THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM (04/09/00)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

"Mittenwalders" announce reunion at Soyuzivka

by Michael Komanowsky

BLUE BELL, Pa. - More than half a century has passed since students of the displaced persons camp in Mittenwald, Germany, bid farewell and departed for faraway countries, including the United States and Canada, taking with them pleasant memories of dear friends and acquaintances as well as memories of good, and bad, times. Very few settled near enough to one another to be able to maintain the close relationships that they had formed during their unforgettable years in Mittenwald.

In response to numerous requests for a reunion, a committee has been formed that has made arrangements with the management at Soyuzivka, the Ukrainian National Association's resort in upstate New York, to accommodate a convention from May 21 to 23. Additional details of the program will soon be published in the press.

In order to assure a big turnout and thereby make this 50th anniversary reunion a resounding success, efforts are being made by the committee to inform the largest number of former "Mittenwalders." However, this is a formidable task; therefore, the committee is asking everyone to inform and remind their acquaintances personally about this event during meetings, or by mail, phone or e-mail, and to urge them to bring along their guests as well.

This reunion offers a unique opportunity to rekindle old memories, to revive old friendships, to share life's experiences and to pray for the departed hardworking faculty who, despite an almost complete lack of suitable facilities and textbooks, provided an education that, was equal to that obtainable in well- equipped schools in the countries where the DPs settled.

The committee is planning a general program for the reunion which, among other events, will include a banquet, a divine liturgy and a requiem liturgy in memory of those who have departed. However, members of the various schools (the Ukrainian gymnasium, the teachers, institute and the trade school), as well as individual classes of these schools are encouraged to additionally plan their own separate events.

To assist the committee with program coordination, persons interested in organizing separate events should contact Michael Mochula, Orest Kuzma or George Ukrainskyj in a timely fashion to ensure that no scheduling conflicts arise. The committee members may be reached at the following telephone numbers: Michael Mochula at (973) 340-8495, Orest Kuzma at (860) 257-4833 and George Ukrainskyj at (973) 740-1633.

To reserve rooms, please contact Soyuzivka, UNA Estate, P.O. Box 529, Kerhonkson, NY, 12446; telephone. (914) 626 5641; fax, (914) 626-4638.

Young UNA'ers

The Cholhan boys (from left) Christian, 11, Hilary, 13, and Jeremy, 9, sons of Dr. Hilary and Myroslawa Cholhan of Rochester, N.Y., are new members of UNA Branch 325. They were enrolled by their grandmother Larisa R. Paschuk.
The Lenchur children (from left) Katherine, 4, Peter, 2 1/2, and Christine, 4, children of Dr. Peter Lenchur and Dr. Ruta Cholhan Lenchur, are new members of UNA Branch 325 in Brooklyn, N.Y. They were enrolled by their grandmother Larisa R. Paschuk.
Daphne A. and Justin E. Werz, children of Maria E. and Christopper M. Werz, are new members of UNA Branch 352 in Chester, Pa. They were enrolled by their grandparents Robert J. and Irene M. Bandersky Long.

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