COMMENTARY: Reflections from the Home Office of the Ukrainian National Association (11/10/02)

COMMENTARY

Reflections from the Home Office of the Ukrainian National Association

by Roma Lisovich

As I read Dr. Myron Kuropas's October 20 article, "Reviving a stagnant UNA," I smiled as the image of our "honeymoon" at the UNA came to mind. What would it have been like if I had had the luxury of strolling around the office to acquaint myself with staff and procedures; if I had the opportunity to gradually and leisurely familiarize myself with the issues that beleaguer the UNA? Alas, this was not to be. This "honeymoon" took quite a different spin.

I thought back to my first day on the job, July 1. No sooner had I walked through the door that Monday, than I was greeted by an urgent fax from the state of New Jersey demanding an immediate response. Did the UNA have any WorldCom or Enron stock? Without a moment to spare, the process of scrutinizing our investment portfolio began pronto. The good news was: we didn't.

The pace did not let up. Only a few days on the job, and we were off to Soyuzivka - and not for sun and fun. We went to welcome our guests for the new season and show our commitment, but even more importantly, we were beginning the immediate and arduous process of analyzing the operations. There was no time to spare.

I arrived Friday late evening after completing a full day at the UNA. The next morning I was off at 5 a.m. to drive my son the 90 miles to Plast camp and rushed back to Soyuizvka by 6 p.m. so I could be present at the opening of the Soyuzivka Tabir Ptashat. In his article, Dr. Kuropas encourages the new executives to become part of their communities. The good news is: We already are! Restrict our activism to only UNA activities? No way! Why else would someone subject themselves to driving 180 miles roundtrip on a Saturday, one's day off, so they can be part of two different community activities on the same day.

Just last week our president was running off to attend a board of directors meeting in Manhattan for Self-Reliance, while I was off to a Soyuz Ukrainok meeting. Not only did this treasurer represent the UNA at our booth at the St. John's Ukrainian Festival, but served hot dogs at the school booth. Yes, it is integral to our success to be active, participating members of our respective communities. For let us remember that we are trying to solicit the assistance and support from the community. This is essential for the future of Soyuzivka, as well as the UNA overall.

Hectic, you bet! Eight-hour days are rare here. The first one in, in the morning is our new secretary Christine Kozak, sometime around 6:30 a.m. More often than not, we are here still in the office to hear the buzz of the nighttime cleaning crew's vacuum cleaner. It is a frenetic pace. Yet, it is also stimulating, inspiring and challenging!

Sad to say, many in the community do not even know the name of their local UNA representatives. They think of the UNA as the three executives they see in the pages of our newspapers. They do not know of the countless others that are busy working making their own local communities better. It is time for the community to meet all of us in the UNA family, and for the UNA leadership to meet and interact with the members of their own local communities.

Let's face it (and we all agree): the UNA has had an image problem for some time now. It is hard to gather up enthusiasm among the community when (rightly or wrongly), many perceive the UNA as a detached, somewhat out-of-date organization. We, the UNA national leadership and the local representatives collectively share the responsibility of turning this image around.

One of the most often repeated complaints I have heard is that the branch secretaries and the local leadership are not the doers in the community, but carry only perfunctory titles. They are not the leaders. They may have been the organizers of the past, but they now only perform the most minimal of community tasks. This characterization is not true in all areas, but still carries with it a ring of uncomfortable truth.

The UNA leadership, and that includes all the executives, General Assembly members and branch secretaries, must concentrate on renewing interest among the community, not only in Soyuzivka, but also in the UNA. We need to reposition ourselves to be, once again, the organization to which all Ukrainians belong. We are still in an excellent position to accomplish this, with the help of all of our members and local representatives.

The way I look at it, there are three main types of contributions.

Talent is first. This, the community has begun to provide as evidenced by the creation of the blue ribbon panel of experts that are contributing their professional efforts and talents pro bono to Soyuzivka's redevelopment. What a good example of how the community at large has responded to our request for assistance! All we had to do was ask.

Our own UNA leadership, with unique and multiple talents, will also be called upon more and more to contribute. You are our best resource, and I encourage you to continue to volunteer your services.

The second most important resource is time, and I again have found over the past few months, that the community has also begun to respond. The spirit of volunteerism is alive and well. Our community is regaining interest as they see things are changing. I hope our local UNA leadership is regaining interest, and will continue to donate and increase their TIME contribution. Attending the General Assembly meetings, attending the Soyuzivka celebration, organizing fund-raisers, organizing seminars and creating new opportunities to enlist members are all time contributions that we must receive from our local leadership in order to make Soyuizvka and the UNA the viable organization it was once in the past.

Dr. Kuropas is correct in his assessment that no longer should executives be "flying in and out of a city on the same day to meet with UNA secretaries" without having an opportunity to meet with local community. Having just completed our first wave of such a national whirlwind tour, we were struck by the poor attendance - generally, only a handful of tired, but devoted silver-haired loyalists. This cannot continue if we are to survive, and some responsibility must be borne by the local organizers.

This spring, I challenge all local UNA officials to make sure that they organize a seminar to be held after the church liturgy for the community. We, the executives will not only attend, but will be glad to participate. Topics can include "Planning for your Retirement," or "Why Do You Need Insurance?" Try partnering with a local Self-Reliance and add some topics on mortgages and loans. Provide coffee and cake. Invite the community. Contact the clergy. We will be there to help you every step of the way, but the responsibility for organizing such a local event must lie with the local UNA representatives in each respective community. Let us remember that we are trying to solicit assistance and support from the community with which you are most familiar.

What cooperation can we expect from these communities when we have not been able to generate enough enthusiasm amongst our own UNA family to lead the charge? How many in our own UNA family, those representatives that carry the responsibility of enlisting membership, have contributed only one or two members a year? How many have purchased only the minimal amount for themselves, have had their policies lapse or have surrendered them? I ask you: How can we convince people to become members, when we are not willing to do so ourselves? It will take the willingness of every UNA representative to make a renewed commitment.

* * *

Ultimately, the contribution of time and talent results in the third contribution: treasure. When people become more involved, they feel they are a part of a greater mission. It makes them willing to donate their treasure, which is the dollars we need to be successful. This is the most difficult of tasks. The sums needed for the renovation of Soyuzivka, and/or the amount needed to generate increased revenue from membership sales, are large, but doable. I am confident we can succeed.

The UNA's executives are committed to developing a new strategy and are working on implementing a new vision. We need your ideas and dedication to make it successful. We encourage an open dialogue, and are open to recommendations and suggestions. Dr. Kuropas will be happy to hear that his hope that "our national executives should open the pages of Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly to honest dialogue and debate" had already been fulfilled. I am sure the editors would have confirmed the fact, that the decision on newspaper content since our taking office has remained in the capable hands of our editors.

Lets make the UNA once again, a Ukrainian umbrella organization, inclusive of all (no politics, no religious affiliations, and no "First Wave," "Second Wave," etc.) Soyuzivka can provide the "brick and mortar" - the center for not only social, but also cultural activities. Let us revamp our identity to be attractive to multiple Ukrainian constituencies. We, as the UNA, will then have an opportunity to grow and can attract those who are on the sidelines to consider coming back home.

You, the local UNA leadership, will provide the friendly face in each community that will convince people of the viability of the project. You will be an important element in our collective success, in ensuring both Soyuzivka's future and the UNA's. We ask that all UNA members and local leaders become active, enthusiastic members of your communities and the UNA.

We also hope to see all of you at our Soyuzivka celebration. After all, it is your celebration! It is an opportunity to reintroduce our community to the UNA and its leadership, which reaches the far corners of the United States and Canada. This is not a celebration to glorify the past, but also a means by which to introduce the community to the possibility of a new vision, a new future, a new UNA. The potential is great. Come be part of the team!

Roma Lisovich was elected treasurer of the Ukrainian National Association at the association's 2002 convention held in Chicago in May.

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