LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (01/10/99)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

UUARC is eligible to receive funds

Dear Editor:

Recently several letters to The Ukrainian Weekly have indicated a concern that the United Ukrainian Relief Committee of America is not listed in the brochures of the Combined Federal Campaign (for federal government employees), or in the brochures of the United Way (for employees of private firms). The authors of these letters assume that, therefore, the UUARC is not eligible to receive funds from these campaigns.

As it turns out, this is not the case. In checking personally with the UUARC office, I received information that Natsionalna Trybuna of September 14, 1997, published the UUARC appeal to federal, state and private employees for contributions. The Donor Code number for the Combined Federal Campaign is 2943; for the United Way it is 1838. I have confirmed with the UUARC that the code numbers remain the same for the 1998 campaigns. l have also confirmed that my 1997 contribution via the United Way has been received by the UUARC.

I hope that, since the UUARC has not found a way to publicize its eligibility in the two campaigns, you will publish this letter, so that potential donors are aware of the opportunity to contribute to causes of interest to Ukrainian Americans. It seems that an appropriate notification in our community could reach, let's say, 1,000 new donors. Assuming a $200 per donor contribution, the UUARC may be sitting on an untapped $200,000 per year contribution to their budget.

I would also like to express my appreciation to Eugene Zyblikewycz, Bohdan Nehaniv and Rostyslav Chomiak for their concern - and to your newspaper for publishing these concerns - regarding the UUARC's participation in the annual charitable campaigns.

Ihor Vitkovitsky
Silver Spring, Md.

Kudos to Kohut for Yale lecture

Dear Editor:

On November 3, an opportunity was given to New Haven residents and students at Yale University to attend a lecture at Yale University by Prof. Zenon Kohut, visiting professor of the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies. His topic was Russian-Ukrainian unity and Ukrainian distinctiveness in early modern Ukrainian thought and culture - a timely subject.

In many instances lectures have proven to be dull and uninteresting, but in this instance Prof. Kohut's delivery was immeasurably smooth; he knew his topic and delivered it comprehensively. His audience showed great attention and interest. Prof. Kohut brought up detail, rather than stereotyped data familiar to those studying Ukrainian or Russian history. The 50 or more attendees, among whom were about 10 students from St. Basil Seminary in Stamford, Conn., generated a lengthy discussion.

I was especially encouraged and impressed that at last one of our own had endeavored to enlighten those who have been brainwashed into believing that Rus' and Russia are one and the same. More lectures of this type are needed so that those who are constantly correcting articles appearing in magazines (such as The World and I, and National Geographic); dictionaries and encyclopedias that, without hesitation, define the founding of Rus' and the adoption of Christianity as events taking place in Russia; who place the daughters of Yaroslav and Wise, who married into the royal families of Sweden, Norway and France, into the historical context of Russia; who constantly refer to Kyiv as "the mother of Russian cities," etc.

Curiosity, at this point, prompts me to ask: Where are the recipients of scholarships granted by the Ukrainian National Association? It seems that the majority of them have vanished or disappeared into the intellectual world, without a thought as to who they are. I feel that we Ukrainians must take a positive step toward acknowledging who we are - from our original pioneer Ivan Bohun, who was a friend of Miles Standish, to Leonid Kadenyuk, our first Ukrainian cosmonaut who trained for the STS-87 mission and was on the space shuttle Columbia.

More respect and recognition should be given to our Ukrainian intellectuals who are out in the field awakening Ukraine's historical past. Kudos to Prof. Kohut.

Wasyll Gina
New Haven, Conn.

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