EDITORIAL: Are you ready? (08/31/03)

EDITORIAL

Are you ready?

As this issue of The Ukrainian Weekly goes to press on Friday, August 29 (the issue date is Sunday, but we print on Friday), the Labor Day holiday weekend begins. With it begins what is traditionally considered the last weekend of the summer season. So, one more last trip to the mountains, a last dance at Soyuzivka, a last dip in the ocean - and then it's off to school for many of our readers or their kids (the latter are probably responsible for that collective groan we just heard out there).

But the arrival of September signals more than just the beginning of the school year. It also marks the start of a new year of community life as diverse organizations resume their activities, meetings and functions after the summer hiatus. So, it's back to Ukrainian school, back to Plast and SUM activities, back to bandura and Ukrainian folk dance lessons, back to team sports practices, etc. And, even for those without kids, the end of summer/beginning of fall is the starting point for organizational activity of all kinds, whether it's charitable, professional, political or religious - you name it.

Before you know it, we'll all be back to our regular school year routines - with more activities than we think we have time for. Sometimes just driving from one activity to another seems like hard work, and yet we do it - and we do it willingly - because we realize it is for the good of our children, and it benefits us and our community at large. We know the importance of the enrichment such activities provide and we value our community for giving us these unique opportunities.

Or do we?

Think about it: are you content to merely serve as the chauffeur for your kids? Do you just drop the kids off without so much as a thought about who is running these myriad activities? Do you attend community functions as an observer, as someone who's just along for the ride?

Why not make this year different? Why not make a resolution for the new school year to get involved, to really contribute of yourself to the activities and organizations that are such a key part of our community life - and of such priceless value to both our younger and older generations?

This year, why not volunteer to run or help run a project, instead of waiting for that phone call soliciting assistance or, what's even more likely, hoping that "someone" will be there to do the work? Why not call the PTA president and volunteer for a fund-raising activity? Why not call a youth counselor and offer to help supervise an activity? Why not sign up to prepare the parish coffee hour after Sunday liturgy? In short: must we always wait to be asked to pitch in? And, by the way, if you're not involved don't expect that your kids will be involved in community life.

For far too many of us, community life is something that is a given, that will always be there with or without our involvement and assistance. Meanwhile, the truth is that nothing could be farther from the truth. The community is each and every one of us. Thus, each and every one of us should be ready and willing to roll up his or her sleeves and get involved.

So, now that you've had a summer respite, that you're relaxed, refreshed and recharged, it's time to regroup and resume our community activism. Are you ready to do your part?

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