UKELODEON

For The Next Generation

SUM's young(est) debutantes enjoy a special "society affair"

by Andriy Bihun

GOSHEN, N.Y. - At the Ukrainian American Youth Association's (SUM) annual debutante ball, where young ladies formally enter into society, the minimum age is 16. But some young gentlemen and ladies of Goshen, N.Y., just couldn't wait that long ...

Sure, they only had about 10 years to wait for their turn, but instead they decided to host their own "society affair."

It all started with the announcement that one of Goshen SUM's own would be taking part in the debutante ball at the White Plains Crowne Plaza Hotel this year. But what exactly is the deb all about? For the group of 4- and 5-year-old SUM youngsters, showing was better than explaining.

The "Vedmedyky" (bear cubs), as their group is called, were summoned one afternoon in February by counselors Marianka Wasylyk and Halyna Shepko for a special treat. While the girls learned to make gorgeous frilly flowers from colored paper for their costumes, the boys were led to the wardrobe, where they donned top hats and learned their part for the occasion.

Soon, ladies in long evening gowns and their escorts made their appearance amid an audience of parents, friends and spectators. And what a sight it was!

One by one, each of the "Vedmedyky" was presented by master of ceremonies Chrystia Bihun, and even the slight shortage of escorts to accompany the abundance of young debutantes went unnoticed as the crowd applauded and cheered.

The celebration continued as moms and dads accompanied their respective junior partners in a series of dances, and even the older children decided to join in. As the couples twirled away and the evening drew to a close with a tasty buffet organized by Marika Stroynick and company, the "Vedmedyky" now knew what the debutante ball is all about.

You'll see them all there at their real ball in the year 2012.

Passaic school marks Catholic Schools Week with diverse events

PASSAIC, N.J. - From January 28 to February 3 St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School here observed Catholic Schools Week.

The celebration began on Sunday with a divine liturgy for the students and their families, followed by a breakfast to mark Parent Appreciation Day.

The rest of the week's activities included: a Grandparent/Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, which was served by the eighth graders and included a beautiful program by the students; Parish Appreciation Day during which the Rev. Bohdan Danylo visited each classroom to speak on vocations; a talent show; a Community Appreciation Day, during which the students performed "acts of kindness"; a Student Appreciation Day which is also known as "Fun Sport Day" prepared by the eighth graders and a presentation by the "Lizard Guy" in the afternoon; and a Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day in which the eighth graders again were busy, teaching a lesson to the other classes.

The special week ended on Saturday with another divine liturgy, followed by a successful night of Family Bingo.

This full week of festivities could not have been possible without the help of the faculty, staff, students and many parents who realize the gift of Catholic schools in general, and St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School in particular.

Stamford youth off to Washington

STAMFORD, Conn. - Stephen Frycz of Stamford, Conn., has been selected to attend the National Young Leaders Conference on March 13-18 in Washington.

The NYLC is a unique leadership development program for high school students who have demonstrated leadership potential and scholastic merit. Stephen will be among 350 outstanding national scholars from around the country to attend the conference.

The theme of the NYLC is "The Leaders of Tomorrow Meeting the Leaders of Today." Throughout the six-day conference, Stephen will interact with key leaders and newsmakers from the three branches of government, the media and the diplomatic corps.

Highlights of the program include welcoming remarks from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives and a panel discussion with prominent journalists at the National Press Club. Stephen will also meet with senators and representatives or an appointed member of their staff to discuss important issues facing the nation.

From our clippings files ... for all kovbasa lovers

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Journal reported last year that the city of Mundare in Alberta will soon be home to a colossal kovbasa (or kubassa, or kolbassa as it is known in these parts) monument.

Plans currently call for the statue to resemble a 14-meter garlic ring. It will be erected on a small podium surrounded by a small park and picnic tables (appropriate, eh?) and will be lit at night with floodlights. The kovbasa will be located near the highway.

The sausage statue idea was originated by Alec Bendera. "This will be a tribute to sausage-making in the area in the last 100 years," noted Mundare's economic development chief, Tracy Jordan. "Every other community has something."

"Andrew's got the duck, Vegreville's got the egg [pysanka], Glendon's got the perogy [varenyk]," Mundare Mayor Ed Stawnichy told the Journal, listing some of the giant icons in nearby towns.

Mr. Stawnichy just happens to be the proprietor of Stawnichy's Meat Processing and is described by the Edmonton Journal as "perhaps the most famous sausage maker in the area, having implanted the phrase 'Mundare sausage' into the lexicon of north and central Alberta."

He has built his father's company so that it ships about $4 million worth of pork garlic coils, bologna, pepperoni and wieners from a plant about to be doubled in size and, in Mr. Stawnichy's words, to "go national."

Mayor Stawnichy said he has distanced himself from council discussions about the statue, which will cost $40,000. About $14,000 has been collected by Stawnichy's Meats from suppliers, while another $6,000 has been committed in goods and services from volunteers.

The rest, Mundare hopes, will be provided by the federal government's Millennium Fund.

Mishanyna

To solve this month's Mishanyna, finds the words that appear capitalized in the text below.

Mykola Myshka has been very busy during the month of MARCH. He is learning the "ZAPOVIT" for his school's CONCERT in HONOR of Taras SHEVCHENKO, Ukraine's greatest poet. Do you know what a "zapovit" is? It's a last WILL that spells out the wishes of a person to be carried out after they die. In his will Shevchenko wrote that he wanted to be buried in UKRAINE on the banks of the Dnipro River.

Did you even wonder what Taras Shevchenko was like as a CHILD? Well, Mykola's teacher told the class that TARAS was born in a village called MORYNTSI on March 9. Taras' father, HRYHORII, was a serf. Taras had a SISTER named Yaryna and a BROTHER named Yosyp.

When Taras was a year old his family moved to a village called Kyrylivka. Taras had a hard childhood. His mother, KATERYNA, died when he was 9 years old, and his father died two years later. When Taras was a youngster he thought the sky was supported by PILLARS. Even though at age 13 Taras was a shepherd, he realized that he really wanted to PAINT.

Did you know that Shevchenko was an extremely talented ARTIST as well as a POET? Many children know of him only as a writer. Ask your parents to show you a BOOK of Shevchenko's art. You will be surprised!

Well, back to Mykola ... He is hoping that he will RECITE well at the school concert. If you, too, will be performing, he hopes you do well.

PS: Do you know what Taras Shevchenko's famous collection of poetry is called? If you do, find the title in Mishanyna.

A Myshka beekeeper?

Donning the outfit of a beekeeper, or apiarist, Mykola Myshka is going to collect some fresh honey for his mother, who will be baking. He has asked her to make some honey cake. Do you know what this kind of pastry is called in Ukraine? (Note: Ukraine has already issued three stamps showing bees and beekeeping.)

The first person to send in a correct answer to our question will win a special philatelic prize courtesy of The Ukrainian Weekly's philatelic columnist, Dr. Ingert Kuzych. (A heartfelt thanks to Dr. Kuzych for his stamp donations. Hopefully, one of our UKELODEON readers is a future philatelist.)

OUR NEXT ISSUE:

UKELODEON is published on the second Sunday of every month. To make it into our next issue, dated April 8, please send in your materials by March 30. (Please include a daytime phone number.)

Send in your articles, letters, photos, etc. to: The Ukrainian Weekly, UKELODEON, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054; telephone, (973) 292-9800; fax, (973) 644-9510; e-mail, staff@ukrweekly.com.

OUR EDITORS:

UKELODEON is prepared by the editorial staff of The Ukrainian Weekly working in conjunction with Lydia Smyk, an elementary school teacher at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic School in Newark, N.J.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 18, 2001, No. 11, Vol. LXIX

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