LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (02/04/96)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Famous athletes should help NOC

Dear Editor:

It is with great pleasure that Ukrainian American sports fans read Ihor Stelmach's extensive reports in The Ukrainian Weekly on National Hockey League Ukrainian players. We proudly follow their successes on the ice and are delighted with their financial remuneration in the hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars.

With the current economic difficulties facing Ukraine, the Ukrainian diaspora, through USCAK and local Olympic committees, is attempting to raise money to help the financially pressed National Olympic Committee of Ukraine to prepare the best representation of Ukrainian athletes for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Wouldn't it be a nice gesture if some of the Ukrainian pro-hockey players were to also contribute a few bucks - or even a few Ks - to Ukraine's National Olympic Committee?

The same goes for famous athletes such as Oksana Baiul, Viktor Petrenko, Serhiy Bubka and others who gained their skills in Ukraine and now enjoy financial prosperity abroad.

Nicholas Deychakiwsky,
M.D. Brecksville, Ohio

Time to take on 'Chernobyl' spelling

Dear Editor:

As we near the 10th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, much will be written on the subject of this tragedy. I suggest that we all make an effort to educate the public on the correct transcription from Ukrainian of the geographic place name, i.e., Chornobyl, rather than the Russified Chernobyl. It behooves us to maintain a high index of alertness and react decisively to each instance of "Russian, as usual."

One can cite the listing on p. 456, Vol. I of the Encyclopedia of Ukraine and quote examples of previous changes that were generally accepted (Peking to Beijing, Ceylon to Sri Lanka, etc.). Every reader can come up with his or her own arguments, I am sure.

We have successfully eliminated the use of "the" before Ukraine and have made fair progress on "Kiev." Now it is time to take on "Chernobyl."

Orest Hawryluk, M.D.
Elkins Park, Pa.

How about holding Leadership Camp?

Dear Editor:

The church board of directors of Ss. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church has decided to sponsor a "Leadership Camp 96" in the Midwest the first two weeks of August open to all members of the community age 17-22. There is definitely a need, but is there interest to pursue this concept?

Ss. Volodymyr and Olha board members have had numerous discussions about the future of our community. The lack of young leaders in our community was defined as a major impediment for future development and sustainment of our "hromada. "

The "Leadership Camp 96" would be a two-week intensive training session using the military model of leadership training. The camp would be open to all members of the community regardless of youth group or church affiliation. The course would present subjects such as: leadership theory and practice, leadership in the community, history of Ukrainian Americans, anti-defamation history, survival techniques, self-assessment and improvement, importance of bilingualism, evaluating core competencies, history of UPA, religion and working together as a team to achieve community objectives.

The camp would emphasize physical activity to put into practice what was taught in the classroom setting. All participants would have to pass a physical training test before the start of the camp. This would be a true integration of participants from different backgrounds, allowing interesting discussions and interactions. Instructors would be specialists in their fields including former military personnel.

To pursue this objective, we need your feedback. Who would be interested in attending and paying for this course? Who is willing to participate? Are there other organizations who are willing to become co-sponsors? A decision must be made no later than March 1. Contact Roman Golash by fax at (847) 885-8565 or by email 752371377@compuserve.com.

Roman Golash
Chicago

Ukraine deserves more than threats

Dear Editor:

Unfortunately, neither Dr. Bohdan J. Bodnaruk in his letter to the editor of September 10, 1995 (Diaspora should stop aid to Ukraine), nor Dr. T. Mackiw in his letter of January 14 (Support Ukraine, despite problems) bother to define the magnitude of this aid that possibly could topple or rescue the very existence of Ukraine.

Is this aid's vastness amounting to millions, tens or hundreds of millions, or even billions? Is its source dependable, perpetual and unconditional? Is it based on actual needs of Ukraine, or is it determined strictly by the whims of the self-appointed leaders of assorted archaic emigre groups? Perhaps, Dr. Bodnaruk, Dr. Mackiw, or both of them, would care to enlighten us.

In the meantime, it would be worth keeping in mind the fact that even if the diaspora's help to Ukraine was in the tens of millions of dollars annually, even if it was reliable, perpetual and unconditional, and, even if it was based upon Ukraine's actual needs, it hardly would resolve anything After all, the diaspora's occasional hand-outs, even if they happened to be as high as $52 million per year, could hardly be regarded as any meaningful help, for they would enrich each citizen of Ukraine merely by a solitary buck.

In any case, on August 24, 1995, the president of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, didn't acknowledge, as Dr. Mackiw seems to suggest, the diaspora's financial help towards Ukraine's survival, but rather its any-but-financial "contribution of the achievement of independence and consolidation of statehood."

Obviously, insisting as Drs. Bodnaruk and Mackiw apparently do, that the diaspora's merger charity ought to somehow dictate to the democratically elected government of Ukraine how it ought to behave in order to secure its receipt in the future, is nothing but illusionary and grandiose wishful thinking on these gentlemen's part.

Ukraine, most definitely, expects and deserves more from us than threats, ultimatums, bribes, charity and contempt.

Myroslaw Prytulak
Windsor, Ontario

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