Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization elects new leadership (12/09/01)

Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization elects new leadership

by Andrew Nynka

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization U.S.A. officially concluded the commemorations of its 50th anniversary of activity on American soil with its jubilee 25th national biennial convention (Krayovyi Plastovyi Zyizd) on October 20-21.

The Zyizd brought together 91 delegates who held a combined 121 votes. The delegates represented their local branches throughout the United States and met at the Ukrainian National Association's Soyuzivka resort in order to examine issues many counselors face at camps and weekly meetings, evaluate the progress made by the American leadership of Plast, discuss the organization's future, adopt new resolutions, and elect new national leaders for a two-year term.

Approximately 150 Plast members took part in the convention (KPZ). Saturday's discussions, which ran throughout the day and well into the night, mostly revolved around reports from key leaders, discussions on various activities of the National Plast Command and separate meetings of conference committees on the topics of: summer camps, the financial sector, the "Orlynyi Kruh" (council of accredited counselors for scouts age 7-11), and the "Skobynyi Kruh" (council of accredited counselors for scouts age 12-17).

Saturday evening was designated as the closing celebration of the organization's 50th jubilee with a gala dinner and speeches by Yuri Ferencevych, who spoke on the work Plast had done over the course of 50 years in the United States, and Deanna Yurchuk, who spoke on her vision of Plast's future in America.

The evening also saw the partial staging of Zenia Brozyna's and Oksana Korduba's "Jubilee Bonfire" - a play commissioned by U.S. Plast's 50th anniversary committee and originally directed with the assistance of Lydia Krushelnytsky, choreographed by Roma Pryma Bohachevsky and produced by Mrs. Brozyna, Mrs. Korduba and Adia Fedash. The shortened version of the play was organized by U.S. Plast's 50th anniversary program subcommittee.

On Sunday, following litergy at Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church, the delegates voted on the various resolutions proposed by conference committees which the new leadership, elected at the convention, will implement over the course of its two-year term.

In recognition of the growing number of scouting participants in Ukraine, KPZ advised that Plast U.S.A. should work in greater cooperation and consultation with Plast throughout the world.

In an effort to inform the "Fourth Wave" of immigrants from Ukraine about Plast in the United States and also to gain their participation in the organization, KPZ encouraged the dissemination of information about Plast throughout the United States by way of informational packets, films, brochures and other means.

Both the "Orlynyi Kruh" and the "Skobynyi Kruh" decided to continue pursuing the issue of required counselor training as a prerequisite to activity at summer camps and on the local level within Plast branches around the country, noting the current need for qualified scout counselors.

The convention also passed a resolution to press for the participation of America's "yunatstvo" in the International Plast Jamboree 2002 in Kyiv.

In order to increase cooperation between the U.S. National Plast Command and branches, the working hours of Plast's headquarters will be increased. The KPZ also recognized the need to pay its main office staffers, which necessitate an increase in annual dues for Plast members in the United States for "novatstvo," "yunatstvo" and "starshi plastuny" (students) to $45, and for "starshi plastuny" (non-students) and seniors to $65.

The 2001-2003 Plast leadership includes: Ihor Mykyta, president of the U.S. National Plast Command; Katria Harasewych, vice-president and chair of the organizational sector; Andrea Jakubowycz, representative for "starshe plastunstvo"; Christina Oleksyn-Ruflin, representative for senior scouts; Tim Hnateyko, financial director; Halyna Kutko, corresponding secretary; Irene Sawchyn-Doll, recording secretary.

Also included in the 2001-2003 leadership are Olha Kuzmowycz, press liaison; Wsewolod Hnatczuk, chair of the counseling branch ("vykhovnyi sector"); Charytia Petrina, director for "novatstvo"; Kaya Nynka, director for "novatstvo" counselor training; William Liteplo, director for "yunatstvo"; Deanna Yurchuk, director for "yunatstvo" counselor training; Roma Klymkowycz, sports director; Andrew Nynka, camps director; and the Rev. Ivan Kaszczak, chaplain.

Staffing the U.S. National Plast Command office in New York City will be Olha Stasiuk, Lidia Czernyk and Nadia Kulynycz.

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