VENICE, Fla. – Sarasota County Commissioners at their July 9 meeting in Venice, Fla., presented a proclamation which declared that August 24, 2019 is to be celebrated as Ukrainian Independence Day.
The proclamation was accepted with thanks on behalf of the Ukrainian American community of Southwest Florida by Daria Tomashosky, president of the Ukrainian American Club. She stressed the importance of this proclamation not only to the Ukrainian American community, but to the people of Ukraine who are fighting against Russian aggression to maintain their country’s territorial integrity and who are working toward creating a true democracy in Ukraine.
Similarly, on July 11, the city commissioners of North Port, Fla., designated August 24, 2019, as the 28th anniversary of Ukrainian Independence Day. The proclamation was read by Commissioner Vanessa Carusone in the presence of other commissioners and members of the Ukrainian American community. It was accepted by Ms. Tomashosky of the Ukrainian American Club.
Representatives of other Ukrainian American organizations present at both ceremonies were Ukrainian American Veterans Ihor Hron (post commander), Roman Rondiak and Eugene Tomashosky; Vira and Bohdan Bodnaruk (Ukrainian Language Society); Alexandra Popel (Ukrainian National Women’s League of America); Doris Horbachevsky and Halia Lisnychyj (Ukrainian American Club); Victor Lisnychyj, Vlad Szpiczka, Olia Babchuk and Mykola Weremijenko (St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center); Roman Czajkowsky (Ukrainian Holodomor-Genocide Committee); Larissa Shpon (St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church) and Mr. and Mrs. Bystrianyk (Ukrainian Village Condos).