Detroit District announces UNA centennial fetes (05/15/94)

Detroit District announces UNA centennial fetes

WARREN, Mich. - The Detroit area's branches of the Ukrainian National Association, encompassing Greater Detroit, Windsor, Ontario; and Toledo, Ohio; have moved their celebration plans into high gear. The 18 branches with more than 2,100 members are planning a single event to mark 100 years of UNA fraternalism, 100 years of the Ukrainian Svoboda daily newspaper, 60 years of The Ukrainian Weekly, and 40 years of the children's magazine Veselka.

Under the leadership of Dr. Alexander Serafyn, also chairman of the UNA Detroit District Committee, a UNA Centennial Committee has been working to provide the highest level of acknowledgment to those who helped make the UNA the most distinguished and influential Ukrainian organization in the world.

The gala banquet will take place on Sunday afternoon, May 22, at the Ukrainian Cultural Center, 26601 Ryan Road, in Warren. Admission to this event will be $25 per person. Tickets are already available at both the Ukrainian Selfreliance and Future credit unions, or from any committee member.

The program for the afternoon has been carefully planned to not only entertain guests but to also send a message to the community. Dr. Myron Kuropas, author, educator, columnist, a brilliant and foremost analyst on Ukrainian issues and problems, has been selected to be the keynote speaker. Dr. Kuropas, in addition to his many talents, has also authored a new history of the UNA's 100 years in America and Canada.

A second highlight for the banquet will be the engaging music and singing of the Oberehy Ensemble from Ukraine. This group, organized in Lviv in 1989, with all members majoring in musicology at the State Conservatory of Lviv, has made appearances in Austria, Poland, Germany and had its first successful performance in America at the Epcot Center, Disneyworld, in Orlando, Fla.

Special awards for outstanding achievement and service will be given to approximately 18 UNA leaders in Metropolitan Detroit who made significant contributions in building a leading UNA image in Michigan.

Another principal portion of Detroit's celebration will be an exhibit of archival memorabilia at the Ukrainian Cultural Center (UCC) beginning May 19 and ending May 25. The first UNA branch in the area, No. 175, was founded in 1907 and was named the Brotherhood of St. Nicholas. Over many years, archival mementos were collected, many of which were channeled to Roman Dacko's Ukrainian-American Museum and Library in Hamtramck, an affiliate branch museum in Warren's UCC. To supplement the Detroit exhibit, a 24-panel traveling photo exhibit prepared by the UNA Home Office to depict 100 years of history will also be displayed.

The UNA Centennial Committee in the Detroit area comprises: Dr. Serafyn, general chairman; Stephen M. Wichar Jr., program and public relations; Roman Lazarchuk, general secretary; Dr. Atanas Slusarczuk, Osyp Bihum and Irene Pryjma, UNA exhibit; Jaroslaw Baziuk, awards chairman and ticket sales; Zenon Wasylkevych, Ukrainian publicity; Stefania Fedyk, Dmytro Koszylowsky, Roman Kuropas, Olha Maruschak, Josef Postolowsky, Jurij Rub and Peter Zaluha, advisors.

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