SUM resort in Ellenville sponsors 39th annual "Zlet" for youth (07/26/98)

SUM resort in Ellenville sponsors 39th annual "Zlet" for youth

ELLENVILLE, N.Y. - The Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) sponsored its 39th consecutive annual spring festival, "Zlet," on May 23-24 here at the SUM resort.

Zlet presents an opportunity for youth groups to exhibit projects, to engage in competitions testing their knowledge about various aspects of Ukrainian history and cultural traditions, and to perform with their dance, bandura and drama ensembles within a talent-contest-type forum.

There were also individual and team sports competitions, including sprint, distance and relay races, broad jump, shot put, and obstacle course races, as well as tournaments in volleyball and soccer. Youths also had an opportunity to socialize at a barbecue and a zabava before spending the night in the new barracks and adjacent tents.

Although the Zlet held at the Ellenville resort involved only the 11 SUM branches along the Eastern Seaboard, there were 473 participants ranging from age 4 through 17. This year they were joined by a contingent of 21 participants from Montreal, who performed admirably in their first Zlet appearance. The continued growth of SUM is reflected in the participation of an ever-growing number of children-ages 3-5.

This year the responsibility for coordinating and conducting Zlet was undertaken by members of the SUM branch from Philadelphia, led by Ivan Yaworsky.

The Yonkers branch took first place in overall scoring for the seventh consecutive year, while the Passaic branch was close behind in second place. The Philadelphia branch earned third place. For the third consecutive year Adriana Rudyk of Yonkers won the individual trophy for most points in the 13-17 age group; the individual trophy for the 6-12 age group went to Andrea Kolinsky of Hartford.

Trophies were awarded to winners of the volleyball and soccer tournaments as follows: mixed volleyball - first place; Hartford; second place, Boston; and third place, Yonkers B. girls' volleyball - first place, Philadelphia; second place, Yonkers A; and third place, New York A. Soccer, 6-9 age group - first place, Yonkers A; second place, Philadelphia; third place, Whippany. Soccer, 10-12 age group - first place, Passaic; second place, Yonkers B; and third place, Hartford.

SUM President Yurij Nakonechny closed the awards ceremonies by expressing his gratitude to Mr. Yaworsky and his Philadelphia contingent, as well as to all of the SUM members for their participation in another successful Zlet.