NOTES ON PEOPLE (01/20/02)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

Dr. Michael Ewanchuk feted by Self-Reliance League

by D.A. Bilash

WINNIPEG - Members of the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League arranged a testimonial banquet for one of their most-senior members, Dr. Michael Ewanchuk.

Dr. Ewanchuk is a retired educator and writer who recently published his third 13th book. His writing has been devoted to the life and experiences of Ukrainian pioneer settlers and post-World War II arrivals in Canada. Having been appointed to supervise the introduction of the teaching of Ukrainian in the public school of Manitoba and then employed by the Department of Education as inspector of schools, he wrote four books for children dealing with the Ukrainian people, one of them a novella, "The Young Cossack," as well as several monographs, including one about noted writer Markian Shashkevych.

The testimonial banquet was held in Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral on November 10, 2001, with some 100 friends and acquaintances in attendance.

Metropolitan Wasyly brought greetings and congratulated the nonagenarian for his literary work. Lesia Shwaluk brought greetings from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and Sonja Bejzyk, a daughter of Dr. Ewanchuk's late friend, from the Women's Organization.

Dr. Vivian Oleander, principal of St. Andrew's College, University of Manitoba, stressed the honoree's contributions to the college, while Dr. Roman Yereniuk, also of St. Andrew's College, spoke about Dr. Ewanchuk's wide range of experience as inspector of schools, and as a flight lieutenant with the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II and his close Ukrainian connections. A representative from the Department of Education also brought greetings. Doug Martindale, member of the Legislative Assembly, presented the honoree with a special certificate of recognition.

While Dr. Ewanchuk lived in Detroit he became a member of the Ukrainian National Association and used to contribute articles to Svoboda, The Ukrainian Weekly and the Canadian Ukrainian Voice.

In thanking those assembled, Dr. Ewanchuk recalled that he to worked hard to acquire his education and that attending Detroit State University (Detroit City College) and working on the midnight shift at Ford was not easy.

In his brief words of thanks he pointed out that his late parents, Wasyl and Paraskeva, his school teacher, the late Peter Humeniuk of Stuartburn, and his now-departed wife, Muriel, were people who most influenced his progress in life. He also mentioned the Petro Mohyla Institute of which he was a member, as an institution that merits continued support.

The proceedings of the evening were ably conducted by Myroslaw Bugera, president of the Self Reliance League, who advised that Dr. Ewanchuk's book, "Vertical Development, Volume 2," dealing with the new generation of Ukrainian Canadians, will be available at the end of November.

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