PITTSBURGH – The Ukrainian American community of the Pittsburgh area celebrated at a benefit Malanka on Saturday evening, January 11. The crowd was the largest ever in this Malanka’s 25 year history at the Ukrainian American Citizens’ Club in Carnegie.
A sumptuous buffet and Svitlana Honchar’s tasty (and beautiful) Ukrainian pastries complemented Paul Hladio’s Orkestar Zabava band, providing the best in Ukrainian dance music. The huge contingent of young people made for a 20-minute long Kolomyika to entertain the older “watchers” in the circle surrounding the “Ukrainian gymnastics.”
Svitlana Dudkevych Honchar, secretary of Ukrainian National Association Branch 96, organized the entire successful event, with assistance from Nick Kotow, Iryna Davyda, Yurko Korenovsky, Slavko Davyda and Yurko Honchar. Advertising was done by Ostap Lernatovych. Photographer Michael Haritan donated a signed copy of his beautiful framed “Churches of Ukraine“ collage for the profitable benefit raffle.
All net proceeds will benefit soldiers injured as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine who are recuperating at the Lviv Military Hospital. Any additional donations for this charitable cause may be sent to: Ukrainian Technological Society (UTS), P.O. Box 4277, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.