UKELODEON: For The Next Generation (10/10/04)

UKELODEON

For The Next Generation

SUM "oselia" introduces Mountain Biking Camp

by Andrij Horbachevsky

ELLENVILLE, N.Y. - Earlier this summer, the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) introduced a new specialized Mountain Biking Camp at its camp, or "oselia," in Ellenville, N.Y. This weeklong camp, aptly named "Karpatski Velosypedy" (Carpathian Bicycles), was open to SUM's boys and girls age 13-17, and took place from June 27 to July 3. Its motto and rallying cry, appearing proudly on the camp banner, was "Together - Swiftly - Through the Forests." The camp staff included: Andrij Horbachevsky - komendant; Bohdan Bodniewicz - bunchuzhnyi; Roman Kocz, Bohdan Pryjmak, Ihor Stecko, Marta Matselioukh - vykhovnyky (counselors); and Roman Kozicky - "taborovyi batko" and logistics.

After formal opening ceremonies, which included the blessing of the mountain bikes by the SUM chaplain, the camp staff and participants set out on an evaluation bike ride. The ride set the tone for the rest of the week, and biking became the prime mode of transportation for getting around the Oselia even as a means of going to the pool or dining hall. Over the course of the week, mini-courses were held by instructors on topics ranging from first aid to map reading, bicycle maintenance and repair, as well as mountain bike riding skills. Each camper was required to learn how to change a flat tire. These skills served as a good foundation for the daily rides organized by the camp staff.

The first camp bicycle tours took the riders beyond the terrain of their camp and onto the wooded trails of the surrounding Shawangunk Mountains. Here the SUM mountain bikers experienced crossing streams, riding up and down hills and even exploring waterfalls. Other rides took them to abandoned trails of the Delaware and Hudson Canal in Wurtsboro, Lake Minnewaska and Lake Awosting in New Paltz, and the Stewart Nature Preserve, located near Stewart Airport in Newburgh, N.Y.

In addition to mountain biking, the camp also included other activities usually associated with a SUM camp: evenings around a bonfire, daily morning and evening prayer and flag raising, swimming and sports, publication of a camp newspaper and much more. As an exercise in team building, each day's activities included team problem-solving games and friendly competitions. Not only was this activity educational, but it was great fun for all involved. As the camp came to a close, all staff and campers vowed to keep cycling and all were eager to sign up again next year.

The idea for a mountain biking camp first appeared as a grass roots movement in local SUM chapters and, acting the proposals of these chapters, the National Executive worked to organize this year's camp. Because of the camp's success and high praise on the part of its young participants, it will become a part of the camp's permanent summer line-up.

16-year-old's project aims to help orphanages in Ukraine

PHILADELPHIA - Eleventh grader Melanie Trypupenko, known to her friends and family as "Lania," has chosen to organize a unique charity event in her area whose goal is to help the children of two orphanages in Ukraine.

Melanie, 16, who resides with her family in Warrington, Pa., is organizing and coordinating what she has dubbed a "Pie Festival" at the Tryzub Ukrainian American Sports Center in nearby Horsham, Pa., on Sunday, October 17, at 1 p.m. The festival is part of her 12th grade graduation project.

The event, which is geared to all age groups, will offer an assortment of pies and baked goods that will be sold to raise funds for the Znamianka orphanage in Kirovohrad Oblast and the Zaluchia orphanage in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, where many of the children are suffering from the ill effects of the Chornobyl nuclear accident of 1986.

A special attraction for children will be pumpkin painting and face painting. Melanie advises participants to bring their own picnic baskets to "Tryzubivka," as the sports center's property is known, for the October 17 event. Also part of the program: music, sports and games.

She welcomes donations of pies and baked goods that will be sold at the Pie Festival, as well as children's clothing and toys that will be sent to the orphanages. Monetary contributions also are welcome.

Tax-deductible donations may be mailed to: Melanie Trypupenko, 2145 Pinto Road, Warrington, PA 18976. Checks should be made payable to St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church (the parish will see to the delivery of all donated items and funds). The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Melanie explains, is a sponsor of orphanages in Ukraine in coordination with the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund. For further information readers may call Melanie at (215) 343-3497.

Passaic Plast girls on pilgrimage meet Cardinal Lubomyr Husar

by Laryssa Patti

SLOATSBURGH, N.Y. - August 13, 14, and 15 celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Pilgrimage of the Holy Dormition of the Virgin Mary, which is run by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate, who make their home in Sloatsburg, N.Y. To commemorate this occasion, the Sisters invited many young people for a weekend pilgrimage and camp out, including our chapter of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization in Passaic.

Numbering nine out of almost 40 campers, we pitched our tents in a field and proceeded to take part in the activities of the day, which included church liturgies, workshops on various topics and a candlelight vesper service in scenic St. Mary's Grotto.

Amidst the religious themes, we enjoyed ourselves, especially during the DJ-accompanied youth dance, in which even the seminarians joined in.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Charley called a stop to the camp-out, sending drenched partcipants for shelter, but only after we covered hundreds of vigil candles with foil covers.

The next morning, dressed in our uniforms, we led the youth through the procession to the outdoor altar constructed specifically for the annual Liturgy. On the way, we drew the attention of the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, a Plast member himself, who reminisced over the pilgrimages he attended as a youth.

Also in attendance over the three day weekend were Metropolitan Soroka, Bishops Basil Losten, Walter Paska, Michael Kuchmiak, Richard Semenak and many other clergymen leading us in prayer.

The end of the liturgy also marked the end of the camp-out, as the participants slowly headed for home. Hopefully, we will be able to join the Sisters Servants again when they travel to Germany for World Youth Day in 2005.

Laryssa Patti is the leader of Passaic Plast's 38th Unit.

Diverse camps send their greetings

Seen above are two of the many greetings from camp that were received at the offices of The Ukrainian Weekly this summer. On the right, a greeting from the youngest campers at Plast's Vovcha Tropa campground in East Chatham, N.Y., named "Pryrodna Zabava"; on the left, a specialized sea scouting camp for Plast members organized by the Chornomortsi Plast fraternity in Pittsfield, Mass.

Greetings were received also from the following:

Family Camp, held for Plast families at Whaleyville, Md.;
The camp for "novachky" (girls age 7-11), "Hrai, Sopilko, Hrai," at Vovcha Tropa;
The camp for "novaky" (boys age 7-11), "Poshuk Sutnosty Halatuna," at Vovcha Tropa;
The training course for counselors of "novatstvo" held at Vovcha Tropa;
The camp for "yunaky" (boys age 11-17), "Bez Zakhodu Nema Zakhodu," at Vovcha Tropa;
The camp for "yunachky" (girls age 11-17), "Kamianoyu Syloyu Stanemo Bryliantamy," at Vovcha Tropa;
The camp for older "yunatstvo" (boys and girls age 15-17), "Khvyliu Trymai," at Vovcha Tropa; and
The "Lisova Shkola" training camp for camp counselors of "yunaky," held in Lexington, N.Y.

Mishanyna

To solve this month's Mishanyna, find the words on the list below in the Mishanyna grid. As you may notice, the list includes the names of deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the fall. How many of these trees can you identify in your neighborhood?

Alder, ash, aspen, beech, birch, buckeye, chestnut, dogwood, elm, ginkgo, hawthorn, hickory, hornbeam, linden, magnolia, maple, mimosa, oak, poplar, sassafras, sweetgum, sycamore, willow

OUR NEXT ISSUE: UKELODEON is published on the second Sunday of every month. To make it into our next issue, dated November 14, please send in your materials by November 5.

We especially encourage kids and teens to submit articles and see their names in print. And don't forget to send a photo or two. Plus, photos of UKELODEON reporters - that means any of you young readers who submit a story - are welcome.

Please drop us a line:

UKELODEON,
The Ukrainian Weekly,
2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280,
Parsippany, NJ 07054
fax, (973) 644-9510
phone, (973) 292-9800
e-mail, [email protected].

(We ask all contributors to please include a daytime phone number.)

DID YOU READ ABOUT The young Ukrainian from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, who made it all the way to the final show of the "Canadian Idol" competition on TV? Theresa Sokyrka, 23, ultimately took second place in the competition, but she won many hearts along the way. Stories about Theresa were published in The Ukrainian Weekly on September 19 and 26.

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