1997: THE YEAR IN REVIEW: The noteworthy: people in the news (12/28/97)

1997: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

The noteworthy: people in the news

Our list of noteworthy people in 1997 is replete with Ukrainians who were honored for their professional and civic contributions to Canada and the United States.

Walter Chyzowych, the former soccer coach, was inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America at a NSCAA Convention held in Nashville, Tenn., on January 17. He was honored as "a pioneer for American collegiate coaches" and for his role in founding, organizing and promoting the first nationwide soccer coaching education program. Mr. Chyzowych, who coached the World Cup, Olympic, Pan American and National Youth soccer teams, died in 1994 at the age of 57. His award was accepted by his brothers, Ihor and Eugene, and nephew, Ihor Jr.
Nestor Burtnyk, a retired scientist from Canada's National Research Council, received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement in Beverly Hills, Calif., on March 1. Mr. Burtnyk, of Kanata, Ontario, and his former colleague, Dr. Marceli Wein of Kingston, Ontario, were honored for their early work in computer animation. The pair developed key-frame animation in the late 1960s-early 1970s, a technique that imitates conventional celanimation on the computer.
Victor Malarek, co-host of CBC-TV's "The Fifth Estate" weekly investigative news program, won the Gordon Sinclair Award for best overall broadcast journalist on March 1. The award was presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television during its 11th annual Gemini Awards. A former reporter with Canada's national daily newspaper, The Globe and Mail, Mr. Malarek is currently in his seventh season at "The Fifth Estate."
Osyp Zinkewych, founder of the Smoloskyp publishing house and human rights organization, was presented Ukraine's Presidential Award by Foreign Affairs Minister Hennadii Udovenko on March 7 at a ceremony held at the residence of Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Dr. Yuri Shcherbak. Mr. Zinkewych was honored for his educational and charitable activities spanning more than 30 years. Founded in Baltimore in 1967, Smoloskyp was a leading publisher of works by persecuted and imprisoned writers in Ukraine. Today the publishing house is located in Kyiv, where it continues to publish the works of young writers and activists.
The Svoboda Ukrainian-language daily newspaper was presented an award for contributing to American life by the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Philadelphia during the center's anniversary banquet on April 5. Zenon Snylyk, who has served as Svoboda's editor-in-chief for 17 years, accepted the award on behalf of the Ukrainian daily, which has been published by the Ukrainian National Association, now based in Parsippany, N.J., for 104 years.
Olha Kuzmowycz, a longtime editor and reporter with the Svoboda Ukrainian-language daily newspaper, was feted for writing her 1,000th article at an evening of tribute held in her honor at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center in Philadelphia on April 12. Mrs. Kuzmowycz, of Babylon, N.Y., began her career at Svoboda at the age of 65 and has penned articles, interviews and the "Pro Tse i Te" (About This and That) column under the pen name "O-KA" for the past 15 years.
Dr. Olexander and Yaroslava Gudziak of Syracuse, N.Y., endowed a new professorship in theology at the Lviv Theological Academy through a gift of $250,000 announced on April 7. Bishop Lubomyr Husar of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church presented the Gudziaks with a scroll of gratitude from Cardinal Myroslav Ivan Lubachivsky and the Rev. Michael Dymyd, rector of the Lviv Theological Academy, during a "sviachene" (Easter dinner) in Detroit.
Several community institutions joined forces to honor a community activist for his lifelong contributions to various Ukrainian causes. Joseph Lesawyer was the guest of honor at the June 8 testimonial banquet held at the Sheraton New York Hotel under the sponsorship of the Ukrainian Institute of America, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the Ukrainian National Association. For over three-quarters of a century, Mr. Lesawyer held positions as an executive in the Ukrainian Youth League of North America, executive vice-president of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, president of the Ukrainian National Association for 17 years, executive director of the Shevchenko Memorial Committee and national chairman of Ukrainian American Democrats. He was actively involved in many other community organizations as well.
Danylo Shumuk, the longest serving Soviet political prisoner, was honored by the Toronto Branch of Amnesty International and numerous Ukrainian Canadian watchdog groups at a tribute marking the 10th anniversary of his release held in Toronto on September 28. The 82-year-old Mr. Shumuk served 42 years in Soviet jails, prison camps and in exile, and arrived in Canada in May 1987.
The Washington Group's "Friend of Ukraine" award was presented during the annual Leadership Conference [see "Ukrainians in the U.S.: looking to the future"] held in Washington on October 10-12 to two prominent New York cultural figures: Lidia Krushelnytsky, director of the Ukrainian Stage Ensemble, and Roma Pryma-Bohachevsky, choreographer/artistic director of the Syzokryli dance ensemble. The two women were cited for "their outstanding contribution to the cause of Ukraine and the Ukrainian American community" in a ceremony that took place during TWG's annual awards banquet.

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