TORONTO – Throughout many decades of her life, Lesia Chraplyva was known as a writer, journalist, editor, Plast scouting leader and community activist.
To celebrate her 90th birthday, a large group of her friends and colleagues gathered on May 26 at St. Demetrius Residence in the Toronto area. Written congratulations were read and memories were recalled.
A collection, which netted almost $2,000, was organized on the occasion of the milestone birthday. The funds will go to chaplains of churches in Ukraine to be distributed to participants of the “Vriatuy Zhyttia” (Save a Life) project who are fighting for the Ukrainian cause.
Lesia Chraplyva was born May 27, 1927, in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, where she grew up. In 1942 she became a member of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization. She left Lviv in 1944 with her parents for the refugee camps of Germany. While in Germany, she studied medicine and biology. She also organized the scout troop Lisovi Mavky.
In 1949, with her parents, Ms. Chraplyva left Europe for the United States. She lived in New York City, where she became active in Plast programs, particularly working with the youngest girls, the “novachky.” She was a troop leader, a national scout leader and national director for press relations. She became the national leader for all female Plast units and worked in leadership training for novachky, organizing camps for the youngest girl scouts.
In 1954-1956, she edited a special Plast page in the Ukrainian newspaper Svoboda. In the years 1955-1970, she was editor of the magazine Hotuis (for both male and female cub scouts).
In 1974, she married Orest Shchur, whom she had known during her childhood in Lviv, and moved with him to London, Ontario. (He died in 2005).
With her move to Canada, Ms. Chraplyva-Shchur became active in community organizations there. Among her most notable community activity was membership in the Association of Workers in Literature for Children and Youth, which she led in 1965-1970 and 1990-2000. She was active also in the education branch of the World Council of Ukrainians, serving as secretary (1988-1993) and as press representative. She also edited the magazine Vidhuknitsia. Since 1994, she has been a member of the Association of Writers of Ukraine.
A feeling of patriotism prevails in all of Ms. Chraplyva’s works – stories, poems and plays. More than 17 of her works were published (and often republished) in Germany, the United States and Canada. When it became possible to do so, her works were published in Ukraine.
All of her works, except for the poetry collection “To Those Far and Near,” were for children. “Easter Egg for Ukrainian Children” was illustrated by the noted artist Petro Andrusiw and was published in three editions – two in the diaspora and a third in Kyiv. “The Magical Car,” a children’s favorite, described a fantastical journey through the history of Ukraine.
Ms. Chraplyva wrote for children of various ages. Back in Munich she had published “Otaman Volya” for the very young, “Easter Egg for Ukrainian Children” for younger schoolchildren, and “Wind from Ukraine,” a collection of stories about the Kozaks, for older schoolchildren.
Ms. Chraplyva understood the value of literature for children. She wrote: “Books are an essential part of the literature of each nation and prepare the child to read and properly appreciate the written word.” She was very happy with what she could contribute to Ukrainians worldwide. She said: “Can there be a more valuable dream for us, emigrants, than to be read in our native land?”