UNA Seniors celebrate 25th year

by Mary Bobeczko and Anna Chopek

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - The Ukrainian National Association Seniors first met here at the UNA estate, Soyuzivka, during the week of November 1, 1975, but the organization was actually founded in 1974, making year its 25th anniversary.

Stephen Kuropas, supreme vice-president of the Ukrainian National Association, was instrumental in getting 52 Ukrainian seniors together for their first meeting. Mr. Kuropas presided as chairman of the three-day conference, assisted by Maria Demydchuk Chuchman, co-chairman, and Jaroslaw Padoch, secretary.

Chairman Kuropas asked Marion Burbella to assume the duties of secretary and treasurer for the coming year, to contribute a column called "The Senior Citizens' Corner" to The Ukrainian Weekly, and to make plans for the upcoming conference and banquet.

The main project was to convince the Ukrainian National Association Executive Committee that there was a need for a home for the Ukrainian seniors.

After many years of discussion, the seniors home Halych was built and dedicated in 1986. Unfortunately it is not fully occupied by senior citizens, but it has been put to good use during the summer months in providing extra rooms for vacationers. The construction of homes for seniors on the land owned by the Ukrainian National Association adjacent to Soyuzivka was also discussed.

In the 1970s the association had a column in The Ukrainian Weekly about the seniors' activities written by Ms. Burbella and Mr. Kuropas. Since then, many articles have been submitted to the Svoboda and to The Ukrainian Weekly by Eugene Woloshyn, Mary Bobeczko, Dr. Roman Baranowskyj and Attorney Anna Chopek.

The by-laws unanimously adopted at the 16th Conference on June 21, 1990, state that the purpose of the UNA Seniors is to support the UNA in its endeavors to preserve and cultivate the Ukrainian heritage, to promote unity, develop social activities and to maintain Ukrainian community life in America.

The five-day conferences are started with members attending a divine liturgy at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Kerhonkson. The conferences are conducted in Ukrainian and English, and minutes are taken in both languages. Seniors must be active UNA members, at least 60 years of age, and members of the UNA Seniors. Members attending pay nominal dues and a registration fee. They come from various states, as far west as New Mexico, as far south as Florida and as far north as New Hampshire, as well as many other states in between.

The success of the UNA Seniors has been due to the leadership, dedication and devotion of its officers:

• Presidents - Dr. Volodymyr Sawchak, Mykola Avramchuk, Dr. Roman Borkowsky, Dr. Oleh Wolansky, Dr. Baranowskyj, Mr. Kuropas, Mr. Woloshyn and Dr. Chopek;
  
  
• conference chairpersons and co-chairpersons - Mr. Kuropas, Mary Dushnyck, Paula Riznyk, Dr. Borkowsky, Dr. Baranowskyj, Irene Russnak, John Laba, Estelle Woloshyn, Mrs. Bobeczko and Dr. Chopek;
  
  
• Ukrainian secretaries and conference secretaries - Dr. Padoch, Dr. Helen Hirniak, Dr. Iryna Kramarchuk, Sylvester Martiuk, Dr. Mykola Cenko, Dr. Oleh Wolansky, Dr. Stefania Baranowska, Volodymtr Pryjmak, Helen Trenkler and Jurij Swyschuk;
  
  
• English-language secretaries and conference secretaries - Ms. Burbella, Anne Dubas, Daniel Slobodian, John Laba, Joseph Irka, Olga Liteplo, Eva Uzych, Mrs. Bobeczko and Alice Orlan;
  
  
• Treasurers - Ms. Burbella, Volodymyr Renner, Mykola Avramchuk, Maria Gerus, Helen Chornomaz, Regina V. Dziubaniuk and Olga Paproskis;
  
  
• executive vice-presidents - Mr. Slobodian and Ms. Orlan; and
  
  
• vice-presidents - John Laba and Sam Liteplo.

Over the past 25 years, members have shared their knowledge and expertise in preparing and presenting programs for the UNA Seniors conferences. They have donated their time in organizing displays of folk arts, slides, photos and fine art, and screenings of the UNA-sponsored film "Helm of Destiny" and various Ukrainian videos.

In 1992 the first anniversary of Ukraine's independence was celebrated. UNA Supreme Advisor Anne Remick headed the committee of Boston members preparing the program. Desktop Ukrainian flags were given as souvenirs.

In 1996 Joseph Lesawyer, former supreme president of the Ukrainian National Association, spoke about the inauguration of the Chornobyl Memorial Forest and his participation in planting of its first tree. Members donated $595, which was sent to American Forests for trees to be planted in Ocklawaha Prairie in Florida, as well as in the Kyiv, Poltava and Chernihiv regions of Ukraine.

In 1998 Mrs. Russnak gave a presentation on the meanings of Edward Kozak's paintings at Soyuzivka, while Dr. Baranowska read excerpts from his humorous writing.

For several years, Dr. Baranowskyj and Dr. Roman Procyk, an activist of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, have kept the members up to date on current events in Ukraine.

Dr. Chopek has given numerous talks on probate, wills, trusts and other legal matters of interest to the seniors.

Mr. Woloshyn and Eugene Moroz have conducted auctions of Ukrainian-style items, and Marie Prucknicki and Cornelia Yavarow conducted raffles.

As a result of their efforts, and the generosity of the UNA Seniors, a total of $6,980 was raised during the years 1992-1998. A sum of $1,000 of that amount was donated to the Ukrainian National Foundation to be used for Soyuzivka projects. One-half of the remainder was donated to the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, while the other half went to the Babusia Fund of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America.

In previous years, donations were made to many Ukrainian organizations, including The Ukrainian Museum in New York City. $2,000 has been donated to the Foundation in Support of Diplomatic Missions of Ukraine, and a total of $12,340 has been donated to the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund.

Year after year, bingo games have been organized by Nicholas and Mary Bobeczko, John and Helen Laba, and Mr. Liteplo. Ukrainian sing-alongs have been conducted by Mrs. Liteplo and Mr. Moroz at bonfires, on the Veselka deck and at parties. Emilian Jurchynsky photographed all events.

Arrangements for square dancing and line dancing were made by Ms. Orlan. A ballroom dancing class was conducted by Michael and Stefania Babiak.

Registration was taken care of by Helen Chornomaz, Myroslawa Powch, Mrs. Bobeczko, Olga Paproski and Dr. Baranowska. Local residents of Kerhonkson, Mr. Slobodian, Ms. Orlan and Dr. Baranowska, were always available to make the local contacts necessary to carry out the scheduled programs.

UNA Presidents Dr. Lesawyer, John Flis and Ulana Diachuk, as well as UNA Secretary Martha Lysko have spent many hours meeting with the UNA Seniors to discuss problems facing the UNA - in particular, the need to enroll new members and present information about new UNA insurance policies.

Many trips have been taken over the years, most of which were arranged by Dr. Baranowska. Trips were taken to churches, such as the Ukrainian Catholic Church at the Ukrainian Homestead in Lehighton, Pa., the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Hunter, N.Y., and to the Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery in Hamptonburg, N.Y. Trips to the Vanderbilt Mansion, the Roosevelt Home, Hyde Park, N.Y., West Point, Albany, N.Y., the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and a cruise on the Hudson River also were arranged. Verkhovyna, the Ukrainian Fraternal Association's resort in Glen Spey, N.Y., the Ukrainian National Association Home Offices in Jersey City and Parsippany, N.J., The Ukrainian Museum in New York and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City - for the "Glory of Byzantium" exhibit - also were memorable stops.

The highlight of each conference is the elegant banquet and the cocktail party that preceeds it. In the early days, there was much pageantry in presenting the UNA king and queen of the ball. On the 10th anniversary, Dr. Nicholas Bobeczko and Maria Cybak were crowned at the banquet. In subsequent years, a formal grand march of members wearing Ukrainian embroidered dresses, blouses and shirts became a regular part of the banquets.

Many notable guests were invited to speak at the banquets. Among them were: Viktor Batiuk and Anatolii Zlenko, Ukraine's ambassadors to the United Nations; Nadia Matkiwsky, executive director of the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund; Irene Kurowckyj, president of the National Council of Women, UNA President Diachuk, UNA Secretary Lysko, George Sawicki, architect of The Ukrainian Museum's new building in New York City, and Oksana Trytjak, coordinator of the UNA-sponsored English Teachers for Ukraine program.

The vigil for the victims of Chornobyl during the 1996 banquet was a memorable event. Women wearing Ukrainian embroidered dresses and blouses and carrying candles formed a living wreath. Honorary guest and former president Mr. Woloshyn lighted the first candle and, as the lights dimmed, the candles were lit one by one, while Dr. Baranowska recited a poem about Chornobyl. A prayer was recited by the Rev. Wolodymyr Zaiats, followed by a moment of silence. The choir of St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Boston, directed by Mr. Moroz, gave a beautiful rendition of "Otche Nash" (Our Father).

For the past 25 years, UNA members from all over the United States have enjoyed attending the seniors conferences at Soyuzivka. Not only have they developed lasting friendships, but they have also maintained their ties with their Ukrainian heritage as well. It is hoped the Ukrainian National Association Seniors will flourish in the years to come.

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

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