Ukrainian American Youth Association holds 47th annual "Zlet"
by Orest Kozicky
ELLENVILLE, N.Y. - The Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) sponsored it's 47th consecutive annual "Zlet" on May 27-28 here at the SUM Youth Resort (known as "oselia").
Zlet is the annual spring youth rally for members ranging from 4 to 17 years of age from the East Coast SUM branches. Zlet presents the opportunity for youths to engage in academic and athletic competitions and poetry recitations that demonstrate their knowledge about various aspects of Ukrainian history and cultural traditions, their usage of the Ukrainian language, as well as the opportunity to perform with their dance, choral and drama ensembles within a talent contest concert forum.
The athletic events include individual competitions in 50-,60- and 100-yard sprints, 440-,880-yard and mile runs, competitions in long jump, shot put and discus, and in team obstacle course and relay races. A soccer tournament was revived for the 6-7, 8-9 and 10-12 age groups this year to complement the traditional 13-17 age group volleyball tournament.
The SUM youths socialized at a barbecue and "zabava" (dance) featuring Chornozem on Saturday night, May 27.
The highlight of this year's Zlet was the visit of Bishop Paul Chomnycky of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford. On Saturday night Bishop Chomnycky took part in the talent concert; on Sunday morning he returned to bless the newly built children's playground and to take part in a SUM group photo prior to celebrating liturgy with the Very Rev. Mitred Archpriest Ihor Midzak and Father Bohdan Danylo. The bishop then toured oselia with the head of the SUM national board, Bohdan Harhaj, who together with Komandant Andrij Burchak presented him with several SUM archive momentos.
This year's Zlet included 326 participants from the following 11 SUM branches located on the Eastern Seaboard: Baltimore; Binghamton, N.Y.; Goshen, N.Y.; Hartford, Conn.; Irvington, N.J.; Jersey City, N.J.; New York City; Passaic, N.J.; Philadelphia; Whippany, N.J.; and Yonkers, N.Y.
Responsibility for the colossal task of coordinating the various Zlet events was undertaken this year by the Yonkers branch. The komandant was Andrij Burchak and the bunchuznij was David Odomirok. Together with the enthusiastic team of individual event coordinators from the Yonkers ranks they successfully conducted the multiple aspects of Zlet.
This year's Zlet featured the introduction of "Konkurs Royiv" for the 13-17 age group in a multiple terrain format upon the initiative of Lesia Kozicky, the reintroduction of a soccer tournament for the age 6-12 age groups, a special zabava with live music held within a carefully supervised camp forum, and the ability of track and field crews led by Peter Duda and Orest Kozicky to rescue the sport venues from last minute torrential rain flooding.
A formal review of the SUM ranks arranged as individual branches, with scoring based upon strict adherence to the SUM uniform dress code, was won by the Hartford branch.
The Irvington branch took first place in overall points achieved, while Hartford took second place and Yonkers took third.
Bohdanka Stolar of Baltimore and Alexander Zelez of Hartford tied for the "pershun" (first place winner) trophy for the most points in the 6-12 age group, while Yurij Symchyk of Irvington was the pershun for the 13-17 age group.
In the volleyball tournament, coordinated by Semen Warycha, the final standings were as follows:
In the soccer tournament, coordinated by Michael Hlushko and Bohdan Kucyna, the final standings were as follows:
Andrij Bihun, the bulavnyi of the SUM national executive board, closed the awards ceremonies by expressing his gratitude to Mr. Burchak and to his entire Yonkers team, as well as to all of the "SUMivtsi" for their participation in another successful Zlet.
Orest Kozicky, M.D. is press secretary of the Ukrainian American Youth Association national board.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 18, 2006, No. 25, Vol. LXXIV
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