Philadelphia's Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center holds annual meeting (12/24/06)

Philadelphia's Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center holds annual meeting

by Andrea Porytko-Zharovsky

JENKINTOWN, Pa. - The 27th annual meeting of the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center was held Sunday, October 29, in the UECC Gallery.

The meeting began promptly at 1 p.m. with an opening prayer and a call to order by UECC President Borys Zacharczuk. After a verification of the quorum and approval of the agenda by the members and delegates of Ukrainian organizations with UECC membership, Secretary Sophia Koropeckyj read the minutes of the last annual meeting held on October 30, 2005. After the minutes were read, a vote was taken and the minutes were approved unanimously.

The outgoing UECC president read his annual report. Mr. Zacharczuk has spent 21 years actively working for the UECC on the Finance, Building and Cultural Events committees, among others, and has been UECC president for 13 years. He highlighted the year's events, including the Christmas Bazaar, New Year's Ball, "Schedryi Vechir," the UECC Christmas Party, the welcome of Ambassador Oleh Shamshur, the Taras Shevchenko program, the UECC banquet celebrating the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment, the photo exhibit commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear accident, the Easter Bazaar, the Building Fund Lottery and Ukrainian Children's Day, and he pointed to the numerous other art openings, concerts, lectures and courses that the UECC co-sponsored with Ukrainian organizations.

He also gave short summaries of the work of the UECC Radio Program, the Ukrainian Library (noting that it is the only one of its kind in the United States), the Svitlychka, the Ukrainian Heritage School, Social Services, the Ukrainian American Senior Citizen Association, the Soloveyko Gift Shop, the UECC Press Committee and the UECC website.

Mr. Zacharczuk spoke at length about the work of the UECC Building Committee, which has developed a new and extensive plan, in three phases for building improvements and expansion. He thanked the many volunteers, employees of the UECC and the UECC board for their hard work, and expressed confidence in the new board and future president.

President Zacharczuk reminded those present that, "...We should forget about the 'waves' (of immigration) and maintain the common patriotic unity in our 'hromada' [community] keeping in mind, the words to the religious hymn...yednosti syla narodu, Bozhe nam yednist poday' (Unity is the strength of the nation; God grant us the unity)."

Stefan Makuch, representing the Audit Committee, reported that the committee met on September 18 to review the financial department of the UECC and all of its documents. They also discussed the present financial system of operation and decided that the system is effective. The Audit Committee said it was satisfied with its review and the UECC financial report for 2005-2006.

In the Nominating Committee Report, Natalie Firko stated that the Nominating Committee submitted Roman Kaczaj, through the co-opting process, to the UECC board during the 2005-2006 year, and is recommending his confirmation at the annual meeting. Ms. Firko also submitted and recommended for a vote the following new candidates to the UECC board: Larysa Stebly Didash, Laryssa Krywusha and Lubomyr Pyrih; and the re-election of current UECC board members: Natalia Griga, Tonia Katruk, Sophia Koropeckyj, Sylvianne Nowak and Alexander Tyshovnytsky.

The UECC board of directors consists of 24 members whose terms of service are staggered. All UECC board terms are for three years. All candidates are members of the UECC and represent a cross-section of the membership of the UECC. Candidates are capable, willing and sincere individuals who possess the skills necessary for the performance of the various activities of the board.

All candidates for the 2006-2007 UECC board of directors were approved by a unanimous vote.

Also elected were members of the Election Committee and the Nominating Committee, which both consist of UECC members and members of the UECC board. Lyuba Kalyta, Zorianna Sokhatska and Ivan Yaworsky were elected and will serve on the Nominating Committee for 2006-2007. Lyuba Kalyta, Bohdan Mizak and Vasyl Panczak were elected and will serve on the Election Committee for the same term.

During the discussion at the meeting, concerned UECC members raised many issues. They discussed the role of the Ukrainian language in official publications, voiced interest in creating a Ukrainian-language television program in Philadelphia, and expressed the need to reach and tap into the new Fourth Wave of Ukrainian immigrants for UECC membership, for active participation in programs, organizations and events, and for meeting fund-raising goals.

The annual meeting ended with UECC President Zacharczuk thanking members and delegates of Ukrainian organizations for their attendance and participation at the meeting. He congratulated the new and re-elected UECC board of directors and wished them well, challenging them to achieve new goals for the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center.

Andrea Porytko-Zharovsky is a member of the Press Committee of the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center.

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