THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM (09/27/98)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

Secretaries' courses held at Soyuzivka

by Martha Lysko
UNA National Secretary

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - Soyuzivka hosted the Ukrainian National Association's courses for new branch secretaries here on August 24-27. Thirteen secretaries and one special organizer attended the three-day intensive training session.

The program was directed by Ulana Diachuk, UNA president, and Martha Lysko, national secretary, with the participation of Joe Binczak, sales manager, and Lon Staruch, branch secretary and sales agent.

The seminar covered topics as diverse as the basics of insurance, cash values and policy evaluation, as well as the history of the UNA and the singular place it holds in the diaspora.

Mr. Staruch, an experienced branch secretary and a successful sales agent, shared his broad-based experience with the newly elected secretaries. Mr. Binczak showed UNA secretaries professional videos on sales techniques and current market trends.

Each attendee received a wealth of printed information and diligently sat through hours of classes and discussions. The new secretaries should be commended for their diligence, noted Mrs. Lysko, as a better trained secretary will be able to better serve the needs of UNA members and to be more successful in selling UNA policies.

In attendance was Halyna Petryk, secretary of UNA Branch 445 from far-off Winnipeg. When Stefania Hewryk, who served as both secretary of Branch 445 and UNA auditor, moved to Edmonton, Mrs. Petryk assumed the position of branch secretary. Mrs. Petryk immigrated to Canada from Lviv and has been active in the Winnipeg community for the last eight years.

Joyce Kotch, secretary of Branch 39 from Syracuse, N.Y., attended the courses with her husband, the Rev. M. Kotch. There were other couples in attendance: Gloria Horbaty, secretary of Branch 414 in New Haven, Conn., and husband, Donald; and Stephan Kosonocky, secretary of Branch 371, and his wife, Anna, from Whippany, N.J.

Some secretaries came with their families to enjoy a week at Soyuzivka.

The largest family group came from Pittsburgh. Slava Komichak, secretary of Branch 96, her husband, daughter, father and father-in-law came to stay for the week.

The Honchars came as a family to enjoy the week at Soyuzivka and participate in the courses. Angela Honchar, the secretary of Branch 481 in Carnegie, Pa., was accompanied by her husband, George, and two sons. Nadia Demczur, secretary of Branch 86 in New York, came with her husband, John.

From Chicago came Branch 17 Secretary Peter Bylen, his wife, Lilian, and their son. Mr. Bylen took over the secretary's duties from his father, Yaroslaw, a longtime branch secretary. Another son following in the footsteps of his father is John Pryhoda of Branch 200 in New York, who is helping his father carry on the work of the branch; the younger Mr. Pryhoda's wife, Dawn, runs the Q Café at Soyuzivka. The family tradition is being carried on also by another course participant, Maria Rad, who was elected secretary of Branch 320 in Baltimore, a position previously held by her late father, John.

Bohdan Smolynsky and his wife came from Boston at the request of Dmytro Galonzka, secretary of Branch 307. Mr. Galonzka wants to ensure continuity for his branch leadership. Sofia Lonyshyn, secretary of Branch 372, sent Christine Pawliak to familiarize herself with the duties of a branch secretary.

Both the president, George Phillipi, and the secretary, Donald Raishart, of Branch 113 attended the courses since they jointly run their branch and club in Derry, Pa. Very few UNA branches still have their own clubs but the club in Derry is doing well.

Christine Dziuba, secretary of Branch 367 in Rochester, N.Y., came at her own expense to refresh and upgrade her knowledge of insurance. She was accompanied by her husband, Petro, a former district chairman of the Rochester UNA District.

Oksana Trytjak, UNA special projects coordinator and secretary of Jersey City Branch 25, attended as well. Oleh Berezovsky came to the courses to become familiar with the UNA; he hopes to start an organizing campaign among newly arrived Ukrainians.

The weather was beautiful and Soyuzivka treated the course participants very well. All enjoyed Hutsul night and Odesa night, and every evening had its own charm and activity.

While the secretaries and organizers enjoyed Soyuzivka, UNA officers underlined the need to increase membership in the Ukrainian National Association because favorite fraternal benefits - such as Soyuzivka and the UNA's newspapers, Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly, as well as scholarships and gifts to graduates of Ukrainian studies schools - are dependent on income from membership dues.

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