Two day camps bring children and their families to UNA resort (09/12/04)

Two day camps bring children and their families to UNA resort

by Oksana Trytjak
UNA Special Projects
and Fraternal Activities Coordinator

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - Everyone has what they think is a tough job, and I am no different. However, as special projects coordinator for the UNA, I have found over the years that helping to promote the UNA and one of its greatest assets, Soyuzivka, is a challenging and hugely rewarding job. I'd like to share with you a recent experience I had while visiting the participants of two popular children's summer camps held at Soyuzivka - Tabir Ptashat and the Children's Day Camp - and describe how a campaign to promote communication between the UNA and the Ukrainian community at large is helping to bolster financial support for Soyuzivka and to promote membership in the Ukrainian National Association.

UNA National Secretary Christine E. Kozak, has made it her personal mission to help improve contact between her office and the UNA membership. In conjunction with an industry-wide campaign titled "Life Insurance Awareness Month," I had the honor of joining her on many trips to Soyuzivka this summer to promote the UNA. This was also an opportunity to canvas UNA members about their needs and expectations, and to get feedback about the UNA, Svoboda, The Ukrainian Weekly and Soyuzivka.

Summertime brings many visitors to Soyuzivka, and the many children's camps bring many more parents and grandparents. While visiting the camps at Soyuzivka, we enjoyed watching the little ones run around, met with the proud parents, admired the many dedicated counselors and promoted the UNA at UNA-hosted receptions.

What was commendable was the absolute commitment of both camps to promote the Ukrainian heritage and culture.

Tabir Ptashat which is a Ukrainian-language day camp for pre-schoolers had its campers play games, sing songs, dance, enjoy nature and listen to stories - all in the Ukrainian language.

Soyuzivka Children's Day Camp had their campers do exactly the same, but all in the English language. And yet, when you looked at the children (and some younger ones had difficulty speaking in either language), you realized that they were certainly all Ukrainian.

It was great watching their tiny faces while they were listening, oh so carefully, to folk tales, or "kazochky." These children were so proud to sing along with their camp counselors and a few tried, with some difficulty, to do little dance routines. But the best was to see them strutting around in their Ukrainian outfits: little girls with flowered "vinochky," boys with bright red "sharavary." What an encouraging feeling this gives anybody who cares about the future of the next Ukrainian generation.

Herein lies another rewarding part of my job. I could spend a couple of beautiful warm days visiting Soyuzivka, meeting UNA members and snapping photos of this the future Ukrainian generation.

Ms. Kozak and I watched in amazement and admiration the many camp organizers, counselors and entertainers who truly worked hard at making the camps enjoyable. But they also made sure that there was an important lesson to be learned by each participant: that it's fun to be Ukrainian.

I respect the many parents who brought their children to these camps, many from across the country. They wanted to ensure that their children from their very beginnings get that sense of belonging to the Ukrainian community.

It will not be very long before these same parents will bring their children to the well-known "Ukrainian Week" in Wildwood, N.J. This is another place where older teens and young adults, Ukrainian-speaking or not, of any religious background and of many political affiliations congregate from all corners of the U.S. and Canada to play a mean game of volleyball or paddle ball, but most importantly to meet each other. This year a special bocce ball tournament was held and all proceeds are to be donated to the renaissance of Soyuzivka.

And some of us worry about whether this young generation cares about the community. Each in his/her own way, but they certainly do care. Again, I felt immense satisfaction in witnessing and seeing this young generation.

At the UNA resort we met a family at Soyuzivka Children's Day Camp that celebrated their fifth reunion. Another family - all six generations - travelled hundreds of miles from across the U.S. and some from Canada to gather there. They met in anticipation of having a wonderful reunion with their extended relatives. All looked forward to finally meeting the new members of the family, great grandchildren, newlyweds, etc.

Another family organized over 40 relatives to meet at Soyuzivka. The matriarch of this clan had met her spouse at Soyuzivka many years ago and to this day she promotes Soyuzivka for her entire tribe. Her children, grandchildren and now her great-grandchildren visit Soyuzivka - a place that promotes Ukrainian culture and is family-friendly.

All of this is so satisfying and uplifting to see. Not only is it a wonderful view of a family history, but it leaves one with a sense that "yes, it is fun being Ukrainian; yes, it is fun to belong." And if we know anything about being Ukrainian, we know we need to belong.

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