1997: THE YEAR IN REVIEW: Ukrainians in the U.S.: looking to the future (12/28/97)

1997: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Ukrainians in the U.S.: looking to the future

The year got off to a promising start as far as the significance of our community in the United States is concerned. The second inauguration of President Bill Clinton featured an ethnic perspective as the theme of the weekend celebration was "An American Journey."

A Sunday afternoon brunch on January 19, "A Celebration of the American Mosaic," was hosted by the National Democratic Ethnic Coordinating Committee (NDECC), a subcommittee of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), one of the main organizers behind many inaugural events. A celebration of the strength of America's ethnic diversity, the brunch was entirely produced by ethnic leaders and communities throughout America. Planned as an ethnic salute to the victory of President Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore, the brunch was held in the elegant ballroom of the National Press Club in Washington where leaders and ethnic coordinators from the Democratic Party and more than 500 guests came together to reflect on the role of ethnic diversity in American culture and life.

Yuri Shcherbak, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., as well as ambassadors and dignitaries from more than a dozen embassies were also present to salute the accomplishments of ethnic Americans. Numerous representatives of Ukrainian American organizations also were present.

Among the exhibits in the parade, which was held after the president's oath and the traditional luncheon hosted by Congress for the new president, current and former volunteers of the Peace Corps carried the flags of over 130 countries, including Ukraine, where Peace Corps programs have been, and are, active.

The year was marked by several new initiatives within the Ukrainian American community, as well as renewal and consolidation, plus the commemoration of several significant milestones.

Early in 1997, in an effort to make itself more accessible to the community at large, the Ukrainian American Bar Association instituted a toll-free number available to anyone calling from the United States and Canada. The toll-free number, 1-888-UABA-LAW or 1-888-822-2529, provides pre-recorded information about the association in the English and Ukrainian languages, and permits the caller to leave messages for UABA officers and governors. The number's pre-recorded message also contains referrals of UABA attorneys by state. The Ukrainian American Bar Association commenced its third decade by electing a new president, Bohdanna (Donna) T. Pochoday, the first woman to serve in this capacity. The election of the new slate of UABA officers and board of governors took place at the UABA spring meeting held in Toronto on May 30 - June 1.

During the weekend of November 14-15, the UABA celebrated its 20th anniversary at its fall meeting. The kick-off to the event was a reception at the Embassy of Ukraine. A full-day conference the next day focused on internal and external issues affecting the organization, as well as a special portion titled "UABA: Quo Vadis?" that examined the UABA's past and looked at where the organization is heading.

The largest association of Ukrainian American businesspersons and professionals in the United States, The Washington Group (TWG), elected George Masiuk to an unprecedented third term as president. Mr. Masiuk, a telecommunications engineer, and his slate of board members were elected unanimously during TWG's annual meeting, held on February 15.

TWG, which has 366 members in more than half of the United States, in Canada, Ukraine and France, is widely known for the annual Leadership Conference it sponsors in Washington, featuring prominent government, business and academic leaders from the United States and Ukraine. This year's conference, held on October 10-12, was unique because it took on a tone of introspection to focus on our community's needs under the theme "We Can do Better: Expanding Horizons for Ukrainian Americans." Panel discussions were held on how Ukrainian American and other ethnic groups organize their efforts, the best ways of influencing the U.S. government and society, working and building connections with Ukraine, and winning and executing government grants.

Individual communities and local institutions also got involved in projects aimed at improving our community life here in the United States.

In April the Ukrainian Heritage School in the Philadelphia area announced "Project Renaissance." According to its mission statement, the project, whose benefits will be available to Ukrainian studies schools nationwide, aims "to develop new materials, methods and strategies for Saturday Ukrainian studies, with a high probability of success in educating present and future generations of American-born children of Ukrainian background." The project has the support of the Educational Council of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.

These goals will be achieved by publishing a new series of textbooks to serve as teaching tools. Separate volumes of new course materials will be developed for different grades and subjects. Each volume will present subjects in a comprehensive manner, including a side-by-side translation of less familiar Ukrainian words into English. There will be activities, exercises and workbook materials with attractive, topical illustrations. A dictionary of all the new words used in the textbook will be compiled at the end of each volume. Separately, there will also be suggested test materials for use by teachers.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, Julian E. Kulas, president and chief executive officer of 1st Security Federal Savings Bank, announced on January 6 that 1st Security has established a not-for-profit charitable foundation called The Heritage Foundation of 1st Security Federal Savings Bank Inc., and committed $5 million to fund the foundation's initiatives.

The purpose of the foundation is to provide charitable financial support to Ukrainian American civic, educational, religious and youth organizations in our communities. 1st Security has set aside $2.5 million as initial funding for the foundation. The additional $2.5 million will be funded over the next few years. According to Mr. Kulas, "The Ukrainian community has been very supportive of 1st Security Federal Savings Bank throughout its 32-year history. We view the establishment of The Heritage Foundation of 1st Security Federal Savings Bank Inc. as one way of recognizing the community's support. We hope that the foundation will be helpful in preserving our national identity, our heritage and our organized communities in the United States."

Another hallmark of 1997 was consolidation as three Ukrainian fraternal organizations moved closer to a merger. The Ukrainian National Aid Association of America (UNAAA) and the Ukrainian Fraternal Association (UFA) are in the process of negotiating mergers with the Ukrainian National Association [see "The UNA: moves, mergers and missions"].

Things seemed to be proceeding without major impediments on the UNAAA merger, but when it came to the UFA there was one major sticking point: the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (which regulates the activity of fraternal societies chartered in that state) was calling for the sale of that fraternal society's Verkhovyna resort in Glen Spey, N.Y., as the UFA's entire reserve is tied up in the resort.

During the year there were at least two groups that tried to rally support for keeping the Verkhovyna in Ukrainian hands, particularly because many Ukrainians have purchased or built homes in the immediate vicinity, as well as two churches, one Catholic and one Orthodox. At year's end, the fate of Verkhovyna remained unclear.

Unity remained elusive on another front, however, as the two central organizations of Ukrainians in the United States - the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council (UACC) - let another year go by without achieving community unity.

One local community, that of North Port, Fla., sponsored two town-hall-type meetings at which the principal topic was unifying the UCCA and UACC into one umbrella organization for the benefit of the entire community. The speakers were UCCA President Askold Lozynskyj (on February 22) and UACC President Ulana Diachuk (on March 19). Both stressed the importance of the Ukrainian community in the U.S. speaking with one voice to the entire world.

The two organizations continued to collaborate during 1997 on various joint projects, such as a reception for President Leonid Kuchma (June 23) and a testimonial dinner for Foreign Affairs Minister Hennadii Udovenko (December 6), who had been elected president of the 52nd session of the United Nations General Assembly in September. By year's end, however, unity still had not been achieved and the rift that occurred in 1980 remained a blemish on community life.

There were several milestones in our community life in 1997.

At the New York-based Ukrainian Institute of America, in preparation for a simultaneous celebration of the building's 100th anniversary and the institute's 50th birthday in 1998, scaffolding and netting was set up as workmen tackled a roof repair project expected to cost $250,000: removing and replacing 25 percent of the slate, and repairing valleys and gutters around the dormers, where leaks have been developing.

Built in 1898 for banker/broker Isaac D. Fletcher, the magnificent limestone mansion has a French Gothic style characteristic of the work of C.P.H. Gilbert - a profusion of crockets, pinnacles, moldings and other details. Mr. Fletcher left the house in 1917 to The Metropolitan Museum, which retained his art collection, but sold the building to Harry F. Sinclair, the self-made oil magnate who founded the Sinclair Oil Co., who later sold his home to Augustus Van Horne Stuyvesant Jr., a descendant of Gov. Peter Stuyvesant.

The Ukrainian Institute of America, founded in 1948 by Ukrainian-born inventor William Dzus, bought the house in 1955 as a center for the preservation of the culture, history, art and music of Ukraine. Located along Fifth Avenue's "Museum Mile," the building received national landmark status in 1978 from the U.S. Department of the Interior and has been listed in the New York State Register of Historic Places since 1981.

The institute has played an important role in New York's Ukrainian cultural life for almost 50 years. In its early years it served as rehearsal space for Walter Bacad's Ukraine Dancers and as the home of the fledgling Ukrainian Museum (now located downtown on Second Avenue and soon to move into its own building on East Sixth Street [see "The arts: music in the forefront"]). The 400-member organization has developed a variety of programs, including literary evenings, sociopolitical lectures, academic seminars, press conferences, drama presentations and a regular season of musical soirees held under the banner of Music At The Institute (MATI).

Two very visible and active Ukrainian organizations marked significant anniversaries this year. The Ukrainian American Military Association marked the first anniversary of its founding by a particularly active group of U.S. military personnel; and the Ukrainian American Veterans began celebrations of their 50th anniversary. Both organizations met at Soyuzivka during the weekend of September 26-28, and the official announcement of the UAMA's affiliation with the UAV was proclaimed during a joint banquet. Steven Szewczuk was elected national commander of the UAV; Maj. Roman Golash (USAR), was elected to head the UAMA.

The Ukrainian American Military Association was established by active and reserve personnel from various military services who were already using their Ukrainian heritage to bridge contacts between the United States and Ukraine. Members of the UAMA provide Ukrainian military interpreters for missions between their land and the land of their forefathers.

The Ukrainian American Veterans organization unites more than 500 veterans who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf. Its goals are to promote veterans' concerns and also, as noted in the organization's mission statement, "to sustain the Constitution, government and laws of the United States." As noted in its constitution, one of the purposes of the UAV is "to aid the Ukrainian people in promoting the growth of democracy in the newly proclaimed Ukraine, and to acquaint the people of the United States with the true allegiance and fidelity of all Ukrainians to the principles of the government of the United States, its Constitution and laws ..." The organization traces its roots to the 1947 convention of the Ukrainian Youth League of North America, where a group of activists took steps toward the establishment of a permanent national veterans' organization (Ukrainian American veterans' posts date back to the period after World War I). Its founding convention was held on Memorial Day 1948.

The Washington office of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, which is known as the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) marked its 20th anniversary with a gala banquet on November 1. UCCA President Askold Lozynskyj spoke about the effectiveness and importance of its work in the nation's capital. As a result of UNIS efforts with Congress and the various administrations over the past two decades, Mr. Lozynskyj said, "today, the Ukrainian community is not some amorphous mass; it established itself in Washington and government circles as a force to be reckoned with."

Also addressing the 100 guests who came to honor UNIS at the Key Bridge Marriott Hotel were the Ukrainian Embassy's chargé d'affaires, Volodymyr Belashov; the principal deputy to the State Department's ambassador-at-large and special advisor to the secretary of state for the new independent states, Ross Wilson, who gave the keynote address; former UCCA president Lev Dobriansky; the first UNIS director, George Nesterczuk; and its current director, Michael Sawkiw Jr. UNIS also received written greetings from Vice-President Al Gore, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Hennadii Udovenko, and the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus [see "U.S.-Ukraine: agenda dominated by corruption"].

UNIS Director Sawkiw pointed out that the one word that describes UNIS best is "dedication" - the dedication of those who worked for it and those who supported its work. Mr. Sawkiw presented a special UNIS award to its founder and first director, Mr. Nesterczuk.

Our community round-up would not be complete without a mention of the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, which held its third national convention on September 13-14 with 45 delegates from 10 chapters participating and pledging to continue the mission of helping victims of the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster. The convention featured an address by Ukraine's ambassador the United States, Dr. Yuri Shcherbak; panel presentations on a variety of topics, ranging from women's and children's health in Ukraine to a session on public relations and marketing geared toward helping CCRF chapters succeed in their work; and a banquet attended by nearly 250 people during which special awards were presented to chapters, individual activists and supporters of the CCRF's work. Delegates to the biennial convention elected a new 14-member board of directors, which met immediately after the convention's adjournment and elected Orest Dubno, who has served on the CCRF board since 1993, as its chairman.

It was an occasion also to announce a major contribution: an unrestricted gift of $350,000 from John Deere & Co., $250,000 of which will be used by the CCRF to establish an endowment fund. A portion of these funds was used for the relief organization's 19th airlift of medical supplies and equipment which arrived in Ukraine in November, as well as to support the CCRF's Women's and Children's Health Initiative in the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine whose first sponsor was the Monsanto Corp.

Earlier in the year, on March 10, the CCRF had airlifted its 18th shipment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine. The 42 tons of cargo, valued at $1.7 million, benefited a children's hospital in Chernihiv and the Women's and Children's Health Initiative.

1997 marked a somber note for lovers of Ukrainian culture. The largest Ukrainian festival in the United States, the Ukrainian Festival USA held annually in Holmdel, N.J., has historically played an important role in demonstrating and differentiating Ukrainian cultural and national identity. Regularly a stop for politicians including state governors, members of Congress, ambassadors and even presidential candidates, it served as a proud and festive day for Ukrainian Americans, Canadians and lovers of Ukrainian heritage, showcasing the finest in Ukrainian entertainment from all over the world, as well as hundreds of arts and crafts vendors showing off the beauty and diversity of Ukraine and its people.

For a number of reasons, this past year's festival may have marked the end of a 22-year tradition. Along with new ownership of the Arts Center, there is a desire by the current New Jersey governor to consolidate all the Eastern European festivals into one. Also, the past three Ukrainian festivals have not been profitable. Most recently, the Ukrainian festival committee, although consisting mostly of members with good intentions, has been ineffective in identifying and addressing the root causes of the recent problems. Some committee members have indicated that a lack of responsible and democratic committee leadership over the past two years has helped seal the fate of one of the most popular and significant Ukrainian cultural events in America.

Pointing to the fact that the 1997 Ukrainian Festival USA was nothing like those in the past, as everything seemed to be scaled down, one reader from Lawrenceville, N.J., wrote: "We felt that we were witnessing the demise of this marvelous festival."

As 1997 drew to a close, there was news in the historical sphere.

The California State Historical Resources Commission named the Rev. Ahapius Honcharenko's ranch and burial place a California Historical Landmark during its hearing on November 14 in Oakland. The "Ucraina" ranch, located in Hayward, Calif., about 30 miles southeast of San Francisco, was home from 1873 until his death in 1916 of the first Ukrainian political émigré to the United States. The Rev. Honcharenko, who settled in San Francisco, published the trilingual (English-Russian-Ukrainian) newspaper Alaska Herald, subtitled Svoboda, from 1868-1873 to serve the Ukrainian and Russian population of Alaska.

The Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Stamford dedicated its vastly expanded, renovated and modernized Ukrainian Cultural Research Center on November 22. The center, which is located in two large buildings on the campus of St. Basil College Seminary and the diocesan center, combines museum, library and archival collections. Brought to fruition by Bishop Basil Losten, the center's roots can be traced to the vision of Bishop Constantine Bohachevsky who first spoke of establishing a Ukrainian educational center in the United States for those who had left their homeland and for their descendants.

Thus, as we concluded 1997, Ukrainian Americans in general seemed to be looking back and ahead at the same time and rightfully so. For in order to make a better tomorrow for our community here, we have to be aware of its past.

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