Chervona Kalyna Plast Fraternity celebrates its 75th anniversary (01/21/01)

Chervona Kalyna Plast Fraternity celebrates its 75th anniversary

by Oksana Kuzyszyn

NEW YORK - This year, members of the Plast Fraternity Chervona Kalyna concluded the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of their founding of this well-known and honored Plast group, which originated in Stryi, Ukraine, in 1925.

The history of Chervona Kalyna is closely interlaced with the history of 20th century Ukraine. The goals that the original members established were to foster the traditions and virtues of Ukraine's Kozaks and Sich Riflemen (Ukrainski Sichovi striltsi). As part of their activities, members of Chervona Kalyna made yearly pilgrimages to Makivka to care for the graves of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen who died defending the famous Makivka peak in the Carpathian mountains.

Many of the original members of Chervona Kalyna died while defending Ukraine against its aggressors, while others, during the turmoil of war, left their homeland. After settling in various displaced persons camps in Western Europe, they reorganized as active members of Plast and Chervona Kalyna.

After the war, many Ukrainians settled in the United States, Canada and other countries that welcomed them after the ordeals of immigration and war. In 1950 a new, "younger" branch of Chervona Kalyna was organized in New York, uniting with the older members into one detachment.

During the 75 years since its original inception in 1925 in Stryi, 500 members passed through the ranks of Chervona Kalyna.

None of the original members were fortunate enough to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the detachment. Today, after Ukraine became independent and Plast was again revived after years of Communist occupation, Chervona Kalyna is proud and optimistic to have new, young members in Ukraine who will, it is hoped, carry on the traditions and goals set by the original members.

To commemorate its 75th anniversary, the Chervona Kalyna fraternity decided to make a pilgrimage to Ukraine to honor the deceased Ukrainian Sich Riflemen at Makivka and to celebrate this milestone with its new members in Ukraine. This was an unforgettable experience for all those who participated, and created a new bond between the group in the diaspora and the young members in Ukraine. Together they pledged to continue carrying the Chevona Kalyna standard upon which is engraved "We will not dishonor the Ukrainian land."

On December 3, 2000, Chervona Kalyna concluded its 75th anniversary celebration in New York, in the headquarters of the Plast Foundation along with many invited guests representing Ukrainian organizations, the Plast hierarchy, Plast groups and friends of Chervona Kalyna.

The program was opened by the head of the Chervona Kalyna detachment, Ihor Dekajlo. He greeted all present, especially the widow of one of the fraternity's founding members, Dr. Iryna Padoch; Evstachia Hojdysh (a distinguished member of Plast and a great supporter of Chervona Kalyna sports camps); Dr. Ivan Sierant, the president of the Ukrainian Sports Club; Olha Kuzmowycz, a long-time Plast activist and presently a member of Svoboda's editorial board; Chrystyna Nawrocky, an active member of Plast and the Ukrainian community (former longtime member of the Chervona Kalyna debutante ball committees); Kornel Wasylyk, representing the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM); Jaroslaw Fedun; president of the Clifton branch of the Self-Reliance Federal Credit Union; Dr. Bohdan Kekish, president, and Jaroslaw Oberyshyn, CEO and treasurer, of the Self-Reliance (N.Y.) Federal Credit Union; Dr. Taras Hunczak, historian and activist in the diaspora and Ukraine; and Mychajlo Sawyckyj, representative of the Plast Foundation board of directors.

Also present were representatives of various Plast groups: Jurij Ferencevych and Wolodymyr Hnatkiwsky represented the Burlaky, Nina Samokish represented Verkhovynky, Oresta Pilecka-Fedyniak arrived from Chicago to represent Pershi Stezhi, Lida Prokop Artymyshyn represented Spartanky and Bohdanka Tytla, who represented the new head of the Supreme Plast Bulava, Jaroslawa Rubel. Also present was Ludmyla Darmohraj, the former head of the Bulava. Chief Scout Lubomyr Romankiw and Marijka Helbig of Scope Travel, who arranged the Chervona Kalyna trip to Ukraine.

The master of ceremonies, Orest Kebalo, introduced the keynote speaker, Ivan Luchechko, who presented a very thoughtful and informative summary of the founding of Plast in Ukraine in 1911 and a short history of Chervona Kalyna from its inception in 1925 to the present. After this, the audience was entertained by a duet of very young singers from Ukraine, performing under the name Chereshenky, who sang five songs.

At the conclusion of the first part of the program, the pastor of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in New York, the Rev. Lavrentij Lavryniuk, offered in a prayer before the buffet lunch.

In the second part of the program, Mr. Kebalo read some of the greetings that has arrived on this occasion from various organizations and Plast groups. After this, the Chief Scout Romankiw expressed his thoughts on the occasion, as did Mr. Wasylyk, speaking on behalf of SUM.

Everyone waited in anticipation for the last part of the program: the viewing of a video from the Chervona Kalyna trip to Ukraine, especially the detachment's ascent of Makivka, the panakhyda (requiem service) that took place there and the swearing in of new members from Ukraine, as well as the group's visit to the village of Koniukhiv, where they paid their respects and prayed at the monuments of its deceased member, Oleksa Hasyn-Lytsar.

Also viewed was the commemorative dinner in Stryi, where all Chervona Kalyna members from Ukraine and the group from the United States were present, as were many invited guests from the Stryi municipal government and other organizations.

The memorable afternoon ended with a prayer offered by the Rev. A. Kulyk of All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church in New York. Those present left the festivities on an optimistic and hopeful note, as the ideals set forth by the founding members of Chervona Kalyna 75 years ago in Ukraine are now revived in free and independent Ukraine.

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