SUM Leaders' and Counselors' Training Camp concludes at Ellenville "oselia" (08/11/02)

SUM Leaders' and Counselors' Training Camp concludes at Ellenville "oselia"

ELLENVILLE, N.Y. - For three weeks starting on June 30 and running through July 21, 60 future leaders and educators of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (known by its Ukrainian acronym, SUM) took part in this year's "Vyshkilnyi Tabir" (Leaders' and Counselors' Training Camp). SUM's Ellenville resort (oselia) hosted the campers from near and far, including attendees from Philadelphia, Goshen, and Yonkers, N.Y., New York City, Passaic, Irvington and Whippany, N.J., Hartford, Conn., Chicago, and even Montreal.

The staff of the three-week camp was led by Andriy Bihun during the first two weeks and Maria Kozicky in its final week. Directing the camp's educational program was Marta Matselioukh, who prepared a rigorous yet thoroughly enjoyable fortnight of leadership and counselor training courses, followed by a final week of team- and spirit-building events and activities.

The camp's leadership team consisted of a number of motivated and talented individuals and included Nykola Rudyk, Chrystia Sysak, Michelle Omodirok and Markian Harasymowych. The medical staff was directed by Slawko Dashawetz, and included Zoriana Kovbasniuk and Dr. Irena Stoliar.

The name of this year's camp was "Shliakhy Heroyiv" (The Paths of Heroes), and much of the camp's program focused on the heroes of Ukraine's past and present. The core of the Vyshkilnyi Tabir's training program was built around instructional seminars on a wide range of subjects, including topics such as leadership, educational techniques and child psychology (presented by Dania Nauholnyk-Lawro, Kristine Bihun, Mr. Kozicky, Anna Pokora), Ukrainian history (Ihor Mirchuk), language (Ludmilla Lantsiuta-Davis), song (Halyna Cechowska), religion (Sisters Zynovia and Elizabeth, SNDM), SUM organizational structure and ideals (Lesya Cebrij-Rago, Ivanka Zajac, Pawlo Figol, Lida Mykytyn) and more. Among this year's guest speakers were Askold Lozynskyj, president of the Ukrainian World Congress; Yury Nakonechny, president of SUM's world executive; Ronia Stojko-Lozynskyj, Prof. Walter Zaryckyj, Zenon Halkowycz and Ms. Kovbasniuk.

In addition to training, campers relaxed and enjoyed bonfires, dances, barbecues and other fun activities, including traditional Ivan Kupalo rituals. Following ancient tradition, after a fireside evening of song, girls braided wreaths of flowers and set them afloat on the local river's surface at night. The boys then waded into the water downstream to retrieve the floating wreaths, and were rewarded by the privilege of accompanying the owner of the wreath they caught in a traditional jump over the burning logs of the fire.

During the camp's third week, attendees enjoyed a hike up a local mountain to the well-known Bare Rock outlook over the Ellenville oselia. Those completing their third (and final) year of training partook in a separate field trip to Glen Spey's St. Volodymyr Church, followed by a whitewater rafting expedition on the Delaware River.

Unfortunately, all good things must eventually come to a close, and the campers who made new friends for life over these three weeks had to part ways to return home. They plan to keep in touch in many ways, including through SUM's official website (www.CYM.org), at the upcoming National Gathering of "Starshe Yunatstvo" in the fall of 2002, at next year's Zlet and, of course, during SUM's many summer camps.

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