Spartanky sorority members hold annual conference at Plast campgrounds

by Lesia Pleskun-Palylyk

EAST CHATHAM, N.Y. - The Spartanky are no ordinary group of women. This sorority, which is part of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, is hard at work making the lives of children better both here and in Ukraine. The group's focus is on health and well-being with an emphasis on athleticism within the framework of the Plast organization.

The group's most recent conference took place at Vovcha Tropa in East Chatham, N.Y., the idyllic setting in upstate New York of Plast's summer camps for children age 6-18. The conference took place in late September shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States and appropriately focused on spiritual well-being and stress reduction. The group's leader, Lydia Prokop, is very active in helping to set the ambitious agenda with these women at the conference and throughout the year.

The Spartanky are segmented into three groups: New Jersey, Philadelphia, and the Westchester, N.Y./Connecticut regions. They run a camp in East Chatham during the summer for the youngest Plast children (age 6-7) for one week. In addition, they handle the training, preparation and testing of adults and children in all age groups to pass Plast's test of physical fitness, of which there are three levels. The Spartanky themselves recently endeavored to take the most rigorous physical fitness test and most were successful in passing. Also in the area of athletics, the Spartanky handled the sports events at Plast's annual camporee over the Memorial Day weekend.

The group is also in the process of developing a strategy to help the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund create awareness and to publicize the CCRF with the goal of garnering support for the organization on the corporate sponsorship level. They are also working on facilitating the flow of United Way contributions, both personal and corporate matching, toward Ukrainian causes.

Those interested in contacting the Spartanky about membership or any of the work they do may e-mail Ms. Prokop at lprokop101@aol.com or phone her at (914) 245-8128.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 9, 2002, No. 23, Vol. LXX

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