Three-year-old SUM branch in Goshen, N.Y., blesses new flags (05/30/99)

Three-year-old SUM branch in Goshen, N.Y., blesses new flags

by Andriy Bihun

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - The local branch of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) has been active for the past three years in the small town of Goshen, N.Y., organizing the area's youth of Ukrainian descent.

Goshen lies between New York City and the site of SUM's East Coast resort in Ellenville, N.Y. The branch has attracted members from Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties.

The Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky SUM Branch in Goshen recently purchased three new flags for use in parades, ceremonies and organizational events: the first is the blue-and-yellow Ukrainian national flag; second is the organizational flag of the Goshen Branch, which displays the large emblem of SUM, its motto, "God and Ukraine," and the ceremonial greeting "Ukraine's Honor - Be Prepared to Defend It"; the third flag is that of the Youth Branch No. 53, called Lviv, featuring SUM's patron saint, the Archangel Michael, as well as the SUM crest on which the organization's Ukrainian acronym forms a trident.

The blessing of the new flags had been anticipated during the course of the past year, by both the children of the branch and their parents. The ceremony took place at Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Kerhonkson, N.Y. During the mass, the Rev. Canon Emelian Sharanevych addressed the group, discussing the need to nurture youth in the Ukrainian spirit, focusing on SUM's motto "God and Ukraine."

After the liturgy, the young SUM members were joined by a group of invited "kumy" (godparents), who stood as witnesses and sponsors, holding blue and yellow ribbons during the flag-blessing ceremony. Among them were friends and former SUM members who decades earlier had participated in establishing SUM and other organizations when they immigrated to America.

The pastor of Holy Trinity, the Rev. Yura Godenciuk, and the Rev. Sharanevych, blessed the three new flags as the church choir sang the responses. After the blessing, all signed a commemorative book, to which letters from Ukrainian organizations and individuals, as well as a photo montage from the day's events, were later added.

The festivities continued at the SUM resort in Ellenville. Gathered in front of the large monument dedicated to the heroes of Ukraine's struggle for independence, the youths sang the SUM anthem, "Raising our Flags," as an honor guard raised the flags for the first time.

The ceremony was opened by the head of the Goshen Branch, Andriy Bihun, who welcomed the SUM members and guests. Representatives of local organizationsgreeted the SUM members from their respective organizations: Mykola Wasyluk of the Kerhonkson Branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America; Mykola Witenko of the Kerhonkson Branch of the Organization for the Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine; Osyp Bezkorowajny of the local branch of the Self-Reliance Association of Ukrainian Americans; Stephanie Hawryluk of Branch 95 of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America based in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; and Volodymyr Kohut of the New York Branch of SUM.

Following the official ceremonies, SUM members and guests spent the rest of the day enjoying the beautiful spring weather in the Hudson Valley at a picnic prepared by the Goshen Parents' Committee, headed by Jean Tataryn.

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