Rockland County community holds annual observances (09/25/05)

THE 14th ANNIVERSARY OF UKRAINE'S INDEPENDENCE

Rockland County community holds annual observances

by Dr. Vasyl Luchkiw

SPRING VALLEY, N.Y. - Rockland County is one of the smallest counties in the state of New York. The first Ukrainians settled here sometime during the last decade of the 19th century. Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church was built in 1913 and has been serving its parishioners ever since. However, we have learned from the family archives that church services were offered in private homes "well before the church was built." We also learned that several church organizations were already functioning at that time. The Ukrainian National Home, built in 1920, also housed Ukrainian Language School and the library. We can safely say that the Ukrainian community in Rockland County was served well spiritually and developed well nationally.

Ukrainian Americans began to celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day in Rockland county in January 1968. At first it was on January 22, and from 1991 on August 24. After the liturgy for Ukraine and its people, and a panakhyda for the souls of all who gave their lives in fighting for independent Ukraine, the community would assemble at the County Legislative Offices for the solemn raising of the national flag of Ukraine. The ceremony is usually performed by Ukrainian American Veterans Post 19.

After the ceremony, participants would listen to the appropriate speeches, admire dancing of the young Vesna dancers and accept greetings and proclamations from town, county and state officials. After the official ceremony, the celebration would continue at the Ukrainian National Hall with a festive picnic.

This year the community celebrated the 14th anniversary of independent Ukraine on Sunday, August 21. It was somewhat different than the previous celebrations. First of all, three local organizations, UAV Post 19, led by William Szozda, commander; the Prosvita Society - Ukrainian National Association Branch 16, led by Vasyl Luchkiw, secretary; and the Ukrainian Heritage Society of Rockland, headed by Bohdan Hajduk, president, agreed to sponsor this year's celebration.

Secondly, for the first time in the community's history a "newcomer," a fellow Ukrainian who came to the United States after 1990, Borys Poznakhovsky, delivered the keynote address in Ukrainian. The master of ceremonies, Dr. Luchkiw, gave his presentation in English. Finally, more than half of participants were "newcomers" or the so-called "Fourth Wave" of Ukrainian immigrants. This was also noticed at the festival-picnic.

Before the picnic, members of the UAV Post 19 raised, on the newly erected flagpole, the American and Ukrainian national flags.

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