THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

Statement and appeal of UNA Auditing Committee

During the period of April 26-28, the Auditing Committee, in accordance with the By-Laws of the UNA, conducted a review of the business operations of the Ukrainian National Association for 1998 and the first quarter of 1999. The previous audit took place on November 4-6, 1998.

The Auditing Committee's plan of action consisted of reviewing the implementation of the decisions of the 34th Convention of the UNA, operations of the financial and recording departments, and the management of the UNA's vacation resort, Soyuzivka.

Following the review, the Auditing Committee has issued the following reports.

1. Implementation of resolutions of the 34th UNA Convention

Delegates to the 34th Convention adopted a series of resolutions that were conveyed for implementation to the General Assembly and Executive Committee of the UNA. A list and summary of the resolutions that were implemented was published in the previous report of the Auditing Committee (November 1998).

As of March 31, 1999, the following resolutions remained to be implemented:

• A referendum about amendments to the Charter and By-Laws of the UNA with the aim of creating a new management structure for the UNA is to be conducted. The proposed new administration of the UNA would be composed of 11 members of the board of directors elected by the UNA convention to conduct business matters for a four-year term (the period between conventions).

The referendum is planned for 1999.

• A meeting with district chairpersons is to be held every four years, beginning two years after the convention, with the aim of exchanging ideas regarding organizing activity.

The first meeting will take place in the year 2000.

• The possibility of using donations and other methods of fund-raising to provide financial support for the UNA's fraternal activities, especially Soyuzivka, is to be examined in detail. These new methods are to be aggressively implemented to increase the annual income and improve the financial state of the UNA.
  
  
• A monument to His Holiness Patriarch Mstyslav I is to be erected at Soyuzivka.
  The monument will be built only when the necessary funds, totaling $15,000, are raised.
  
  
• The merger of the UNA with the Ukrainian National Aid Association remains unapproved by the insurance authorities of the State of New Jersey.

2. Financial Department of the UNA

In comparison with 1997, the financial deficit of the UNA for 1998 had decreased by $712,000 and totaled $1,240,000. This significant reduction of the deficit testifies to the fact that the UNA Executive Committee is positively applying necessary methods to attain a balanced budget. In accordance with the financial projections of the UNA treasurer, Stefan Kaczaraj, the UNA budget will be balanced in the year 2001, if the recommended methods are implemented and budget forecasts are reflected by reality.

The Executive has reported that most of the space in the new UNA building is rented. It is planned that the remainder of the space will be rented during the course of 1999. In addition, according to the budget for 1999, the space occupied by the Home Office will be decreased by 10,000 square feet, and that space, too, will be rented during the current year.

From the time of the sale of the UNA building in Jersey City, a sum of $400,000 has been kept in an escrow fund; it remains untapped. The reason for the delay was that the buyer of the building required that it be determined whether the UNA print shop had polluted the environment. The required detailed analysis of the land beneath and around the building was conducted. The results of the analysis are in keeping with the standards set by the Department of Environmental Protection of the State of New Jersey. As a result, the money in the escrow fund should be returned to the UNA in the first half of 1999.

3. Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly

As of the end of March 1999, the number of Svoboda subscribers was 7,569, while the number of subscribers to The Ukrainian Weekly was 7,169. In comparison with the end of 1997, the number of subscribers to Svoboda has decreased by 40, while the number of Weekly subscribers decreased by 29.

The editorial staffs of both newspapers are putting into effect a plan to improve the contents of the papers and to attract new subscribers. The deficit for 1998 was $578,000, and in 1999 will be approximately $100,000.

It is foreseen that during the next two to three years the budget of both publications will be transformed from deficit-producing to profit-making.

4. Soyuzivka

Income of Soyuzivka for 1998 totaled $1,385,000, which is $57,000 more than in 1997.

Expenses of Soyuzivka during 1998 were $1,757,000, which is $117,000 less than in 1997. The deficit for 1998 was only $372,000, which is $175,000 less than in 1997.

The uncertainty that existed at the beginning of the previous year concerning the future of Soyuzivka had a negative effect on reservations for wedding and banquets in 1998. Reservations this year have improved markedly.

It also should be noted that the program of regular advertisements in foreign-language publications has brought positive results.

5. Organizing Department

During the report period, which was a convention year, branch secretaries and professional organizers in the United States and Canada enrolled 823 new members insured for $11,822,430; dues collected amounted to $2,415,894. In 1997, 944 new members were enrolled for $26,652,930 of insurance coverage; dues collected totaled $2.704,400. During the first quarter of 1999, 143 new members were enrolled for approximately $1 million of insurance coverage.

Taking into account the extended life expectancy of citizens in the U.S. and Canada, the Executive Committee decided to begin selling life insurance up to the age of 85 and, for those who choose single-premium life insurance, up to age 90. These changes allow all persons of older age to become members of the UNA and, consequently, receive discounts on subscriptions to Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly, as well as for accommodations at Soyuzivka.

As of December 31, 1998, the UNA Executive dismissed the UNA's director of insurance operations in Canada, Robert Cook, and eliminated the UNA's Canadian sales office.

It should be noted that the Executive is making all efforts to improve organizing activity aimed at enrolling new members. Evidence of this is seen in the fact that a course for all secretaries is planned for Soyuzivka. This will enable them to become better acquainted with the new classes of insurance offered by the UNA.

It also should be mentioned that in order to improve organizing activity the UNA signed an agreement in January of this year with the fraternal organization Western Catholic Union that will help us develop organizing activity. The professional director of insurance sales of Western Catholic Union will help the UNA hire trained insurance salespersons. This trial campaign is planned to begin in the states of Ohio, Illinois and Michigan.

The Auditing Committee appeals, not only to members of the UNA, but to the entire patriotic Ukrainian community to become readers of the weekly Svoboda. The Auditing Committee also appeals to the younger generation, to young couples and professionals to become subscribers to The Ukrainian Weekly, which is considered to be the best English-language ethnic newspaper.

The Auditing Committee calls on officers of districts and branches of the UNA to fulfill the quotas assigned them.

For the Auditing Committee:

William Pastuszek, chairman
Stefan Hawrysz, vice-chairman
Dr. Alexander Serafyn, secretary
Myron Groch, member
Yaroslav Zaviysky, member

Chicago UNA presents: Barabolya

CHICAGO - Barabolya means potato! The Ukrainian National Association means fun! That was the message on Friday, April 30, when some 250 kids, parents, grandparents and the curious attended a UNA-sponsored concert by Barabolya, best described as a Ukrainian "kiddie fest," at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Chicago.

All had come to see the wildly popular Ron Cahute and Ihor Baczynskyj, two exceptionally talented musicians from Canada who created music by which to learn Ukrainian. Their first album, "Barabolya" was released in 1996 and featured the Ukrainian alphabet, the seasons, counting to 10, months of the year, days of the week - all sung for youngsters learning the rudiments of the Ukrainian language. Two more albums - "Tsyboola" (Onion) and "Booryak" (Beet) have since been released, and a fourth album, "B.O.R.S.C.H.T, is coming out in the fall.

Barabolya stopped in Chicago as a result of the efforts of the local UNA District Committee, especially Stefko Kuropas, UNA vice-president, and Andrij Skyba, UNA advisor, both of whom are fathers of pre-schoolers.

Barabolya has a natural appeal to American-born youngsters. A highlight of the evening was a conga line in which some 100 youths participated.

Parents also loved Barabolya, and "wow" was the common reaction to the kid-friendly songs. "The UNA really scored big with this one," one grandparent was heard commenting. "Let's bring these guys back every year."

Barabolya was on a musical tour that took them from Windsor, Ontario, through Warren, Mich., Chicago, Minneapolis, Winnipeg and on to seven other cities in Canada, as well as the Vesna Festival in Saskatoon.

Asked if the UNA plans to bring the popular group back next spring, Messrs. Kuropas and Skyba replied in unison, "You bet. We've got big plans for the UNA in this city."

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 13, 1999, No. 24, Vol. LXVII

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