Singing skier releases recording to benefit Carpathian Ski Club (02/15/98)

Singing skier releases recording to benefit Carpathian Ski Club

WINDHAM, N.Y. - Severin "Erko" Palydowycz has a calling card that leaves little doubt as to his interests. It bears the emblem of the Carpathian Ski Club, a symbol of his Plast fraternity and the Ukrainian tryzub; under his name appear the words "skiing, etc."

Perhaps he can best be described, as one colleague put it, as a "ski ambassador." His place of business is the ski slopes of Windham in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, where he promotes the sport and skis with VIPs.

Recently Mr. Palydowycz decided to combine his love of skiing with another love, love of the Ukrainian song, to release a cassette recording to benefit the Carpathian Ski Club (or KLK, as it is known by its Ukrainian-language acronym). Called "Erko," the tape was recorded in October 1997 in Ukraine and is now being sold here in the United States to raise funds for a sports club that traces its origins to Ukraine and has been active in North America for decades.

In his first recording, Erko offers listeners a selection of Ukrainians songs familiar and new. The recording includes folk and popular songs, plus songs written by the singing skier's father ("Bili Konvaliyi") and mother ("Bud Zdorova"), as well as a song called "Chornomortsi Khloptsi," written by two members of the "Chornomortsi" fraternity of the Plast Ukrainian Youth Organization, namely Mr. Palydowycz and Nestor Kolcio. The tape is available for $10 (postage included) from: Erko, P.O. Box 698, Hunter, N.Y., 12442.

Like many other Ukrainian organizations, the KLK has been reborn in Ukraine. Thus, some of the proceeds from Mr. Palydowycz's recording will go toward providing financial support for the Lviv-based KLK's ski races held each year in late February in Slavske, Ukraine.

Meanwhile, here in the U.S., the Carpathian Ski Club will hold its annual ski races at Ski Windham on March 7. The races, geared for skiers of all ages and open to all comers, will be run on a slalom course. That same evening an awards banquet will be held at 7 p.m. at Windham.

Registration will be held at the ski resort on the morning of the races at 8-10 a.m.; the races begin at 10:30 a.m. For information, call Mr. Palydowycz, (518) 263-4866, or Art Larsen, (518) 734-3737.

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