EDITORIAL: Soyuzivka: an appreciation (08/03/97)

EDITORIAL

Soyuzivka: an appreciation

Perhaps it's serendipity or something greater, but a search through our files revealed that it was exactly 45 years ago this week that the Ukrainian National Association purchased a large property in Ulster County, upstate New York. What was once the Foord Sanitarium, located off the Minnewaska Trail in the Catskill Mountains, became the Soyuzivka resort. Quite fitting that we spotted this news item clipped from the New York Herald Tribune of August 2, 1952, as we had already determined that this week's editorial would be an appreciation of Soyuzivka, the resort of the Ukrainian National Association.

Speaking with guests at the resort recently, a pertinent question came up: Soyuzivka is such a great place, so beautifully situated and comfortable, but why don't more people use it? One of our interlocutors noted how wonderful it is to spend time there with one's own family and friends. Another asked: Why doesn't the resort do more "theme weeks" to attract groups? And so it went, the result being that all agreed Soyuzivka is a true treasure and that it is not used enough by our community. ("Use it, or lose it," the resort's manager once said.)

And then, just as we were writing these lines, a fax was transmitted to our offices. It concerned another resort owned by another fraternal organization: Verkhovyna, the resort of the Ukrainian Fraternal Association, located in Glen Spey, N.Y., in the scenic Delaware River valley. "Let's save Verkhovyna," said the leaflet released by an entity calling itself the Verkhovyna Corp. The reason: state insurance authorities are pressuring the UFA to divest itself of the resort. Though no one wants the UFA to sell, it appears there is no choice...

Here, then, was a dose of reality that made us ponder further the state of affairs within our community. Why is it that we do not appreciate what we have right under our noses? Why is it that we begin to see the value of our holdings only when we are about to lose them, or after they're gone?

Soyuzivka, for example, was once a mecca for all Ukrainians. They would travel from near and far to enjoy concerts and other programs at the resort, send their kids to camps and cultural courses, or just drive up for a week of camaraderie and relaxation. The resort was booked solid during the summer season. Today, the weekends still are a draw, but during the week it is quieter, even though there are many activities, theme nights, etc.

There's plenty to do at the resort - swimming, tennis, hiking, for example - and plenty more to do in the nearby area, as there are many historic sites, wineries, orchards, lakes and mountain trails in that part of New York state. One could go bicycling one day, rock climbing another, horseback riding the third, fishing the fourth, not to mention engaging in more esoteric pursuits like antiquing, scuba-diving or hang-gliding. Soyuzivka and its environs offer year-round possibilities. In the wintertime, there are nearby resorts for skiing and facilities for ice skating, or you can enjoy sledding/tobogganing right at the resort. The off-season offers an opportunity for various organizations' seminars, conferences and conventions, as well as private gatherings like weddings, christenings, testimonial dinners, holiday parties - you name it.

So, if you haven't been to Soyuzivka in a while, come and visit an old friend. And, if you've never been there, consider stopping by this jewel in the Catskills. You are sure to be captivated by its natural beauty and its Ukrainian atmosphere.

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