Palatine's Ukrainian American Youth Association gets a huge surprise: $100,000 state grant

PALATINE, Ill. - Everyone had a great time on Saturday, February 23, at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Palatine, Illinois, home of the Dmytro Vitovsky Branch of the Ukrainian American Youth Association, as the youth organization had planned the evening as a social event for members and their families.

The evening would have been a great hit just by virtue of the unbelievably tasty spaghetti dinner prepared by Mychajlo Jareckyj, Myron Wasiunec, Ihor Fedaj and Petro Tokarczyk, fathers who know how to cook.

Nevertheless, the big surprise of the evening was yet to come. The guests of honor at the evening where Illinois State Sens. Walter Dudycz and Wendell Jones, both familiar figures in the local community. The senators joined everyone for dinner and chatted among friends.

The evening continued as Dr. Alex Strilchuk greeted everyone present and introduced Olya Fedaj, president of the SUM organization, who thanked everyone for such enthusiastic participation. She introduced Fedir Stupen, a longtime Dmytro Vitovsky Branch member who recently returned from Ukraine after a two-year stint in the Peace Corps.

Mr. Stupen briefly introduced both senators to the gathering and reminded everyone that Sen. Jones was instrumental in helping secure the building permits for the Cultural Center. Sen. Jones relationship with the Ukrainian community was enhanced when he learned of Sen. Dudycz's Ukrainian heritage.

Both guests addressed the membership and quickly had everyone on their feet as they revealed a facsimile of a check in the sum of $100,000 from the Illinois First Member Initiative Fund, an initiative by Gov. George Ryan which puts funds into the hands of legislators to disburse to worthy causes in their communities as they see fit. Each of the senators was sponsoring $50,000 designated for the building fund. The donation was a pleasant surprise that will rank among the biggest events in this community.

Mr. Luszczak closed the evening by underlining Sen. Jones' close relationship with the Ukrainian community in Palatine.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 31, 2002, No. 13, Vol. LXX

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