UNA's 34th Convention: study in paradoxes (05/31/98)

UNA's 34th Convention: study in paradoxes

Executive Committee reports
Auditors' reports
Advisors' reports
Delegate discussion
Mergers with UFA and UNAAA
What's in a name?
By-Laws Committee report
Primary elections
Youth caucus
Awards
Convention banquet
Anniversary concert
An oath, a hymn, a prayer

by Andrij Kudla Wynnyckyj
Toronto Press Bureau

TORONTO - The 34th Regular Convention of the Ukrainian National Association, the first UNA convention to be held in Canada, was a study in paradoxes and contrasts, a microcosm of a community at a crossroads, apparently ready to travel in many directions at once.

The outcome of the elections for president and first vice-president is a case in point. Incumbent President Ulana Diachuk, with 48 years of experience with the UNA, was re-elected to a third term despite having expressed her wish, prior to the primaries, not to stand for office again.

Elevated to first vice-president was former Advisor Stefko Kuropas, 33, one of the youngest candidates to ever be elected to this top post and a staunch advocate of refocusing on the UNA's 104-year fraternal traditions, as well as a vocal critic of his predecessor, Nestor Olesnycky.

However, Mr. Olesnycky left his stamp on the convention through his spirited advocacy of certain measures, such as the call for a referendum on establishing a board of directors to replace the UNA's current structure of governance, and recommendations to cut fraternal benefits. With equal determination, he stuck by his decision not to run for office for a another term.

The atmosphere on the floor of the convention was mercurial. Words of criticism against the outgoing executives (most of whom were, nonetheless, returned to office) were met with sustained applause only to be followed by stern denunciations of speakers for being disrespectful and "against the spirit of fraternalism."

No reversal was more dramatic, however, than the decision to transform Svoboda, the UNA's Ukrainian-language flagship daily into a weekly publication. Initially, on the morning of May 18, delegates voted to maintain the status quo, but impassioned lobbying from members of the Executive Committee and the convention's Financial Committee, and a stormy debate resulted in a remarkable swing of 76 votes and support for the Financial Committee resolution mandating the change.

In addition, while Chairman Ben Doliszny and Vice-Chairman Taras Szmagala Sr. were purposeful in their direction of agenda and discussion, the convention showed its independence and resolve on more than one occasion by extending or directing debate.

Familiar UNA firebrands such as former UNA President Joseph Lesawyer and former Vice-President Myron Kuropas shook the rafters with their jeremiads. New voices, such as that of (Advisor-elect) Albert Kachkowski of Canada's Branch 444 in Saskatoon never shied away from making themselves heard.

While the convention's composition reflected the UNA's aging demographics, nevertheless the younger generation, in particular such individuals as Taras Szmagala Jr., John Kocur and Dr. Wasyl Szeremeta were always in evidence and often at the center of proceedings.

The convention was one of intense activity, late nights and impassioned debates, reflecting the dramatic changes underway at the UNA.

Executive Committee reports

UNA President Ulana Diachuk led off the verbal addenda to written reports delivered by officers of the association's General Assembly on May 15 by praising the work of the UNA's Champion Organizers in the pre-convention year (those who signed up 10 or more new members) and pointing out that the number of champion organizers was lower than in the years prior to the 1994 convention.

The UNA president said the association must professionalize, since professional salespeople sell policies for higher amounts and can be more readily spurred to greater membership enrollment quotas.

Mrs. Diachuk provided figures to demonstrate that in terms of sales, the Toronto-based all-professional sales force sold more than both the UNA's professional corps in the U.S. and the secretaries in both countries.

Mrs. Diachuk issued a warning about the UNA's membership rolls. A downward trend that has not been stemmed since 1974 has resulted in a startling statistic: the UNA is currently at levels of membership set in 1949, prior to the arrival of the post-war wave of immigrants.

The UNA president called for a conversion of Svoboda from a daily to a weekly, a move that she said would dramatically reduce its $350,000 annual deficit.

Mrs. Diachuk noted that efforts to raise revenues at the UNA's Soyuzivka resort were successful, but expenses incurred rose as well, resulting in an annual deficit of $500,000. This led her to suggest that Soyuzivka's season be shortened.

Mrs. Diachuk claimed that the UNA is "falling more and more under the scrutiny and control of insurance regulatory agencies," such as the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, which is limiting the UNA's flexibility in seeking to sell a variety of insurance products.

She closed by saying that "if we want to continue providing [fraternal services] we have to consider where we will get the funds."

With supplementary time ceded by Director for Canada Peter Savaryn and other members of the General Assembly, Vice-President Nestor Olesnycky read from the Ukrainian version of a supplement to his report titled, "Observations about the Current Status of the UNA," which restated concerns about the urgent need to curtail deficits, and gave information about such matters as the sale of the UNA's headquarters building in Jersey City, N.J. The building had begun to produce increasing deficits in the late 1980s, averaging $500,000 annually over the past 12 years, for an accumulated deficit of over $7 million.

The New Jersey-based attorney also highlighted the matter of the UNA's dwindling reserves, which he said were the principal focus of New Jersey insurance authorities' attentions.

According to the vice-president's calculations, the Soyuzivka estate and the UNA's publications had accumulated over $5.5 million and $11.5 million in losses, respectively, over the past 20 years.

Mr. Olesnycky formulated a wide range of proposals to reduce the UNA's various operating deficits, such as: the UNA introduce credit and "affinity" cards; reincorporate the UNA in another state less restrictive than New Jersey; "revolutionize" the UNA by transforming itself into a general agency or investment house; maximize the UNA's stock portfolio to the highest permissible level; develop and promote its mortgage portfolio; merge Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly into one bilingual weekly newspaper; sell Soyuzivka and use the Verkhovyna resort (which would be acquired under terms of the merger with the Ukrainian Fraternal Association) as a senior citizen's community; keep Soyuzivka as an attraction to the younger generation, but limit its season to the summer months.

Mr. Olesnycky broached the topic of the merger with the Ukrainian Fraternal Association (UFA) and the Ukrainian National Aid Association of America (UNAAA), suggesting that the merged entity can increase profits. He also said the UNAAA's and UFA's fate of having been forced by regulatory agencies to merge with another institution "may in fact presage ours."

Anya Dydyk-Petrenko formally retired the title of "vice-presidentess," which the previous convention decreed would be abolished following her term in favor of the gender-neutral title "second vice-president." Mrs. Dydyk-Petrenko called her predecessors Gloria Paschen and Mary Dushnyck to the podium to receive congratulations from the delegates.

In delivering her report, UNA Secretary Martha Lysko stated that two diametrically opposed camps were forming within the association. As Mrs. Lysko described them, on one side were "those who call for cutbacks to benefits to shore up our financial position," and on the other were "those who say we have a duty to continue benefits regardless of the inability to pay."

Secretary Lysko said rumors that the Executive Committee "wants to turn the UNA into a mini-Prudential" are groundless, affirming that UNA officers are strongly fraternal in their approach.

However, she said the UNA has to deal with its competitors - credit unions and small brokers who sell over the Internet - and contend with pressures from government, whose regulatory bodies "want to eliminate fraternals."

The UNA's chief financial officer, Acting Treasurer Stefan Kaczaraj, who assumed responsibility as treasurer in November 1997 when Alexander Blahitka took seriously ill (Mrs. Diachuk announced that Mr. Blahitka's hospitalization prevented him from attending the convention), simply urged delegates to read his written report.

Auditors' reports

The convention did not receive an official report undersigned by the UNA's five auditors, and instead five individual reports were presented to delegates. (The Auditing Committee's report on its most recent review of UNA operations had been published in Svoboda on May 12 and is printed in this issue on page 5; copies were not made available to delegates, however.)

Stefan Hawrysz led off by suggesting that the UNA look to its insurance division, rather than Svoboda, The Ukrainian Weekly and Soyuzivka, to find areas where costs might be cut and losses stemmed.

Mr. Hawrysz questioned the contract extended to Robert Cook, employed by the UNA as a consultant in charge of insurance operations since 1991, and since 1994 as head of the UNA's Toronto Sales Office, saying that the approximately $1 million in salary paid in that time to Mr. Cook was not sufficiently tied to performance.

Mr. Hawrysz praised the work of non-professional UNA branch secretaries and affirmed that the volunteers have been and will continue to be the backbone of the UNA.

Auditor William Pastuszek implored the delegates to help in making some painful decisions with regard to the UNA's expenses. Mr. Pastuszek was critical of Mr. Blahitka's work, and offered high praise to Mr. Kaczaraj for stepping into the breach at great sacrifice to his family life. He also praised Secretary Lysko for her dedication and willingness to share data.

Mr. Pastuszek was critical of a contract extension granted to Mr. Cook until 2001, and echoed Mr. Hawrysz's concerns about the ratio of expense to productivity with regard to Mr. Cook. In his written report he noted that "the cost of establishing a professional organizational and sales insurance department so far has failed to justify the financial costs," adding that the "exact costs from [the department's] inception have not been privy to the auditors and/or the General Assembly." The auditor said the UNA should hire a professional chief financial officer to guide the association out of its current straits.

Anatole Doroshenko asked that the executive provide a five-year projection for what the UNA's professional sales group will be expected to accomplish, and declared the "experiment" in this area initiated by former president John O. Flis "a failure." The auditor also expressed alarm that wages for the UNA's office employees had risen by 74 percent.

Mr. Doroshenko said that four years ago the need to balance the UNA's budget was discussed, and a balanced financial system was to have been set up, but this did not materialize.

Winnipeg-based auditor Stefania Hewryk thanked the membership for granting her the opportunity to serve the UNA, and asked interested parties to read her report. In it, Mrs. Hewryk pointed out that despite the establishment of a professional sales office on Toronto's outskirts, the UNA's original Canadian office remains in the home of Yaroslawa Zorych, the association's official representative in the eyes of the federal government in Ottawa.

Iwan Wynnyk's written report was not available in time for the convention, but the auditor did present his remarks for the record. Mr. Wynnyk noted that the UNA had a 53 percent shortfall in its four-year target for new members and that this had to be addressed.

Mrs. Diachuk responded to the reports by underscoring the reality that governmental regulatory bodies now demand that all fraternals must function as professional insurance concerns, and that the regulators regularly demand that the UNA undergo asset adequacy testing, as legislators have passed laws that have driven many fraternals into bankruptcy.

The UNA president said that in terms of the professional sales division, in order to make money one has to invest money, and that because of the UNA's arrangement with Maritime Life, the costs incurred in setting up an operation in Toronto were greatly reduced. Mrs. Diachuk said that every year since the establishment of the Toronto office its productivity had doubled.

Advisors' reports

Roma Hadzewycz led off the advisors' reports by referring to her term in office as "disheartening" because so few of the advisors' proposals were adopted. She expressed concern that some members of the UNA's Executive Committee consider the publications expendable, and warned that "if we cut them, we cut our ties to the community."

Ms. Hadzewycz said too much mystery shrouds the UNA's financial records and made plain her frustration that the budgets of two separate publications - the Svoboda daily and The Ukrainian Weekly - are commingled, and that reporting on the UNA's insurance operations is opaque. Ms. Hadzewycz said the UNA could use equal measures of glasnost, or openness, to go along with the radical perestroika being proposed.

Later at the convention, speaking as The Ukrainian Weekly editor-in-chief, Ms. Hadzewycz questioned Mr. Olesnycky's method of calculating the losses of the publications which, she asserted, did not take into account the dollar values of the services rendered to the UNA by its publications.

Ms. Hadzewycz pointed out that the precipitous drop in subscribers was directly related to the ill-advised doubling of subscription prices imposed by the General Assembly in 1995, a move contrary to a more gradual phasing in of increases mandated by the 33rd Convention in 1994.

The editor noted that The Weekly has very high visibility on both the European and North American continents thanks to its press bureaus in Kyiv and Toronto, as well as a recently expanded presence on the Internet. She said both Svoboda and The Weekly could substantially reduce their deficits, if not be profitable outright, if they were granted the authority to work out their own marketing plan focused on expanding the subscription base (for which the ability to sign up by credit card would be an invaluable tool) and securing new advertisers.

The editor also made special mention of the long-serving staff of the recently dismantled UNA print shop, bidding them thanks and a fond farewell. Ms. Hadzewycz commended the dedication of UNA employees in New Jersey who contended admirably with the move to new premises in October 1997.

In his report, Chicago-based Advisor Stefko Kuropas attacked "the Diachuk-Olesnycky administration" for mismanagement of the UNA's finances, with Mr. Olesnycky and outgoing Treasurer Blahitka subjected to withering criticism. Mr. Kuropas claimed that had the Executive Committee heeded his advice, the UNA would have saved approximately $6 million by avoiding Canadian currency reserve devaluation, and would have had $15 million in its surplus had his stock investment advice been followed.

Mr. Kuropas said the Executive Committee was not exclusively to blame, primarily because its critics failed to make themselves heard or offer timely criticism.

Mr. Kuropas also alleged that Mr. Olesnycky was guilty of conflict of interest in conducting merger negotiations with the UFA and UNAAA, as well as on the sale of the UNA headquarters building, charges Mr. Olesnycky hotly denied pointing to a long-standing tradition of UNA officers (such as past president John O. Flis) acting as the UNA's counsel.

Advisor Alex Chudolij asserted in delivering his report that cutting is not the only way to reduce costs and that a better and more efficient management of assets also is important. In his written report, Mr. Chudolij called for soliciting advice from a professional media marketing consultant to improve the UNA publications' advertising base.

Advisor Eugene Iwanciw asserted that this was not the first time the UNA has faced serious problems, and insisted that a stated goal, with a clearly plotted road to get there, is essential.

Mr. Iwanciw, the former director of the UNA's Washington Office, credited the UNA with being a determining force in securing large U.S. appropriations for Ukraine. He renewed a call for the UNA to examine the possibility of focusing its organizing and publishing activities on Ukraine.

In his written report Mr. Iwanciw asserted that "To survive and prosper, the UNA must provide more than insurance. It must provide an identity, a heart and a soul."

Advisor Taras Szmagala Jr. said the UNA's problems lay in its lack of a coherent business plan to market to the fourth wave of immigration from Ukraine and to reach recent generations of Ukrainians born in North America, and said the Svoboda daily should be revamped by changing it to a weekly.

Mr. Szmagala also intimated the need "to change the way we chose the Executive Committee," a reference made clearer in his written report to the proposed adoption of an 11-member board of directors as the UNA's ruling body.

Advisor Alexander Serafyn outlined his efforts in petitioning the Federal Communications Commission to revoke the license of CBS-TV in the Detroit area for not having served the public in its handling of the defamatory "The Ugly Face of Freedom" segment of the newsmagazine "60 Minutes," and his involvement with the UNA's Ukrainian Heritage Defense Committee.

Advisor Anne Remick opined that every UNA delegate must relearn how to work for the organization and expressed her hope that the newly elected advisors will be supporters and not opponents of the next administration.

Other advisors also offered brief addenda to their published reports.

Delegate discussion

The convention's delegates imposed their will on the presidium by demanding that a full discussion of the reports take place prior to the primaries for the General Assembly elections and prior to the discussion of the UNA/UFA/UNAAA mergers, and therefore the discussion went well into the night of May 15 and resumed the following morning.

Many delegates demanded to know why the Auditing Committee had not called a special convention if the UNA's financial picture was as dire as apparent from the officer's reports.

Responding to criticism that the UNA's administrative staff had ballooned, Mrs. Diachuk replied that the reports required by New Jersey insurance regulatory bodies have made them necessary.

Honorary Member of the General Assembly Myron Kuropas criticized the Executive Committee for not following through on the previous convention's resolutions and denounced the current Executive Committee's management style as "sell, eliminate and reduce." Dr. Kuropas was quickly rebuked by Mr. Olesnycky, who reminded him that Dr. Kuropas was one of the members that campaigned for the closing of the Washington Office.

Responding caustically to criticism surrounding the Toronto Sales Office, Mrs. Diachuk said: "No one goes through life without making mistakes. I made a mistake. I should not have hired a professional sales staff; I should have done nothing; I should have come to the convention with what the secretaries could bring us and said 'Well, it's not enough, but that's it, that's what we've got.'"

Reiterating a call to make Svoboda a weekly, a proposal rejected by the 33rd Convention, Mrs. Diachuk said delegates were often not realistic in their adoption of resolutions. "Don't blame us for losing almost $2 million putting out a daily," the president said.

Mrs. Diachuk defended the decision to sell the UNA building on the grounds that "all large companies are selling their buildings" and that no Ukrainian credit unions, institutions with large surpluses, own and operate large commercial buildings.

Mergers with UFA and UNAAA

On May 16, Vice-President Olesnycky guided the discussion of the proposed mergers. The 33rd Convention had empowered the UNA's Executive Committee to negotiate mergers with the UFA and UNAAA; all that remained was for the delegates to approve or reject the contracts.

The vice-president, who is also the UNA legal counsel, said that since the terms of the contracts had been published in the Svoboda daily and The Ukrainian Weekly, legal requirements concerning the notification of members a minimum of 60 days prior to the making of a decision on the subject had been satisfied.

Mr. Olesnycky also noted that the merger had to be approved by various governmental regulatory agencies who could, at their discretion, void the merger if certain financial projections were not adhered to, such as a smaller publications deficit resulting from a conversion of Svoboda to a weekly.

The merger with the UFA will entail an interim modification of the UNA's governing structure: until the year 2002, the UFA would be represented by a senior vice president, an auditor and three advisors.

UNA President Diachuk led delegates in a reading of a partial financial statement outlining the relative assets and liabilities of the three fraternals.

In the discussion concerning the mergers, opposition was scant, coming primarily from Myron Kuropas who questioned why two foundering organizations joining an association in crisis would result in a sound entity.

Mrs. Diachuk responded by pointing to the opportunities offered by a broader membership and asset base and the acquisition of a popular, fiscally self-sufficient publication, Forum magazine.

Prof. Vasyl Luchkiw of Branch 16 made the motion to call for a vote, saying "Either we witness history or we make history. We should thank God we've lived to see the day that the three largest Ukrainian fraternal organizations in the U.S. will finally be united."

What's in a name?

More contentious was a corollary issue mandated by the UFA merger contract - the UFA's request that the UNA, or rather the new emergent entity, adopt the name "Ukrainian National Fraternal Association." Some delegates pointed out a clause in the contract that stipulates the merger go through regardless of the vote on the name change.

Former UNA President Flis lobbied in favor of the name change, as did Wasyl Kolodchin, Branch 294, accentuating the need for compromise. Dr. Augustin Rudnyk, Branch 257, called upon delegates not to let their fear of change keep medicine from a sick organization.

Mr. Olesnycky pointed out that the UNA had changed its name twice in the past. Mr. Kocur, Branch 368, asked delegates to "show our grandchildren that as we start a new generation we can unite fraternally."

Messrs. Lesawyer and Myron and Stefko Kuropas led the "no" forces. The elder Kuropas pointed to the corporate image it took the UNA 104 years to build and to the hidden costs involved in renaming in the form of new registration documents, policy forms, emblems, and letterheads. "We've lost a long line of things," Dr. Kuropas said, "the last thing we have is our good name."

Mrs. Diachuk, given the last word, said that the name change would be a catalyst for the merger and a way of making the members of the UFA feel welcome.

In voting, approval of the mergers received substantially more than the two-thirds vote required. However, the name change motion failed, falling just short of the standard required for a By-Laws change.

By-Laws Committee report

The By-Laws Committee delivered its report to the convention on May 17. A complete account of the changes approved by delegates appears as a sidebar on page 10.

At the conclusion of its report, the By-Laws Committee proposed a resolution providing for a referendum of General Assembly members and delegates to the 34th Convention on an amendment to the UNA By-Laws that would create an 11-member board of directors as a new governance structure for the UNA. The board of directors would meet quarterly and would have the power to set policy and hire executive officers to run the day-to-day operations of the UNA.

The issue placed before the delegates was whether to hold a mail-in referendum, in accordance with a newly enacted amendment to the UNA By-Laws, on the adoption of this corporate structure for the UNA.

Differing opinions were expressed on the idea of conducting such an important vote via mail, with those arguing in favor of the resolution stating that adopting the amendment via a mail poll would ensure that the corporate structure proposal is adopted before the 35th UNA Convention to be held in 2002 and the convention could then proceed to elect the 11 members of the board.

Speakers expressing opposition to the mail referendum voiced concern that conducting this vote via mail precludes the important discussion among delegates that normally occurs on the convention floor and is crucial to swaying delegates' opinions. They offered an alternate suggestion that this measure be brought to the next UNA convention and be presented for a vote at the beginning of deliberations so that, if it is passed, the convention still would be able to elect the 11-member board.

Many participants in the discussion suggested that all the particulars of the new corporate structure as well as discussion on the board of directors idea should be aired on the pages of the UNA's official publications in advance of the mail poll.

The motion to hold the referendum was passed by a vote of 143-71, with seven abstentions. The referendum is to be conducted by mail by December 31, 1999.

Primary elections

The elections process at the UNA's 34th Convention was eventful. On May 15, the first day of sessions, it was announced that the primaries, during which candidates for the General Assembly's various positions are nominated, would be held on the following day, earlier than usual to accommodate the need to program voting machines with an extensive list of candidates for the final round of elections, thereby reducing opportunities for delegates to caucus and for candidates to lobby for votes.

On May 16, after a prolonged debate about mergers, session chairman Taras Szmagala Sr. was hard-pressed to contain delegates' furor, and ruled out of order motions proposed by John Gawaluch of Branch 377 and Miron Pilipiak of Branch 496 to have the primaries delayed until May 17. Mr. Szmagala then asked General Assembly members to announce their intentions and other candidates to line up to declare their candidacies. He explained at the same time that the voting procedure in the primaries is for delegates to write in the names of anyone they would like to see as candidates for General Assembly.

The convention was then stunned by incumbent President Diachuk's emotional announcement that she would not be standing for re-election, followed by a similar statement from Vice-President Olesnycky. Auditor Doroshenko, expected by many to run for the presidency, also declined to run for any office. Advisor Hadzewycz announced her candidacy for president and appeared to be the only candidate for the UNA's top position.

A touch of drama was added when Toronto-based activist Vira "Ke" Plawuszczak (not a delegate at the convention) took the floor to express her feeling that it was "unimaginable" for Mrs. Diachuk not to run for any UNA office. The statement was greeted with applause and as the delegates went to vote, supporters of Mrs. Diachuk spread the word that delegates should write in her name for president after all.

The results of the primary were announced the next day, after a tired Elections Committee worked through the night to count the ballots. When discrepancies were noted in the Elections Committee's original report, members conducted a recount that revealed significant differences from the first reported results. (The complete results of both the primary and the final elections appear on page 4.)

Once the results were read, candidates were asked to state whether they accept nominations for office. Only three candidates are allowed to run in the final elections for each position on the General Assembly.

As Mrs. Diachuk noted in her acceptance speech, she took the write-in tally of 104 votes in the primaries as a vote of confidence in her presidency and reconsidered her decision not to run. The final elections were held in the morning of the final day of the convention, Tuesday, May 19.

Youth caucus

On Monday May 18, the eve of the convention's final day, the New York District Committee, headed by Chairman Barbara Bachynsky, hosted a delegates' caucus on the theme "Youth and the UNA." The occasion was an opportunity for candidates in the final elections to introduce themselves and speak about their platforms, concerns and issues.

Normally many such caucuses are held during UNA conventions; some are geared to special-interest groups such as women, youth or American-born members, while others are gathered on a regional basis. Since this was the only caucus scheduled during the five days of the 34th Convention, 20 candidates for office ranging from president to advisor spoke at the session, which lasted for more than two hours.

The format was open, with some candidates choosing to present their qualifications and others proceeding to discuss diverse issues of concern and offering their suggestions on what direction the UNA should take. Though the caucus focused on youth, the candidates comprised all age groups, from the late 20s to the 70s.

The group attracted veteran General Assembly members like Mr. Iwanciw of Arlington, Va., and Stefko Kuropas of Chicago, both advisors running for vice-president; Mr. Chudolij of Clifton, N.J., Nick Diakiwsky of Pittsburgh, Taras Szmagala Jr. of Cleveland and Walter Korchynsky of Elmira, N.Y., all running for re-election as advisors; Advisor Hadzewycz, running for president; Advisor Serafyn, running for auditor; and former General Assembly members Mrs. Paschen, running for vice-president, and Mr. Luchkiw, running for advisor.

Also participating were newcomers Marcanthony Datzkiwsky of Newark, a candidate for auditor, and Dr. Szeremeta of Philadelphia, Michael Kuropas of Chicago, Joseph Hawryluk of Buffalo, N.Y., Mr. Kachkowski of Saskatoon, Andre Worobec of Newark, Ihor Hayda of Easton, Conn., Oksana Trytjak of Plainfield, N.J., Dr. Stephen Woroch of West Orange, N.J., and Mrs. Bachynsky, all candidates for advisors.

Awards

On May 19, Secretary Lysko bestowed the UNA's highest award, the Hryhoriy Hrushka Award, on Mrs. Zorych for her function as chief agent in Canada and longtime secretary of Branch 432.

The other Hrushka laureates honored at this convention (all in absentia) were Andrew Jula, former UNA advisor and branch secretary of Pennsylvania's largest branch, Branch 161; Helen Olek-Scott, former UNA advisor and former secretary of Branch 22 in Chicago; Akron, Ohio-based Genevieve Zerebniak, former UNA vice-presidentess and former secretary of Branches 180 and 295; Roman Prypchan, former Branch 399 secretary in Chicago; Atanas Slusarchuk, former Branch 174 secretary in Detroit; and Taras Slevinsky, former secretary of Branch 59 and district chairman for Connecticut.

On the first day of the convention, May 15, President Diachuk announced the names of the association's Champion Organizers for 1997. The top 10 were Michael Turko, who enrolled 35 new members; Longin Staruch, 29; Mr. Pastuszek, 26; Leon Hardink, 19; Mr. Diakiwsky, 17; Mr. Pilipiak, 16; Stephanie Hawryluk, 15; Mr. Hawrysz, 15; and Eugene Oscislawsky, 14.

UNA Secretary Lysko announced winners of the pre-convention membership organizing contest that had been launched on January 1.

An organizer who secured one to five applications, with a minimum of $300 in annual premiums earned a "Kozak" certificate and $100 in prize money. Those who earned "Kozak" certificates include Maria Kulczycky, Branch 8; Paul Shewchuk, Branch 13; Ostap Zynjuk, Branch 15; Katherine Prowe, Branch 26; Joyce Kotch, Branch 39; Nicholas Pryszlak, Branch 45; Stephanie Hawryluk, Branch 88; Yaroslav Zaviysky, Branch 155; Vera Krywyj, Branch 174; Yuriy Kalita, Branch 206; Joseph Chabon, Branch 242; Julie Guglik, Branch 259; Mr. Korchynsky, Branch 271; Myron Kuzio, Branch 277; Joseph Hawryluk, Branch 360; Myron Luszczak, Branch 379, Anna Burij, Branch 402; Gloria Horbaty, Branch 414; Mrs. Hewryk, Branch 445; and Tekla Moroz, Branch 465.

Organizers who secured six to 10 applications, with a minimum of $700 annual premiums earned "Otaman" certificates and $250 in prize money. This convention's Otamany included Lubov Streletsky, Branch 10; Eugene Gulycz, Branch 12; Mr. Pastuszek, Branch 231; Dana Jasinsky, Branch 287; Walter Krywulych, Branch 266; Barbara Boyd, Branch 381; and Mr. Pilipiak, Branch 496.

Convention banquet

Toronto's Ukrainian community joined the delegates of the convention in feting the association's reaffirmed commitment to its presence in Canada at a banquet at the Toronto Hilton the evening of May 16.

Metropolitan Michael Bzdel of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Winnipeg offered the invocation and in accordance with tradition, the UNA's two vice-presidents acted as masters of ceremonies. Mr. Olesnycky and Mrs. Dydyk-Petrenko introduced guests seated at the head table, which included Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada Volodymyr Furkalo, Ukraine's consul in Toronto Mykola Kyrychenko, Bishop Isidore Borecky and Bishop Roman Danylak of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Toronto, Ukrainian World Congress General Secretary Vasyl Veryha, Ukrainian Fraternal Association President John Oleksyn and Ukrainian National Aid Association of America Auditing Committee Chairman Petro Mycak.

Greetings were read from Canada's Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, U.S. President Bill Clinton and Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma, and a list of dignitaries and community leaders.

The first of two keynote addresses was delivered by Dr. Viacheslav Briukhovetsky, president of the National University of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine, who recounted his institution's edifying success story. Since its establishment in 1991, the NUKMA has grown from a struggling little college to an academic hotspot that has reclaimed the original buildings that housed its namesake - the academy founded by Metropolitan Petro Mohyla, built up by Hetman Ivan Mazepa and on whose grounds the great philosopher Hryhorii Skovoroda walked.

"The souls of our great ancestors are still there," Dr. Briukhovetsky said, proudly adding: "They carried their learning not only to Russia, but also to Europe."

The second keynote address featured Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association Chairman John Gregorovich, who placed the Canadian government's current campaign to denaturalize and deport alleged war criminals in the context of "a series of crises Ukrainian Canadians have faced during this century."

For Mr. Gregorovich, the first crises was the internment of Ukrainian Canadians during the first world war - a loss for the community; the second, a victory over the attempt by Soviet agents to infiltrate Canadian society and Ukrainian organizations; the third, a victory over attempts to block the entry into Canada of Ukrainian displaced persons from Europe; and the fourth, the Deschenes Commission review of the presence of war criminals in the country - a victory which temporarily secured a "made in Canada solution."

Mr. Gregorovich said the threat of having the Ukrainian Canadian community branded as "a community of war criminals" has been again revived, and that concerted action was needed to stop assault on the community.

Also appearing as a speaker that evening was David Tetzlaff, executive director of the National Fraternal Congress of America, attending the convention in order to witness the UNA/UFA/UNAAA merger process. He presented an NFCA certificate to President Diachuk in honor of the UNA's quadrennial convention.

UFA President Oleksyn greeted the UNA's delegates, and welcomed the decision to merge with his fraternal.

UNA Secretary Lysko rose on behalf of the association's General Assembly and membership to lead the audience in an expression of appreciation for Mrs. Diachuk's 48 years of service to the UNA, 25 years on the executive.

A musical interlude was performed by the Toronto-based family of virtuosos, pianist Yuri Krechkovsky and his violinist daughters Iryna and Marta.

The banquet concluded with a benediction offered by the Rev. Myron Stasiw.

Anniversary concert

On May 17, the UNA hosted a concert on the occasion of its 104th anniversary at Toronto's St. Patrick German Catholic Church. Over 500 audience members filled the hall of the neo-Gothic shrine.

The evening featured performances by the award-winning Toronto-based women's choir Vesnivka and the Paris to Kyiv ensemble led by Winnipeg-based vocalist Alexis Kochan.

Vesnivka, which has won several first place awards in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's annual National Choral Competitions, first sang four arrangements of Lemko songs, dedicated to the UNA's founding fathers. The ensemble's renditions of Anatoliy Avdievsky's, Zynovii Lysko's and Zenoby Lawryshyn's arrangements were liturgical in their reverence for the music.

Conductor Kvitka Kondracka made full use of her mature choir's sonorous altos and strong sopranos in arrangements graced with a vigorous melodic sweep culminating in striking modern harmonies.

Ms. Kochan, joined by bandurist virtuoso Julian Kytasty, percussionist John Wyre, violinist Richard Moody and multi-instrumentalist Martin Colledge provided a counterpoint to the choir with engaging renditions of material that appears on the excellent Paris to Kyiv CDs, notably their latest release, "Variances" - producing an ear-opening blend of Ukrainian and Celtic musical styles.

An oath, a hymn, a prayer

On May 19, after final elections and resolutions, the UNA 34th Convention was concluded with an oath, a hymn and a prayer. The UNA faces many of the same challenges of the 21st century that confront individuals, families, communities, corporations and nations. The challenges are tremendous by all accounts: new technologies, new alliances, new opportunities. And the newly elected leadership of the UNA will need creativity, imagination, flexibility, experience, skill, tenacity and vision to make sure that the world's oldest Ukrainian fraternal remains one.