1987: A LOOK BACK: Noteworthy events and people (12/27/87)

1987: A LOOK BACK

Noteworthy events and people

There were many noteworthy events and persons in the news in 1987. For those that defy classification under the aforementioned headings, there is this section.

Thus, among the notable events of the past year were the following:

A Harvard University symposium on "Ukrainian Classic Literature" brought together scholars from North America and Ukraine on January 14-16. The symposium was organized by Dr. George G. Grabowicz, chairman of Harvard's department of Slavic languages and literatures.
The Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society and the Ukrainian Professional and Business Club of Toronto put up funds to bring two Afghan teens to Canada for medical treatment. The youths, who were wounded in battle, arrived on January 27 and were to undergo reconstructive surgery.
Dr. Robert Conquest's book about the Great Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33, "The Harvest of Sorrow," was the featured selection of the History Book Club for the month of January. In October the book was one of five nominated for the Los Angeles Times book awards in the history category.
In February and March, three Ukrainian basses appeared in a single production of the Metropolitan Opera. Appearing in Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov" were Andrij Dobriansky as Nikitich, Sergei Kopchak as Varlaam and Paul Plishka as Pimen.
Laurence Ewashko, the grandson of Ukrainian immigrants who settled in Manitoba, led his first tour as conductor of the world famous Vienna Boys Choir to Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, appearing in a triumphant concert in Toronto on March 19.
CeSUS, the Central Union of Ukrainian Students, was revived after a 10-year period of inactivity at a weekend congress held March 2122 in Cleveland. Yaro Kulchyckyj, a student at Rutgers University, was elected president of the worldwide body.
Some 1,000 Ukrainians of Argentina greeted Pope John Paul II on April 10 at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral in Buenos Aires.
St. Volodimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in New York City was desecrated by unknown vandals who etched and drew swastikas on the church's exterior during the evening or nighttime hours of April 10-11, right before the start of Holy Week.
National Geographic magazine featured a 36-page article on Ukraine in its May issue. The story was by Mike Edwards, photos by Steve Raymer. Tania Mychajlyshyn D'Avignon was the team's interpreter. That issue of National Geographic, which is sent to 10.5 million society members worldwide, also contained an article about the Chornobyl nuclear accident.
Plast Ukrainian Youth Organization celebrated its 75th jubilee with an international jamboree in Quebec and Ontario on August 823. Over 800 Plast members from around the world participated.
Among the participants of the third Chautauqua Conference on U.S.-Soviet Relations, held in western New York state on August 23-28, were members of Americans for Human Rights in Ukraine. AHRU members raised Ukrainian human, national and religious rights issues at every possible opportunity.
Manor Junior College, founded in 1947 by the Ukrainian Sisters of St. Basil the Great, marked its 40th anniversary with a variety of events throughout the year.

Notable people of 1987 included:

Myron Spolsky was named Manitoba's first multicultural coordinator to serve as an advisor and administrative resource to the province's minister of culture, heritage and recreation. He assumed his post on January 12.
A. Raynell Andreychuk on February 6 was named Canada's high commissioner to Kenya, with concurrent accreditation to Uganda, and as ambassador to the Comoros. She was also appointed Canada's permanent representative to the U.N. Environmental Program and the U.N. Center for Human Settlements (HABITAT) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Ian Shelton, 29, son of two Ukrainian physicians from Winnipeg, on February 23 discovered the most significant supernova in 383 years.
Attorney Bohdan Futey, chairman of the U.S. Foreign Claims Settlement Commission, was sworn in on May 29 as a federal judge of the U.S. Claims Court.
On June 10, Maj. Gen. Nicholas S.H. Krawciw took command of the 3rd Infantry Division based in Wuerzburg, West Germany.
Joseph Charyk received the National Medal of Technology, the nation's highest award for achievements in technology, from President Ronald Reagan on June 27. He was recognized for breakthroughs in global telecommunications.
John Korbutiak, a Broadvalley, Man., farmer, died at age 80 on August 7, leaving $65,000 of his estate to the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre (Oseredok) in Winnipeg.
Leo Kazaniwskyj, a Chicago attorney, was elected on September 1 to chair the Governor's Immigration Reform Task Force by Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson.
A Miss America of Ukrainian descent was chosen on September 19. She is 24-year-old Kaye Lani Rae Rafko of Monroe, Mich.
Coach Taras Liskevych led the U.S. women's volleyball team to a qualifying berth in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
Rick Oleksyk, a member of the U.S. Olympic men's handball team, also will be in Seoul for the 1988 Olympics, thanks to his team's victory at the Pan-American Games.

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