1992: A LOOK BACK: UNA: serving the Ukrainian nation (12/27/92)

1992: A LOOK BACK

UNA: serving the Ukrainian nation

During 1992, the Ukrainian National Association continued its 98-year tradition of service to the Ukrainian nation in myriad ways. Of course, it would be impossible to note every project that this oldest and largest Ukrainian organization in what was once known as the free world has initiated or supported. Thus, what follows represents the highlights of UNA activity in the year following Ukraine's proclamation of independence.

In keeping with its well-established role as patron of the arts, the Ukrainian National Association, along with the Toronto Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Committee and Ukraine's Ministry of Culture, sponsored the first North American tour of the Dumka Ukrainian State Choir. The 65-member chorus, embarked on a whirlwind tour in December, covering 15 cities in two and a half weeks. Their grueling schedule was coordinated by Scope Travel/Auscoprut Joint Venture.

Appearing with the Dumka choir were four soloists: tenor Volodymyr Hryshko of the Kiev Opera, baritone Ihor Kushpler and mezzo-soprano Neonila Koziatynska of the Lviv Opera, and soprano Ludmyla Shyrina of the Odessa Opera.

The Dumka tour, organized to mark the first anniversary of Ukraine's independence, demonstrated to audiences that, as music critic/musicologist Roman Sawycky Jr. noted, the choir truly is "at the summit of world choral art." Mr. Sawycky characterized Dumka as "a very valuable phenomenon for Ukrainian music and something very rare in the development of European choral singing."

This was also the year that the UNA's "Teach English in Ukraine" project got off the ground. Initiated and directed by Dr. Zirka Voronka, a specialist in the teaching of English as a second language (ESL), the project's call for volunteers elicited an extraordinary response from Ukrainians, young and old alike, from all parts of the United States and Canada. Ultimately, 84 persons taught 70 courses in 26 cities and towns throughout Ukraine, from Kalush in the west, to Svitlovodske in the east, from Sumy in the north to Frunzenskoye in the Crimea.

The summer program was organized with the co-sponsorship of the Prosvita Ukrainian Language Society, which provided accommodations for the volunteer teachers and arranged local logistics. The volunteers paid their own travel expenses, while the UNA covered all teaching materials and hosted a workshop for the volunteers at its headquarters building in Jersey City, N.J. Later in the fall, the teachers held a working reunion at Soyuzivka, the UNA's upstate New York resort, where these trailblazers not only traded tales of their experiences but provided constructive criticism that will benefit the project for the years ahead.

Already the project has been renamed "Teaching English in Ukraine" to reflect its status as an ongoing program, and the call for volunteers for 1993 went out at the end of December.

In another project aimed at students in Ukraine, the UNA engaged Olena Prokopovich, a student from Chernihiv, who was successful in obtaining a major scholarship to study in the U.S. at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., to inform her peers in Ukraine about admission requirements and procedures for applying to U.S. colleges and universities. Ms. Prokopovich advised prospective students and organized informational workshops for them in hopes of helping talented students from Ukraine gain admission to U.S. institutions of higher education.

As is customary, the UNA Supreme Executive Committee met several times this year to review UNA activity and act on new plans. In the course of their deliberations, the supreme officers voted a number of major donations to benefit Ukraine. Among them were $10,000 to the University of Kiev-Mohyla Academy, Ukraine's first private university in modern times; $10,000 to the Sabre Foundation for continued shipments of diverse books to Ukraine; and $5,000 for a Ukrainian-language 20th century history of Ukraine authored by Dr. Taras Hunczak that is much-needed for education in Ukraine.

The UNA's Supreme Assembly, the organization s highest decision-making body between quadrennial conventions, met, as usual, in May and also voted on a number of important proposals. Thus, the assembly approved the creation of a non-profit Ukrainian National Foundation that will apply for tax-exempt status, and will seek out government and private-sector grants for charitable, educational and scholarly projects aimed primarily at Ukraine.

UNA members and other community activists pitched in as well. As of year's end, the tally of donations to the UNA Fund for the Rebirth of Ukraine, created by the UNA's 1990 convention, was well over $357,000.

Other noteworthy matters acted upon at the annual session of the Supreme Assembly were the allocation of $75,000 for donations to various Ukrainian community organizations and special projects, and adoption of a budget that included a capital fund of $1.63 million for such improvements as renovations at Soyuzivka, computerization of UNA publications and refurbishing the UNA headquarters building. As well, Supreme Assembly members proposed various plans to mark the centennial of the UNA's founding, which occurs in 1994; creation of a sports directorship to coordinate UNA involvement in and sponsorship of sports events; granting of special scholarships to students from Ukraine who are studying in North America; and expansion of the UNA Press Bureau in Kiev.

Soon after the Supreme Assembly had concluded its five-day deliberations, the UNA Scholarship Committee, during a daylong meeting at the UNA Home Office, reviewed scholarship applications from UNA members pursuing undergraduate studies. A total of $124,000 was awarded for academic year 1992-1993 to 229 students. The grants ranged from $300 to $1,800.

UNA'ers are active in helping their fellow man on the local level as well. Perhaps most prominent during 1992 was the assistance to victims of Hurricane Andrew, which swept through southern Florida in late August, that was organized by area Ukrainians, including members of UNA Branch 368 in Miami. UNA'ers collected donations of money, food, clothing, building materials and other essentials in the wake of the biggest natural disaster in U.S. history.

In other news at the UNA, Mychajlo Olshansky, treasurer of UNA Branch 51 in Chicago, was honored as the organization's Fraternalist of the Year for his outstanding service to the UNA and the community. Mr. Olshansky received his award during a special ceremony on October 17.

At Soyuzivka, a "Miss" for 1993 was chosen. She is Marianka Hawryluk, 24, a graduate of Manhattan College, who has worked at the resort in some capacity or other for about 10 years, most recently as the mistress of ceremonies for entertainment programs.

At the Svoboda Press, another index to the Ukrainian-language daily newspaper was released during 1992 - this one covers the period 1900-1907. It is the second of a series being published by the Immigration History Research Center of the University of Minnesota that will index all issues of the newspaper since its founding in 1893 to the present.

There was some sad news in 1992 as well, as several prominent UNA'ers passed away. Melanie Milanowicz, an employee of the UNA Recording Department for 41 years before her retirement in 1991, died in January at the age of 81. Stephen Chuma, longtime foreman of the Svoboda print shop and a dedicated UNA and community activist, died in April at age 68. He had retired from the Svoboda Press in February. Wolodymyr Zaparaniuk, a longtime supreme advisor of the UNA, president of Branch 484 and an honorary member of the UNA Supreme Assembly, died in June at age 77. Finally, Maria Demydchuk Chuchman, a former UNA supreme advisor and an honorary member of the Supreme Assembly, died in September at age 91.

On a happier note, the UNA in 1992 enrolled perhaps its first set of triplets as members. They are Chrystyna Maria, Petro Bohdan and Orest Andrij, born to Bohdan and Irene (Farion) Danylewycz on December 1, 1991. They were enrolled into Cleveland Branch 364 by their proud (and perhaps overwhelmed) grandma, Anna Danylewycz.

As the year drew to a close, the UNA was planning celebrations of the centennial of Svoboda, the 60th anniversary of The Ukrainian Weekly and the 40th anniversary of Soyuzivka - all of which will be marked in 1993.

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