THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM (02/15/98)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

Statement and appeal of the UNA Auditing Committee

The Auditing Committee of the Ukrainian National Association - composed of Stefan Hawrysz, William Pastuszek, Stefania Hewryk, Anatole Doroshenko and Iwan Wynnyk - in discharging its duties as stipulated in the UNA By-Laws, conducted a review of UNA operations in the period between Saturday, October 31, and Wednesday, November 5, 1997.

As a result of its review, the Auditing Committee affirms the following:

During the report period, that is, from January 1 to September 30, 1997, important financial operations were conducted in connection with the sale of the UNA headquarters building in Jersey City, N.J., and the purchase of a new headquarters in Parsippany, N.J.

1. Financial operations

In September, the 15-story building at 30 Montgomery St. was sold for $21.2 million. That same month, a new two-story building in Parsippany was purchased for $4,931,250. To that sum one must add $1.2 million for renovations and build out for the offices of the UNA and Svoboda Press.

Analyzing the sale of the building in Jersey City, the Auditing Committee is obligated to state that in recent years the building had a serious shortfall, evidence of which is the 1996 deficit totaling $1,142,923. The deficit was covered by taking funds out of the reserves, which as of January 1, 1997, before the building was sold, stood at $6,530,660. The new UNA headquarters building in Parsippany has the potential of covering administrative and other costs from rental income.

2. Organizing matters

We know that the Organizing Department is the unit most important to the existence of the UNA because new members are the guarantee of an institution's growth. The more new members, the more income there is from dues, which are the financial basis of the UNA. During the report period from January 1 to September 30, 1997, 643 new members were enrolled, having been insured for a total of $18,853,737. Who enrolled these members? According to UNA statistics, 12 professional salespersons in the United States enrolled 120 new members insured for $5,500,000; 17 professional salespersons working in Canada under the direction of Robert Cook enrolled 133 new members insured for $11,609,000. Combined, these 29 professional salespersons signed up 253 new members insured for $17,109,000. At the same time, branch secretaries, those tireless builders of the UNA, enrolled 390 new members insured for $1,744,737. While mentioning the professional sales staff in Canada, it should be noted that they do not sell only UNA insurance products, but also those of Canadian commercial companies.

It also must be mentioned that the director of training salespersons of UNA "products," Robert Cook, received $87,292 in salary from the UNA during the report period (nine months).

3. Recording Department

Secretary Martha Lysko is responsible for the Recording Department. She conducts broad correspondence with branch secretaries and other officers, and serves them with professional advice regarding UNA insurance, which has become more complicated due to changes in classes. In addition, the duties of the secretary include reviewing applications and issuing insurance certificates. In accordance with the by-laws, the secretary's duties also include safeguarding important UNA documents and convention minutes, and preparing the minutes of meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee.

During the report period, the program of merging small branches was continued where there was a real need to do so. Such mergers took place in 27 branches, while 10 branches underwent a change of secretaries. It is commendable that Martha Lysko has begun to organize seminars during visits to districts; such a seminar was held in Cleveland.

4. UNA publications: Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly

As previously mentioned, the Svoboda daily and The Ukrainian Weekly serve an important informational role that maintains contacts among Ukrainian communities in all countries; even more important is the fact that this is the seventh year our publications are being read in independent Ukraine. Our diaspora is concerned about the fate of Ukraine, and readers find the latest information and news on the pages of our UNA press. Unfortunately, however, a small percentage of the Ukrainians in the United States and Canada values the importance of UNA publications. Evidence of this is seen in the fact that during the first nine months of 1997 Svoboda lost 408 subscribers, while The Ukrainian Weekly lost 246. The deficit for these nine months is $253,000.

5. Soyuzivka

A review of the bookkeeping and functioning of the Soyuzivka administration affirmed that income during the first nine months of 1997 was $1,011,000, which is $64,000 more than in the previous year. The resort's expenses during the same period were $1,392,000, which is $94,000 more than in the previous year. And, speaking of expenses, they are increasing each year as a result of repairs of facilities and higher taxes. The deficit for the nine-month period is $381,000. As in the past, Soyuzivka continues to be popular, serving as a Ukrainian cultural center. The resort has become a popular place to hold weddings, and this is seen in the fact that nearly all the weekends for 1998 are booked for weddings. It is commendable also that with each year the number of our youngest UNA'ers, the preschoolers at "Tabir Ptashat," increases. Analyzing the work of the Soyuzivka administration, it must be underlined that the manager, John A. Flis, with the help of his assistant, Sonia Semanyshyn, is doing everything possible to avoid serious shortfalls.

6. The Auditing Committee unanimously supports concrete steps toward the merger of three associations: the Ukrainian Fraternal Association, the Ukrainian National Aid Association and the Ukrainian National Association, and it will support such moves during the 34th Convention in May 1998.

Almost on a daily basis the American press reports on mergers of large institutions, factories and banks. They unite and do not question what they will be called after their merger; instead, they plan how to provide for the economic development of the new entity. We should have vision and look several decades ahead; we should ask ourselves: what fate awaits our fraternal associations? It is not yet too late. We do not need to support three administrations, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The merger of three associations will save us $1 million annually - and possibly even more. With the funds saved we can continue to publish Svoboda as a daily.

7. The Auditing Committee is troubled by the deficits of the Canadian insurance operation. According to the reports of Acting Treasurer Stefan Kaczaraj, the deficit for the past three years (1994-1996) was more than $1 million (Canadian). That is why the Auditing Committee unanimously recommends that the Executive Committee act immediately to stop this deficit of the Canadian office.

8. Referring to its report about UNA publications, the Auditing Committee appeals not only to members of the UNA, but to the entire patriotic Ukrainian community to become subscribers to Svoboda for $2 per week. Can we allow our famous 104-year-old Svoboda to stop being a daily newspaper?

9. The Auditing Committee also appeals to the young generation, to young couples and professionals to become subscribers to The Ukrainian Weekly, which is considered to be the best English-language ethnic newspaper in North America.

10. The Auditing Committee gives recognition to UNA President Ulana Diachuk for the professional conduct, along with her "team" of the two-day move of the UNA Home Office from its old headquarters to its new facilities.

11. The Auditing Committee calls on district committee and branch officers to become involved in the organizing campaign so that all branches will have new members during this convention year.

For the Auditing Committee:
Stefan Hawrysz, chairman
William Pastuszek, vice-chairman
Stefania Hewryk, secretary
Anatole Doroshenko and Iwan Wynnyk, members

Self Reliance (N.Y.) funds subscriptions to The Weekly for schools in Ukraine

In December 1997, Stefan Kaczaraj of the Self Reliance (New York) Federal Credit Union presented the credit union's donations to two UNA projects aimed at helping Ukraine. A $5,000 check to the UNA Fund for the Rebirth of Ukraine was donated to support the Stefanyk Library in Lviv; a $3,000 donation funded 30 subscriptions to The Ukrainian Weekly for schools that teach English in Ukraine. Accepting the donations from Mr. Kaczaraj (center) are UNA President Ulana M. Diachuk (left) and Roma Hadzewycz, The Ukrainian Weekly editor-in-chief. That there is a need for such subscriptions in Ukraine was demonstrated recently in a letter received by the Kyiv Press Bureau. Writing from Sloviansk, Donetsk Oblast, Vasyl Horbachuk, dean of philology, notes: "We, the professors and students at the Sloviansk Pedagogical Institute, are very grateful for your paper, The Ukrainian Weekly, which we red regularly during 1997. We hope to continue receiving it in 1998. ... Both our lecturers and our students are very interested in the newspaper, Could we receive three or four issues?" Donations like the one received from Self Reliance may bring about the realization of such requests.

Seniors announce conference date

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - The 24th annual conference of the Ukrainian National Association Seniors' Association will take place at Soyuzivka on June 14-19. The executive committee is planning an interesting and enjoyable program.

This is a very well attended event, so it is important that seniors make reservations as soon as possible. Call Soyuzivka at (914) 626-5641, or write to Ukrainian National Estate, Foordmore Road, Kerhonkson, N.Y. 12446.

Svoboda Press releases UNA Almanac for 1998

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - The Svoboda publishing house has announced that the 1998 Ukrainian National Association Almanac has been published and is being mailed to all subscribers of the Svoboda daily newspaper.

The theme of this year's almanac is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Ivan Kotliarevsky's "Eneida," an event which heralded the use and acceptance of Ukrainian as a literary language. Despite subsequent attempts through political means to destroy the use of Ukrainian as a language of literature, education and political discourse, the publication of "Eneida" had provided a solid basis from which such attempts could be resisted.

The cover of this year's almanac was designed by Bohdan Tytla. The almanac is mostly in Ukrainian, however, a selection on Kotliarevsky, as well as excerpts from "Eneida" have been translated into English.

The 288-page almanac, filled with essays, poems, photographs, calendars and advertisements, contains six sections with several dozen different entries. In addition to the section dedicated to "Eneida," almanac entries cover topics such as the Fourth Universal, Kruty, Bohdan Khmelnytsky, the diaspora and national awakening in Ukraine.

The almanac may be ordered by sending a check or money order for $12 to: Svoboda, P.O. Box 280, 2200 Route 10, Parsipanny, NJ 07054. The price includes the cost of postage. Please clearly indicate the address to which the almanac should be sent.

Ambridge hosts children's party

AMBRIDGE, Pa. - UNA Branch 161 here held its annual children's Christmas party on Sunday, December 21, 1997. The 25 children in attendance were treated to movies, refreshments and a visit from St. Nicholas who brought them a bag filled with treats and candy. The children's Christmas party is a longtime tradition for Branch 161; some of the children in attendance were third- and fourth-generation UNA members. The Ukrai-nian National Associa-tion encourages its local branches to host such fraternal activities for its members.

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