Chernyk sports club holds annual ski trip in Michigan (03/26/00)

Chernyk sports club holds annual ski trip in Michigan

by Roma Tobianski

DETROIT - The year 2000 marks the 50th anniversary of the Detroit's Ukrainian Sports Club Chernyk. Founded by 35 sports enthusiasts, Chernyk has grown into a viable organization dedicated to sponsoring and promoting the participation of Ukrainian athletic teams in various sports activities. Its members range in age from 4 to 94 and its interests range from soccer and golf to chess and anything in between.

A jubilee committee has been formed with Wolodymyr Kizyma as chairman. The committee has established the year 2000 as a year of celebration, scheduling many activities throughout the community.

The first jubilee affair was the "Millennium Malanka," co-sponsored with three other Ukrainian youth organizations, Plast, the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) and the Organization of Democratic Ukrainian Youth (ODUM). The Detroit malanka has become an ever increasingly popular affair in the Detroit area, and this year's event attracted over 600 guests.

The winter sports of skiing and hockey are among the most popular in the club. During the weekend of February 4-6, USC Chernyk sponsored its annual ski trip to Boyne Highlands in Michigan's northernmost area of the Lower Peninsula. This yearly outing was first organized in the 1950s and has become an event anticipated by the entire community.

In recent years, the trip has been organized by Lesia Lawrin, who has put a great deal of effort into making this event a great success. This year's jubilee ski trip had 220 registered participants plus many others who booked rooms privately. Each member was given blue and yellow ribbons to wear for the weekend; as a result, Boyne Highlands became a sea of blue-and-yellow.

Boyne Highlands was more than willing to accommodate the club's needs in preparing a special celebration. A special conference room was set aside for various displays and exhibits, prepared by Roman Maziak, refreshments and friendly conversation. A 50th anniversary banner was hung from the balcony of the lodge for everyone to see.

A highlight of this year's outing was an outdoor barbecue luncheon, prepared at the Heather Warming Hut. Coordinated by Zenia Prybula and assisted by George Nordstrom, Bernard Tobianski, Daria Hreha and many other volunteers, the luncheon was a big hit among the participants. It gave them an opportunity to meet with friends and eat lunch without having to leave the slopes. Between noon and 2 p.m. skiers and non-skiers alike hurried to the warming hut for knockwurst, potato salad, drinks, fruit and friendly conversation.

Each year, Chernyk members meet in front of the lodge in the late afternoon on Saturday for a group picture. Once the picture is taken, the entire group heads for the outdoor heated pool, which was reserved for Chernyk participants at 5-6 p.m.

Though it is not easy to walk out into the snow and freezing weather clad only in a bathing suit, the warm water soon made up for the discomfort. Members bring snacks and drinks to share and the pool area became one big Chernyk party.

After dinner, some avid skiers went back out onto the slopes for some night skiing, while others relaxed with friends in the lounge or over a friendly card game. Ice-skating and video games were available for the children.

No matter where you go during the annual ski weekend, there is always a friendly face - someone with whom to ski, eat, play or talk. Many families have resorted to extending the trip by arriving Thursday and skiing an extra day.

The popularity of the Chernyk ski trip has spread to other Ukrainian communities. Guests from Chicago, New York and other cities attend the trip yearly. This excursion is so successful that facilities to accommodate 200 people have already been reserved for the first weekend of February 2001.

In addition to preparing a 50th anniversary banquet in November, USC Chernyk is preparing for the annual Great Lakes Cup Tournament during Memorial Day weekend at Dibrova Estates in Brighton, Mich. The competitions will include soccer, volleyball, golf and chess. Invitations are being sent out to participating clubs throughout the United States and Canada.

The club will also hold its annual picnic at Dibrova in June and participate in the Ukrainian Diaspora Olympics in Philadelphia July weekend.

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