UKRAINIAN DEBUTANTE BALLS: California debutante ball raises funds for aid to Ukraine (03/28/04)

UKRAINIAN DEBUTANTE BALLS

California debutante ball raises funds for aid to Ukraine

by Anne Kokawa Prokopovych

LOS ANGELES - Debutantes and guests traveled from near and far to discover that it really does rain in "sunny" southern California. However, the elegance and high spirits of the 2004 California Association to Aid Ukraine (CAAU) Ball and Presentation of Debutantes, held at the Glendale Hilton, transformed the evening into one that the 300 or so in attendance hoped would never end.

Seven of the nine debutantes flew in from Canada to debut in Los Angeles. The evening was also honored by the attendance of Dr. Valery Hrebeniuk, consul general of Ukraine, and five others from the recently opened Consulate in San Francisco.

The annual ball is a major fund-raising and community-building event for CAAU. Proceeds from the 2004 event are designated for programs to benefit orphans in Ukraine. This year's direct appeal for winter hats, gloves and mittens for orphans brought in over 300 items, which will be shipped to several orphanages in Ukraine.

The silent auction has become an outstanding feature of the annual event, generating good-natured competition, as guests bid for their favorite items. There were over 100 items to choose from in categories such as "movies, music and more," "art and collectibles," and "special experiences." Some of the items won by successful bidders include a world premiere of an upcoming major film, a complete DirectTV System, a two-hour sunset flight over Los Angeles, an afternoon of sailing in San Diego Bay, and an autographed poster from the movie "Legally Blonde 2."

The California Association to Aid Ukraine began about 14 years ago as a grass-roots Ukrainian American community response to democratic developments in Ukraine. It continues to channel local resources toward projects in Ukraine, allowing the local community to have a direct and positive impact in the fields of health, education, ecology, economy, cultural development and national democratic processes. Specific projects are adapted to local priorities and the changing needs in Ukraine.

Over the years, CAAU has coordinated several fund-raising programs to channel support through organizations such as the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund. CAAU has provided assistance to the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and other educational institutions, various orphanages, meals for senior citizens, hospitals and medical research facilities. In 2003, CAAU helped to sponsor a conference organized by the Youth Diplomacy Center at Ivan Franko University in Lviv, whose mission is to create a better public image of Ukraine through student exchange programs.

CAAU has joined with the Coordinating Committee to Aid Ukraine, U.S.A., to support the rebirth of sports in Ukraine, Ukrainian Olympic teams, and the publication of school books, technical books and manuals.

The association has also worked in partnership with other organizations. It joined with the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA) to support the "Eye Project for Ukraine," which improved the delivery of ophthalmologic services. It has collaborated with the Children's Medical Foundation to improve training and medical service delivery, especially in the field of neonatology.

CAAU also has a long-standing collaboration with Wheelchairs for Humanity that has supplied hundreds of wheelchairs to needy people in Ukraine. Volunteers at the Wheelchairs for Humanity facility in North Hollywood, Calif., refurbish and customize used wheelchairs for individuals with special needs in Ukraine. In October 2003, 161 of these wheelchairs, along with other related equipment and tools, were delivered and fitted to 250 individuals in Ivano-Frankivsk. The next shipment is planned for Uzhorod in 2004.

CAUU has worked closely with the Committee to Assist Ukrainian Orphans and Children without Parental Care to distribute aid to needy orphans in various areas of Ukraine. Assistance delivered to Ukraine in 2003 includes stipends for students in the Kharkiv region enrolled in higher educational programs, and the purchase of cows for an orphanage in Radomyshl to provide milk and milk products for the 276 resident orphans.

CAAU is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. Contributions and inquiries may be addressed to CAAU, c/o Marta Mykytyn-Hill, Treasurer, 1219 Via Arroyo, Ventura, CA 93003.

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