THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

UNA nominates Anna Chopek for 2004 Fraternalist of the Year

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Anna Chopek, honorary member of the Ukrainian National Association's General Assembly, has been nominated by the UNA for the 2004 Fraternalist of the Year Award to be presented by the National Fraternal Congress of America.

Ms. Chopek, who will be 92 this year, was a UNA supreme advisor from 1958 to 1978; she has been an honorary member of the General Assembly since 1978. In addition, she is president of the UNA Seniors, a post she has held since 1996.

UNA National Secretary Christine E. Kozak wrote in her nomination letter that Ms. Chopek "is a woman deserving of the title [of Fraternalist of the Year] for her constant activity in the community and fraternal association for over 60 years."

The NFCA website, which carried news of Ms. Chopek's nomination, noted that the UNA was the first member-society to submit a nomination for the 2004 award. A story about the nomination appeared under the headline "NFCA receives first 'Fraternalist of the Year' entry; Ukrainian National Association becomes first society to nominate a member."

All nominations for the award are to be submitted by July 1; all member-societies of the National Fraternal Congress of America are eligible to nominate a candidate for the annual award.

The NFCA website also noted that the "UNA knows a little something about winning the coveted Fraternalist of the Year Award. In 1994 Atanas Slusarczuk, a member of the Ukrainian National Association, was selected as the NFCA's top fraternalist."

According to the UNA's nomination form, Ms. Chopek is a former Massachusetts judge who today lives in Los Alamos, N.M., and continues to remain active in her retirement. She has taught the making of pysanky, or Ukrainian Easter eggs, at the local seniors' center and has organized Ukrainian exhibits in local schools. She is a frequent speaker at Kiwanis and Rotary Club functions, and often writes articles about the Ukrainian heritage to the local papers.

She was one of the first women to receive a Juris Doctor degree from the New England School of Law, which she did in 1935 magna cum laude. She was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1936, and in 1977 became a judge.

As far as her UNA activity is concerned, Ms. Chopek was auditor of UNA Branch 307 in 1961-1978, served as Boston District chairperson, and has attended 13 UNA conventions. As president of the UNA Seniors, she leads the group's annual conferences, which bring together seniors from across North America for a week at Soyuzivka, the UNA's upstate New York resort.

Report of the Auditing Committee of the Ukrainian National Association

The Auditing Committee, in accordance with the UNA By-Laws, on May 24-27, 2004, conducted a review of the operations of the Ukrainian National Association for the 12 months of 2003. The previous audit was conducted on November 18-20, 2003. The Auditing Committee's plan of action consisted of reviewing the implementation of resolutions of the 35th Convention of the UNA, the activity of the financial and organizing departments, UNA publications, and the administrative and financial state of the UNA resort Soyuzivka, and other matters. As a result of its review, the Auditing Committee reports the following.

1. Resolutions of the 35th Convention of the UNA

Since the last audit, the following changes occurred regarding implementation of the resolutions of the 35th Convention.

The convention approved the decision to build, within one year, a monument to Patriarch Mstyslav at Soyuzivka. The building of this monument depends in large measure upon raising the necessary funds and the future of Soyuzivka.

At the annual meeting of the UNA General Assembly, which was held at Soyuzivka on November 21-23, it was decided to renew the UNA's membership in the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.

2. Financial Department

For the 12 months of 2003, the UNA's operating income was $206,000, as compared with $196,000 of income during 2002.

The UNA Corporate Headquarters was profitable by the sum of $211,000, a sum less by $63,000 than in the previous year.

The growth in the value of the Canadian dollar and the value of market investments, together with the operating income, resulted in an increase in the UNA's reserves (surplus) of $462,000. As of the end of December 2003 the UNA's reserves totaled $6,297,000, while all assets totaled more than $67 million.

The finances of the UNA were reviewed for 2003 by independent public auditors. The report from their audit has not yet been published.

The state auditors of New Jersey reviewed the activity of the UNA for the years 1999-2002 and did not have any critical comments, with the exception of those regarding escheats, that is, assets unclaimed due to lack of proper addresses, which in accordance with the law must be transferred for safekeeping to the state government. The UNA transferred $4,500 to the State of New Jersey, $30,200 to the State of Illinois, and $62,900 to the State of Pennsylvania. The amounts owed to other states are being analyzed.

As a result of recommendations by the Auditing Committee that efforts be increased to collect debts for advertisements, these debts decreased within a one-year-period from $8,600 to $7,660. The collection of payments due continues.

3. Organizing Department

For the 12 months of 2003, 286 new policies for $5,445,000 of insurance were sold. This number includes 11 policies sold in Canada for the sum of $135,000. In view of the favorable interest rate, the UNA gained 152 annuities accounts totaling $2,412,000. As of the end of 2003 the UNA had 838 active annuities certificates.

Evaluating the work of individuals, the following three persons deserve commendations: Steven Woch, who sold 37 annuities certificates for a total of $670,000; Stephan Welhasch, who sold 13 annuities certificates for $327,000; and Joseph Chabon, chairman of the Shamokin District Committee, who sold 22 annuities certificates for $120,000.

Among secretaries, commendations and thanks are due to Christine Brodyn, for enrolling 18 new members insured for $292,000; Myron Pylypiak for enrolling 15 new members insured for $158,000; and to Joseph Hawryluk and Lubov Streletsky for enrolling 14 new members each, insured for $514,000 and $388,000, respectively.

4. UNA Publications, Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly

As of the end of December 2003, the number of Svoboda subscribers was 6,475; The Ukrainian Weekly subscribers totaled 6,192. In comparison with the end of 2002, the number of Svoboda subscribers decreased by 291, while the number of Weekly subscribers declined by 114.

The deficit of both publications for the 12 months of 2003 was $161,000. For purposes of comparison, let us recall for the 12 months of 2002 it was $251,000, or $90,000 higher. It is worth noting that the decrease in subscribers to both newspapers has slowed down in comparison with the previous year. In accordance with the budget for 2003, the deficit of both publications should not exceed $150,000.

5. Soyuzivka

For the 12 months of 2003, Soyuzivka's deficit totaled $388,000. For 2002 Soyuzivka lost $720,500. This decrease was the result mainly of donations totaling $177,300 and an increase in activity during the season.

The 35th Convention established a committee to improve Soyuzivka whose goal is to halt the need for cash allocations to the UNA resort and at the same time keep the resort in Ukrainian hands, if possible.

The Executive Committee sent a strategic business plan for the 2003-2005 period to the insurance authorities of the State of New Jersey. This plan details the work not only of the UNA as a whole, but of its various operations, including Soyuzivka. The plan was discussed at a meeting with state officials, who are observing the UNA's moves, principally as regards Soyuzivka.

The Executive realized certain improvements at Soyuzivka, mainly in the dining room, and it continues to work with a group of specialists for the benefit of guests and Soyuzivka. The management of Soyuzivka has made certain improvements to internal controls.

One of the projects now being examined is the expansion of hotel accommodations. The Executive plans to build six buildings behind the Kyiv villa, with each of the buildings comprising six to eight town homes. Thirty acres of land adjacent to the church property will be utilized in the second phase of this project.

6. Miscellaneous

The UNA became the owner of a home due to default on the mortgage loan; the home was sold at a loss of $69,500.

There is an opportunity to rent about 5,250 square feet of office space in the UNA Corporate Headquarters building to outside clients. The Executive Committee is working on this.

For the Auditing Committee:

Dr. Zenon Holubec, chairman
Yaroslav Zaviysky, vice-chairman
Dr. Alexander Serafyn, secretary

(Translated by The Ukrainian Weekly.)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 13, 2004, No. 24, Vol. LXXII

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