Despite the COVID-related restrictions on social gatherings still in place in many areas, the Ukrainian community successfully hosted numerous summer events, camps, festivals and meetings online.
Notably, the Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival, one of the largest Ukrainian festivals in North America, moved online with a virtual concert on September 26-27. The stage show can be viewed on YouTube and the complete program schedule can be viewed at the festival website, https://ukrainianfestival.com/2020-program.html. Similarly, the Montreal Ukrainian Festival on October 3 was held online. The event was posted on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GERguB3qeJg&feature=youtu.be), and additional information can be found at https://ukefestmontreal.org/en/home/.
In Whippany, N.J., the Ukrainian American Cultural Center’s annual Ukrainian Festival was held virtually on September 26, with an online concert program and drive-through food sales (www.uaccnj.org). Similarly, the St. Josaphat Ukrainian Festival in Rochester, N.Y., on August 15-16 and September 12-13, held food sales as an alternative to the usual festival program.
The Ukrainian Cultural Festival and summer camps at Soyuzivka Heritage Center in Kerhonkson, N.Y., were cancelled amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic. Readers can stay updated on events at Soyuzivka by visiting www.soyuzivka.com. All Saints Camp in Emlenton, Pa., bandura groups, Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization and the Ukrainian American Youth Association (known by its Ukrainian acronym SUM) moved their camp experiences online, with daily virtual sessions for participants. The added benefit from the virtual experience has been that the camp season can be extended into the school year.
Plast camp at Novyi Sokil in North Collins, N.Y., hosted a virtual bonfire “vatra” on July 24, and fund-raising campaigns have been launched to preserve the camps at Novyi Sokil, Vovcha Tropa (East Chatham, N.Y.) and Pysanyj Kamin (Middlefield, Ohio).
SUM and the SUMA Ukrainian Federal Credit Union based in Yonkers, N.Y., have launched an initiative to benefit the SUM camp in Ellenville, N.Y., while at the same time attracting members to the credit union. For each new individual account opened, $500 is to be directed to the SUM camp in Ellenville, which has suffered from the lack of events this summer season. Additional information can be found at www.sumafcu.org.
“Bandura Hangouts: A Virtual Workshop,” sponsored by the North American Bandura Camps Committee, was hosted online from July 13 to August 7. Additional information can be found at www.bandurahangouts.com.
Retreats, panel discussions, meetings and concerts were moved online during the summer and continue into the fall. (See our Out & About calendar.) They continue to enrich us culturally, historically and educationally.
The Ukrainian Orthodox League (UOL) moved its annual convention online on July 25, and the Ukrainian American Veterans have scheduled their annual convention for November 6-7 to be held via Zoom. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian National Association’s General Assembly just held its annual meeting virtually on October 5-6.
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. and its Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry is hosting an online Sacred Arts contest that concludes on December 1 (more details on the website, www.uocyouth.org) and the UOL is hosting a series of events (www.uolofusa.org). Likewise, the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation is hosting a series of virtual events to raise funds for the Ukrainian Catholic University (www.ucef.org).
Our museums and art galleries – The Ukrainian Museum (New York), the Ukrainian National Museum (Chicago), the Ukrainian Institute of America (New York), and the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (Chicago) among them – have moved exhibits and presentations online.
None of this would have been possible without support from the community, and none of this will exist in the future without that same support. It is hoped that the coronavirus adjustments all have had to make are only temporary. In the meantime, we urge you to financially support your Ukrainian community organizations so that they can continue to inspire, educate and prepare the next generation.