SUM holds annual Zlet at Ellenville resort (08/06/00)

SUM holds annual Zlet at Ellenville resort

by Orest Kozicky

ELLENVILLE, N.Y. - The Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) sponsored its 41st annual "Zlet" on May 27-28 here at the SUM resort.

Zlet is the annual spring festival that gives youth the opportunity to engage in academic and athletic competitions and poetry recitations that demonstrate their knowledge about various aspects of Ukrainian history and cultural traditions and their use of the Ukrainian language. Youths also perform with their dance, bandura, choral and drama ensembles within a talent-contest-type forum.

The athletic competitions include individual and team sports competitions that include 40-, 60-, 100-, 440- and 880-yard sprints and mile runs, relay races, broad jump, shot put and obstacle course races, as well as a volleyball tournament.

A new point system drafted by Yurij and Ihor Stecko of the New York branch was implemented this year, providing a corrective factor that allowed smaller branches to compete on an equal level.

Youths also had an opportunity to socialize at a barbeque and a dance on Saturday night.

On Sunday morning the participants attended liturgy celebrated by the Revs. Ihor Midzak (a SUM alumnus) and Bohdan Danylo. A formal review of the SUM ranks followed, as individual branches were scored based on adherence to the uniform dress code.

Although the Zlet held at the Ellenville resort usually involves only the 11 SUM branches along the Eastern Seaboard, this year a contingent of participants from Montreal also took part. Thus, 436 youths ranging in age from 4 through 17 participated. Also notable is the participation of a growing number of "sumeniata," children age 3-5.

The responsibility for coordinating and conducting the 2000 Zlet was undertaken by members of the SUM branch from Yonkers, N.Y., with Andrij Burchak serving as "komandant."

The Yonkers branch took first place in overall points (1,282) for the ninth consecutive year; Whippany, N.J., took second place (1,223), and Passaic, N.J. took third (1,182). Mark Kozicky from Yonkers and Maria Pavkovych of Passaic shared the winner's trophy for most points in the 13 to 17 age group. Jurij Symchyk of Irvington, N.J., won in the 6 to 12 age group.

Trophies were awarded to winners of the volleyball tournament as follows: Boys' Division - first place, Binghamton; second place, Yonkers; third place, Hartford, Conn.; Girls' Division - first place, Philadelphia; second place, Yonkers; third place, New York.

SUM President Yurij Nakonechny closed the awards ceremonies by expressing his gratitude to Andrij Burchak and his Yonkers colleagues as well as to all of the SUM members for their participation in the Zlet.

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