Ukrainian Fraternal Association holds 25th Convention, elects new president (07/28/02)

Ukrainian Fraternal Association holds 25th Convention, elects new president

SCRANTON, Pa. - The Ukrainian Fraternal Association held its 25th Convention at the Clarion Hotel on June 17-20, electing a new president, Jaroslaw Gawur, a former manager of the Verkhovyna resort once owned by the UFA and a former UFA auditor.

The convention proceedings were opened by the outgoing president, Ivan Oleksyn. In attendance were 59 delegates and members of the UFA Supreme Council. The convention presidium was composed of Valentyna Rodak, chair; Wolodymyr Kowal and Anatole Falko, vice-chairs. Bohdan Kandiuk and Michael Liskewycz served, respectively, as the Ukrainian-language and English-language recording secretaries.

Elected to the UFA Supreme Council along with President Gawur were: Mr. Falko, vice-president; Yaroslaw Kowal, vice-president for Canada; Audrey Thomas, financial secretary; Christine Shablovsky, supreme secretary; as well as Supreme Council members Peter Buniak, Orysia Dale, Mykola Iwaszkiw, the Rev. Nestor Kowal, Stepan Kostecky, Mr. Liskewycz, Maria Maik, Alexander Napora and Ms. Rodak.

UFA Auditing Committee members are: Michael Mochnacz, Ulana Steck and Anton Filimonchuk.

Two outgoing officers, Mr. Oleksyn, who did not seek re-election as UFA president, and Stephen Wichar, vice-president, were named honorary members of the Supreme Council.

Among the resolutions adopted by the 25th convention were three regarding the association's future:

Delegates of the 25th Convention of the UFA direct the newly elected Supreme Council to use all means possible to strengthen the organizational potential of our fraternal organization.
Delegates of the 25th Convention direct the newly elected Supreme Council to continue the work of their predecessors in the realm of further growth and development of the Ukrainian Fraternal Association. We believe it would be useful to continue negotiations with the aim of possible merger with other Ukrainian fraternal organizations.
Delegates of the 25th Convention approve the previous actions of the UFA in disbursing assistance to Ukrainian students, charitable activity for the benefit of the needy in Ukraine, and especially assistance to the victims of Chornobyl's radiation.

The story above is based on a Ukrainian-language report published in Narodna Volya, the official publication of the UFA.

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