Governor reaches out to New Jersey Ukrainians (06/09/02)

Governor reaches out to New Jersey Ukrainians

NEWARK, N.J. - Gov. James E. McGreevey of New Jersey recently solicited the assistance of Theodore J. Romankow, a Westfield attorney of Ukrainian descent, and a friend and supporter of the governor, to form a Governor's Ukrainian Independence Day Committee and to celebrate the occasion at the governor's mansion, Drumthwacket, in Princeton on August 24.

Mr. Romankow immediately reached out to a cross-section of Ukrainian Americans in order to contact all community, professional, fraternal, religious, youth and other organizations to assure a large turnout at the Ukrainian flag raising to be held on Ukrainian Independence Day at 10 a.m.

The current committee members are: Dr. Julian Bemko, Walter Bodnar, John Burtyk, Gregory Dovbush, Jerry Kuzemchak, the Rev. Bohdan Lukie, Dr. Zenon Matkiwsky, Jaroslawa Mulyk, Nestor Olesnycky, Bozhena Olshaniwsky (chair), Kvitka Semanyshyn, Adam Stec, Dr. Bohdan Vitvitsky and Volodymyr Waskiw.

E-mail messages, telephone calls and letters have gone out and are continuously going out not only to Ukrainian community organizations. The committee is lining up entertainment and celebrities to make the flag-raising a rousing and patriotic success. The Governor's Office will provide drinks and hors d'oeuvres for the occasion. The governor has asked that, for security purposes, the committee gather the names, telephone numbers and addresses of all those who wish to attend and transmit them to the governor's staff; and the Governor's Office will then send the formal invitations that will be required for admission to Drumthwacket for the ceremony.

There are two ways to submit the names of all those interested in attending: via e-mail to [email protected], or by regular mail to Bozhena Olshaniwsky, 43 Midland Place, Newark, NJ 07106. The deadline for submitting names, phone numbers and addresses is August 1.

The committee encourages communities and groups to arrange for buses to transport those who cannot drive to Drumthwacket. (It is suggested that either donations be solicited from individuals or entities, or that a sufficient fee be charged per person to pay for the buses.) There will likely be charter buses arranged from Wildwood, N.J., as well as buses from various cities throughout the state. Dress will be ethnic or business, with men requested to wear either embroidered shirts or jacket and tie, and ladies accordingly.

This promises to be a memorable occasion and committee members say it will show the governor that Ukrainians are a sizable and important part of New Jersey's ethnic mosaic.

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