THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM (08/08/99)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

Walter Korchynsky, three-term UNA advisor, dies at age 48

by Martha Lysko

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Walter J. Korchynsky, UNA advisor elected to a third term at the 1998 Convention of the Ukrainian National Association, died on July 26, after a brief illness.

Mr. Korchynsky served the Ukrainian National Association with honor and dedication in many capacities. He was asked to serve as director of the Ukrainian National Urban Renewal Corp. He was chairman of the Syracuse District and was re-elected to that position year after year. He also served as president of Branch 271 in Elmira, N.Y.

Mr. Korchynsky's dedication to the UNA was evident in everything he did. He recruited new secretaries, signed up members and represented the UNA whenever and wherever he could. He was the calm voice of reason in many heated discussions at General Assembly meetings. He held the promise of future UNA leadership: at 48 he was one of the younger members on the General Assembly.

Mr. Korchynsky leaves a legacy of hard work and commitment to the Ukrainian community. He was involved in many facets of Ukrainian community life. He was the former president of Ukrainian National American Club, a trustee of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Elmira Heights, N.Y., and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

With great sadness and a heavy heart UNA President Ulana M. Diachuk, National Secretary Martha Lysko, and Syracuse District representatives John Hvozda, Wolodymyr Rewiuk, Michael Seredowych and Nicholas Welych attended the funeral services held on July 28 at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church. Also attending was Joyce Kotch, secretary of Branch 39 in Syracuse, N.Y., who accompanied her husband, Deacon Myron Kotch.

The funeral liturgy was celebrated by two priests and two deacons - the Rev. John Jedrychowski, pastor of St. Nicholas, and the Rev. Philip Weiner, former pastor. Officiating as deacons were Deacon Myron Kotch (a UNA activist) and Subdeacon John Hopczuk. Bishop Innocent Lotocky, who is Mr. Korchynsky's uncle, could not attend due to his pastoral obligations.

The church was filled to capacity with relatives, friends, co-workers and all who knew and admired Mr. Korchynsky, as they came to pay their final tribute to a man who served his community so diligently.

Mr. Korchynsky was born in Johnson City, N.Y., in 1951. He graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1977 and was employed for 10 years by Chemung County as superintendent of buildings and grounds. Later he served as supervisor of buildings and grounds for the Elmira School District. He was also a visiting lecturer at Corning Community College.

He is survived by his loving wife of 24 years, Roma, and 9-year-old son, Stephen; his mother, Natalia, of Johnson City; brother, Steve, and sister-in-law, Casey, of Endicott, N.Y.; mother-law, Donna Zaczkewycz; and numerous other relatives.

Donations in memory of Walter Korchynsky can be made to Ukrainian National Foundation, a tax-exempt foundation.

DISPATCH FROM SOYUZIVKA: a "drive-in" movie, a sing-along, etc.

by Tanya Singura
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - The Veselka auditorium was the place to be on Saturday evening, July 24, as soprano Lileya Volanska sang for the audience. Afterwards Vodohray kept Soyuzivka hopping into the wee hours of the morning as the band played traditional and not-so-traditional Ukrainian and American tunes.

Monday morning's hike to the waterfalls was cut a bit short when we came upon a rattlesnake sunning himself on the rocks. Although he went back into the woods, we headed back and decided the pool was the place to be. Swimnastics on Monday afternoon was a hit, as our guests enjoyed some exercise while keeping cool in the pool.

Soyuzivka's "Drive-in Movie" night was once again held on the Veselka patio. Guests watched "Mr. Holland's Opus" in lounge chairs set up on the patio. With pillows and blankets in tow, they made themselves more comfortable and kept warm when the temperature dropped in the low 60s. Trembita Lounge bartenders also kept movie-watchers well supplied with popcorn.

For Hutsul night on Wednesday, a group of children from Ukraine sang and danced for our guests. The children, formerly from the radiation-contaminated Chornobyl zone, sang, danced, played the violin and keyboards, and performed with great enthusiasm for their cause. The children are in the United States in hopes of raising money to complete construction of a children's hospital in Bila Tserkva that has stood idle for more than two years. A collection was taken and, by the evening's end, our generous guests and staff had donated over $1,000.

Thursday night's sing-along night had a great turnout as guests piled into Trembita Lounge to sing with the "Ukrainian Karaoke CD." Song sheets were passed out with the words written in Ukrainian and transliterated into English.

Odesa night on Friday, July 30, provided a bit of a ruckus, as an unexpected rainstorm opened up during dinner. Torrential downpours had everyone running for cover as the storm poured buckets of water on the Veselka patio. The staff moved quickly to collect all the food and set up in the snack bar just as the power went out. Guests cheerfully finished their meals by candlelight, making the best of this unexpected turn of events.

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