Malanka at Water Club raises funds for The Ukrainian Museum

by Adriana Leshko

NEW YORK - On January 15 The Ukrainian Museum broke new ground (no, not literally - not yet, anyway) with the inauguration of a festive Malanka of its very own.

Held at New York's famous Water Club, the event truly was enchanted, thanks to the tireless efforts of the museum's special events committee of the board of trustees. (The committee is chaired by Tatiana Tershakovec and its museum liaison is Lydia Hajduczok.)

Both spirits and attendance were high, as more than 200 guests were treated to cocktails, dinner, a lively floor show and dancing into the wee hours. In fact, a friendly insurrection occurred as revelers insisted that the party time be extended to accommodate the fun being had.

Much of the success of the evening was due, in appropriate Manhattan fashion, to location, location, location. The Water Club's stellar reputation is well-deserved if this evening was any indication. The food was delicious, the service friendly and the setting absolutely beautiful, as the light of the shore glittered outside and the guests in their finery glittered within.

The night opened with a ballroom dance show, which was organized by Deanne Hynansky and featured dramatic interpretations of the tango, waltz and rumba. The spirited performance of the dancers (Hynansky, Camille Ardary and Mazen Hanza) put guests in the mood to get out on the dance floor right away, while the talented Crystal orchestra ensured that they stayed there for the rest of the evening.

The night's engaging master of ceremonies was Orest Bilous, vice-president of manufacturing for the IBM Corp. A longtime supporter of The Ukrainian Museum, and, along with his wife Lidia, an event sponsor, he was joined at Malanka 2000 by other event sponsors, Myron and Olha Hnateyko, John and Yaroslava Luchechko, Dr. Yar and Irena Mociuk, Dr. Roman and Marta Nawrocky, Dr. Andrew and Tatiana Tershakovec, Dr. Roman and Alla Trochymchuk, Teodosij and Olha Zazula, and Lydia Zaininger. Julian and Maria Baczynsky, also sponsors of the evening, were unable to attend.

The Malanka 2000 raised funds for the museum's building and endowment funds, and brought together an eclectic mix of young professionals and older patrons, all of whom agreed on one thing: to do it again next year!

Adriana Leshko is a writer with the Features Department at Harper's Bazaar magazine.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 6, 2000, No. 6, Vol. LXVIII

| Home Page |