LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (08/27/00)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Thanks for story on Zarvanytsia

Dear Editor:

The Ukrainian Weekly and Roman Woronowycz deserve many thanks for the wonderful and objective coverage (July 30) of the pilgrimage to Zarvanytsia on August 22-23.

As someone who grew up in Zarvanytsia (1927-1944), I still remember emotional events and the nightly candlelight processions. At the time of the Soviet-Communist oppression Zarvanytsia became a symbol of resistance and hope.

I would like to call readers' attention to the fact that it was in the forest near Zarvanytsia in 1988 that the first open liturgy was celebrated by the Bishop Pavlo Vasylyk of the underground Ukrainian Catholic Church. A photo of this historic event was taken by the son of noted Ukrainian poet Mykola Rudenko and published in The Ukrainian Weekly.

Ivan Z. Holowinsky
New Brunswick, N.J.

EDITORS' NOTE: The liturgy at Zarvanytsia on July 17, 1988, was attended by 10,000 faithful and was reported to be the largest public gathering of Ukrainian Catholics since the Stalin regime outlawed their Church in 1946.

Help the children of Livchytsia school

Dear Editor:

Currently 110 handicapped Ukrainian children are living and being educated at the Livchytsia School-Internat. The care provided for these children is adequate; however, the physical plant of the school is in dire need of immediate remodeling. The school building is 120 years old and as such does not provide adequate accommodation for the more than 100 students. Many of the children are orphans or children of very meager financial means.

The school building is in such disrepair that these unfortunate students face a very uncertain future. We at the Livchytsia School-Internat are appealing to our Ukrainian diaspora for financial help in financing the needed school renovations.

Irena Gadzera of Chicago visited our school in May of this year. After viewing our desperate situation, Mrs. Gadzera has offered to coordinate our fund-raising efforts in the United States.

For further information, please contact: Mrs. Irena Gadzera, 2647 N. Meade St., Chicago, IL 60639.

Volodymyr Vitiv
Livchytsi, Ukraine

The writer is director of the Livchytsia School-Internat. His letter was translated by Christine Bohacz-Khedr.

PR spokesman needs preparation

Dear Editor:

One cannot take issue with Roy Kellogg that the Batkivschyna has "gotten the most media attention of all the ships" in OpSail 2000 (July 16). And all those who were fortunate to be at the pier when the Batkivschyna docked on July 4 share in his pride that this was something positive to promote Ukraine. As a founding member of the Discover Ukraine Expedition he should be commended for his efforts.

But when one decides to take on the role of spokesman for a "Discover Ukraine" endeavor, it is incumbent that he make some effort at preparation. Mr. Kellogg telling the assembly waiting to board the ship that Kyiv is the capital of Russia is not "something positive to promote Ukraine." Neither does it enhance Ukraine's image to state that while Ukraine is a poor country, there are more Mercedes and BMWs in Kyiv than in most other major cities. I really do not know what other such "positive promotion" he enunciated, because this was enough for me to move on and buy a Batkivschyna T-shirt.

A pressing and exuberant crowd sweltering near the dock was not an appropriate setting to either challenge or attempt to educate Mr. Kellogg about his resentful remarks. I would just hope that by the time the Batkivschyna travels the Delaware River to Philadelphia for Ukrainian Independence Day he will have "discovered Ukraine" for himself before he shares his knowledge with the public.

Bohdan Paschny
Hamilton, N.J.

Commendations to credit unions

Dear Editor:

A very interesting article was published in The Ukrainian Weekly on August 6 about the annual meeting and conference of the Ukrainian National Credit Union Association.

It was noted that the UNCUA is an association of 23 Ukrainian federal credit unions in the United States that together represent over $1.3 billion in assets.

This indicates a very successful growth and development of Ukrainian credit unions, and compares favorably with peer American credit unions.

We Ukrainians should be proud and thankful for their excellent work. The Ukrainian federal credit unions deserve credit also for their financial support of Ukrainian organizations and our community to the tune of over $1.7 million.

It would be interesting to know what criteria were used in the distribution of those donations, as well as what organizations in which countries received donations and in what amounts.

Dr. Roman Baranowskyj
Kerhonkson, N.Y.

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