday tasks of the charity, including renting expenses.
