EDITORIAL: Summertime (07/05/98)

EDITORIAL

Summertime

Summertime is a special time of year for just about everyone. But no one would deny that it is especially special for youths. School's out, the days are long, and there's plenty of time for all sorts of extraordinary pursuits.

For youths of Ukrainian descent there is an abundance of activity geared to diverse interests. Just one look at our summer issue (published a month ago) is proof. There are camps, workshops and courses of all varieties for youths of all ages.

Recreational camps for children are offered by several organizations at venues throughout North America. The number of preschoolers' camps is growing to meet the needs of today's families. In addition to its regular camps for children and youths, Plast offers specialized camps ranging from rock climbing and mountain biking to water sports and hiking in locations like West Virginia, the Rockies and the Thousand Islands region of upper New York State. Plus there is the quinquennial International Plast Jamboree, which this year takes place in Manitoba. SUM, too, offers myriad activities: camps focusing on survival skills, culture, sports and recreation, to give just a sampling, take place at sites in New York state, Wisconsin and Ohio.

To be sure, there are other organizations and individuals who get into the act: the Sitch Sports Association runs a sports camp at the Verkhovyna resort, St. Vladimir's Institute offers a "camp in the city" in downtown Toronto, the Harvard Ukrainian Summer Institute has a Ukrainian studies program, members of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus organize bandura camps and workshops, and the doyenne of Ukrainian dance, Roma Pryma Bohachevsky, runs dance camps and dance workshops at both Verkhovyna and Soyuzivka. Soyuzivka, of course, offers its own camps, beginning with the tennis camp, and continuing with the girls,' boys' and preschoolers' camps.

Truly, our community offers so many opportunities for our children.

But, do we appreciate what we have? Do we use our facilities? Do we support the organizations that run summer activities for our children and youths? Do we pitch in and help when help is needed (and it always is....)? Do we donate generously to make these activities possible? Honest answers only, please - and no excuses. Without our support, as surely as tomorrow will come, these wonderful offerings will wither away.

These questions arise as we report that two of our fraternal organizations are taking a long, hard look at their resorts. Yes, both Soyuzivka and Verkhovyna currently face an uncertain future: the first because its season will be curtailed next year; the second because it may be sold. Both are near and dear to so many Ukrainians and Ukrainian families. Do we want to lose one or both of these beautiful centers of our community life? And with them a huge portion of our community activities?

Surely the answer is an emphatic "NO!"

What then will you, dear readers, do to prevent this from happening? That's something to ponder as you're packing your kids off to camp, or lounging by the pool this summer.