Plast's "Khmelnychenky" fraternity brothers meet in Connecticut

by Danylo Peleschuk

NORTH COLEBROOK, Conn. - The Plast fraternity "Khmelnychenky" gathered for their biannual meeting and conference on the weekend of September 24-25.

The fraternity - which takes its name from the 17th century Ukrainian Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky - congregated at a privately owned property in North Colebrook, Conn., for the occasion. The weekend-long meeting was held at "Bobrivka," a once-thriving campground for Plast summer camps from the 1950s through the late 1980s.

In attendance were approximately 40 members of the fraternity, a significant increase in attendance and overall membership from past years. At the meeting, a total of eight different states were represented through the fraternity's members, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maryland and Virginia. The present members also spanned all ranks of the fraternity's membership, from first-time pledges to full members.

During a round of meetings, various topics were discussed, including membership, fund-raising efforts and the future of the fraternity. The weekend also served as a special occasion for all pledges who had prepared to enter the ranks as full members.

The fraternity's origins go back to post-war Europe; it was founded in 1945 in Landeck, Austria. In celebration of its namesake, the Kozak hetman, brotherhood, honor and the spirit of the Kozaks are instilled in all members.

The Khmelnychenky have a rich history, both in the U.S. and around the world. In the U.S. alone, the fraternity has produced countless Plast leaders and Plast figureheads. Such leaders have taken up efforts that included camp organization, troop leading as well as valuable administrative tasks within Plast.

In addition to the meeting's traditions, the location of it held a certain amount of sentimental value. Bobrivka is a now-defunct campground where many current members of the fraternity once organized camps for Plast youths during the peak of its popularity, when it was regarded as a prime spot for summer camps and gatherings.

The fraternity is currently experiencing a surge in activity as a new wave of young and willing pledges seek to join the ranks. After a decline in activity during the greater part of the 1990s, the group is noticing that a significant number of youths are showing interest in the fraternity.

Any Plast member who wishes to know more about the fraternity and its mission may visit the website at www.xmel.org.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, November 6, 2005, No. 45, Vol. LXXIII

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