Three generations attend 50th anniversary tribute to New York's School of Ukrainian Studies (10/24/99)

Three generations attend 50th anniversary tribute to New York's School of Ukrainian Studies

by Anisa Handzia Sawyckyj

NEW YORK - Alumni and faculty, their families , as well as leaders of Ukrainian community organizations filled the Ukrainian National Home in New York on Saturday, October 2, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the School of Ukrainian Studies of the Self Reliance Association in New York.

Attending the sold-out banquet and ball were more than 230 people, including alumni from the 1950s through 1999, 25 teachers, eight Parents Committee presidents, five directors or their families, parents and grandparents of current and former students, and many friends of the school.

They joined in a warm, multi-generational tribute to an educational institution that has been an integral part of Ukrainian community life in New York for half a century. With participants ranging in age from their teens through their 80s, the atmosphere was that of a huge family reunion, reflecting the abiding commitment of many Ukrainian American families to the school.

The October 2 event was dedicated to all the school's teachers and parents, past and present.

Most guests were from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, but some traveled from Ohio, South Carolina, Florida, Rhode Island, Washington, New Mexico and even Moscow to attend.

During the cocktail hour in the ballroom, which was decorated in a glittering gold star theme, guests bid on silent auction items that ranged from a crystal vase to tickets for the Yankees championship playoff game. (The tickets went for $600 to baseball enthusiast Wasyl Zinkewitsch, board member of the Ukrainian Sports Club of New York.)

The banquet was opened by Luba Labunka, chair of the 50th Anniversary Committee, who greeted the assembled guests. They included Ukraine's consul general in New York, Yuriy Bohaievsky, with his wife and son; the Rev. Patrick Paschak, pastor of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in New York; the Rev. Petro Levko of All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church of New York; and Olga Terebus Kekish, the school's director since 1986.

Also present were Natalia Duma, president of the Self Reliance Association, New York branch, sponsors of the school; Jaroslav Oberyszyn, treasurer of Self Reliance Federal Credit Union in New York; and Dr. Eugene Fedorenko, president of the Educational Council of Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, and director of the Lesia Ukrainka School of Ukrainian Studies in Morristown, N.J.

Former director Atanas Kobryn of North Port, Fla., was in attendance as were Dr. Alexandra Kysilewska-Tkacz, daughter of the school's founder, Prof. Kost Kysilewskyj; Tatianna Rabiy, daughter of the late director Dr. Mykhailo Rabiy; and Myroslava Wyshywany, wife of the late director Dr. Wasyl Wyshywany. Former director Pavlo Dorozynsky sent his greetings from Ukraine.

Also present were directors of two other area schools of Ukrainian studies: Pauline Danczuk of the New York SUM school, and Dr. Maria Kiciuk of the Yonkers school.

After her welcome and introduction, Ms. Labunka turned over the evening's proceedings to the mistress and master of ceremonies Xenia Piaseckyj (class of '89) and Roman Juzeniw, son of the late Mykhailo Juzeniw, longtime president of the Self Reliance Association in New York. They, in turn, asked the Rev. Paschak to offer the invocation, following which the audience stood in a moment of silence to honor the memory of deceased members of the school family.

The keynote address was delivered by the school director, Mrs. Kekish, who described the early history of the school and its achievements to date. Some of its faculty also played a key role in later establishing the UCCA Educational Council, she said.

The guest of honor at the event, Consul General Bohaievsky, expressed admiration for the long-standing commitment to Ukraine by faculty and parents alike. He made a presentation of books for the school library.

Ms. Duma, president of the Self Reliance Association in New York, reviewed its past and reaffirmed the organization's commitment to the school in the future.

Self Reliance (N.Y.) Federal Credit Union had donated $5,000 to underwrite the costs of the anniversary celebration, as Ms. Labunka noted with gratitude in her opening remarks. Its treasurer, Mr. Oberyszyn, conveyed the organization's anniversary wishes to the school.

Bohdan Mykhaijliw, president of the national board of Self Reliance Association and president of the Plast Foundation, greeted the school and presented it with two donations of $500 from each of these institutions.

In the course of the evening, greetings were also received from The Ukrainian Museum in New York, the Ukrainian Free University Foundation, and Ukrainian National Women's League of America Branch 64, represented at the banquet, respectively, by Tania Tershakovec, Dr. Petro Goy and Luba Prokop. Greetings were received from Wolodymyr Kornaha, president of Plast's New York Branch Council; Mykola Haliv, director of the Shevchenko Scientific Society in New York; Stefan Kaczaraj, treasurer of the Ukrainian National Association and Self Reliance (N.Y.) FCU board member; and Mr. Zinkewitsch, board member of the Ukrainian Sports Club in New York.

Bishop Basil Losten of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford, Conn., New York Gov. George Pataki and Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Anton Buteiko also sent greetings

It was with especially warm applause that the audience welcomed the reading by Mr. Juzeniw and Ms. Piaseckyj of the names of teachers, directors and parents who had contributed to the success of the school over the years, and who were in attendance at the banquet. They rose to accept the applause and later received recognition awards. Family members accepted posthumous awards on behalf of their loved ones. Since 1949 the school has had 178 teachers, nine directors and 21 Parents Committees.

A special citation was presented to Ms. Labunka, chair of the 50th Anniversary Committee, for her key role in spearheading and coordinating the committee's efforts over the past two years.

Also cited for their exceptional efforts were Mr. Yanchyshyn, who was responsible for renovating and reorganizing the school library in 1997-1999, and Anisa Handzia Sawyckyj, who was chief editor of the school's jubilee book "Zolota Knyha."

As the school's golden anniversary birthday cake was wheeled into the center of the room, the audience rose for spontaneous and joyful singing of "Mnohaya Lita."

At the conclusion of the banquet Ms. Labunka thanked the guests for attending and the many donors for responding to the school's fund-raising efforts over the last two years, including the evening's silent auction. (A comprehensive list of donors will be published shortly.)

Ms. Labunka thanked all the members of the 50th Anniversary Committee for helping make the banquet and ball successful. In particular, she commended the special efforts of the honorary chairs, Mmes. Duma and Kekish, and members Oksana Chomut-Andersen, Natalia Danysh O'Connell, Ivan Durbak, Irene Halatyn, Serhij Hoshowsky, Vera Krup, Emilia Liteplo, Ms. Sawyckyj Mycak and Olya Stasiuk.

For the library renovation project, she thanked Mr. Yanchyshyn, Yuri and Irene Kobziar, and Slavko Konowalskyj.

Ms. Labunka also expressed her gratitude to the nine individuals on the editorial board of the school's commemorative book: Ms. Sawyckyj; Dr. George Gajecky, associate editor; Ms. Kekish, editorial advisor; and editors Marta Zownir Baczynsky, Svitlana Cholhan, Ivan Durbak, Irene Halatyn, Oksana Kuzyszyn and Basil Tershakovec.

The Rev. Levko closed the banquet portion of the evening with an emotional prayer of thanksgiving.

As the Tempo band began to play, some guests danced, while others headed to the silent auction to claim their treasures. Some talked about the possibility of forming an alumni association that would lend assistance to the school for special projects and needs.

"We hope that the good will that prevailed at our 50th anniversary celebration can be directed toward helping the school in the years ahead," said Ms. Labunka later in the evening.

Fund-raising for the school during its 1999-2000 jubilee year will continue. There are plans for an in-school 50th anniversary event for and by current students in the spring of 2000.

Alumni or friends of the school who would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the school's 50th Anniversary Fund or its Library Fund, or to purchase photos from the banquet, may do so by writing a check to "Self Reliance Association Parents' Committee," and mailing it to: Oksana Andersen, 66-46 Gray St., Middle Village, NY 11379; phone, (718) 326-4319.

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