NOTES ON PEOPLE (11/28/99)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

UNA'ers celebrate 35th wedding anniversary

DE KALB, Ill. - Myron and Lesia Kuropas celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on October 24. The happily married couple spent their anniversary weekend away on a marriage retreat.

Mr. and Mrs. Kuropas met at Soyuzivka in 1960, when both were workers at the Ukrainian National Association's resort. They also got married at Soyuzivka on October 24, 1964.

Mrs. Kuropas was Miss Soyuzivka in 1957. Dr. Kuropas served as UNA vice-president from 1978 to 1990 and is well-known for his "Faces and Places" column in The Ukrainian Weekly.

The couple have two married children (Stefko and Michael) and four grandchildren.

The Kuropases are members of UNA Branch 423.

Named outstanding senior at Morristown High

MORRISTOWN, N.J. - Ruslan E. Denysyk, a student at Morristown High School in Morris County, was named "Outstanding Senior" and featured in the October 1999 issue of the school newspaper, Broadcaster. He was cited for winning the Rotary Youth Leadership Award, being a Congressional intern in Washington this past summer and his involvement in the local first aid squad, The Morris Minute Men, as a certified emergency medical technician (EMT).

Ruslan won the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) in June 1999. The award is given annually at the end of the junior year of high school (11th grade) to two students (male and female) who have shown exemplary community involvement. The panel of educators and businesspeople who selected Ruslan cited his dedication to the Morris Minute Men, his Eagle Scout project in Plast and his leadership as captain of the varsity soccer team.

As part of the award, Ruslan, as well as other award-winners trom New Jersey, attended a RYLA weekend in early June held on the grounds of Drew University. The students listened to motivational speeches from the CEO of AT&T and other business and community leaders, performed team-oriented outdoor activities and discussed ways to encourage other students to become positive role models.

This award helped Ruslan secure a Congressional summer internship in Washington. He worked in the office of Rep. Bob Ehrlich (R-Md.) and was involved in projects with the Commerce Department and the Senate Finance Committee.

Ruslan's involvement with the Morris Minute Men began early in his junior year. Soon after joining at the age of 16, he dedicated himself to taking the EMT course and after going to class every Saturday and alternating Sundays for three months, and he passed the state certification exam. He has led numerous life-saving rescues and has received a commendation from the Morris School District for his role in helping evacuate students trom a school bus that was hit by an automobile.

Ruslan is interested in a career in medicine. He is a member of Plast (Newark branch) and UNA Branch 88. His parents are Dr. Oleh and Anna Denysyk, and he has two sisters, Dara and Lana, all of Morris Plains, N.J

Grandfather and grandkids win art prizes

HAINES FALLS, N.Y. - The 52nd Annual Art Exhibition held by the Twilight Park Artists was quite a success for a grandfather and his three grandchildren. Entering the exposition together, Taras, Xenia, Justin and Larissa Schumlowych each won awards for their works of art.

Taras, the proud grandfather of the others, earned third place for his tempera paintings, "My House in Tannersville, N.Y." and "Post Office in Tannersville, N.Y.," and graphic, "St. Paraskevia Church in Ukraine." As can be guessed, he resides in Tannersville, N.Y.

Xenia, Justin and Larissa Schumylowych were each presented Emerging Young Artists Awards for their own tempera entries in the exhibition, which was held August 14-15 at the Twilight Park Clubhouse.

The Schumylowyches are members of UNA Branch 86.

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