Second "Viktory for Kids" show unites stars for a worthy cause (11/02/03)

Second "Viktory for Kids" show unites stars for a worthy cause

DANBURY, Conn. - An all-star cast of international skaters led by Ukrainian World and Olympic Champion Viktor Petrenko performed in a gala benefit for the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund on Saturday, October 4.

The Western Union "Viktory for Kids" Rock on Ice featured many of the brightest stars on the Olympic and professional skating circuit, including Olympic and World Champion Brian Boitano, two-time World Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Evgeni Plushenko, two-time Olympic Pairs Champion Ekaterina Gordeeva and her husband. 1998 Olympic Champion Ilia Kulik.

The star-studded event at the newly constructed Danbury Ice Arena attracted skating fans from well beyond Western Connecticut and New York State, drawing aficionados from as far away as Texas, Idaho, Missouri, California and Japan.

"In many ways, this fund-raiser exceeded our expectations," said CCRF's Executive Director Alexander Kuzma. "We're deeply grateful to all the skating stars who responded so generously to Viktor Petrenko's appeal and performed for the Children of Chornobyl free of charge."

The Danbury program added many new stars who were not able to participate in the original Viktory for Kids fund-raiser two years ago. Among these were five-time U.S. Ice Dance Champions Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev, U.S. Olympic Bronze Medalist Timothy Goebel, Ukrainian National Pairs Champions Elena Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov, Russian National Champions Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov, Japanese National Champion and World Bronze Medalist Fumie Suguri, and World Silver Medalist Elena Sokolova.

The emcee for the program was American supermodel and television hostess Carol Alt, known for her promotional work for Cover Girl and Lancome and her appearances on the celebrity program "Access Hollywood."

Many of the skating stars came to Danbury after performing the night before at the Campbell's Soup Pro-Am competition in Madison Square Garden. Fresh from his champion performance in New York City, Mr. Plushenko dazzled the crowd with his signature combination leaps. Mr. Petrenko received a standing ovation for his new program titled "Flight," set to the music of Broadway tenor sensation Brian Lane Green. Mr. Green stepped out on to the ice and performed the song live as Mr. Petrenko skated the closing number prior to the grand finale.

The first Viktory for Kids skating gala in March of 2001 raised over $105,000 and enabled CCRF to establish a state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit in Mr. Petrenko's hometown of Odesa, Ukraine. This year's program raised an estimated $125,000 in cash and in-kind contributions, including an Acuson XP pediatric ultrasound donated by the Siemens Corp. and a $20,000 title sponsorship from Western Union Financial Services.

The program was also taped by Emmy-Award-winning television producer Robert Dustin as a donation to CCRF. "Within the first week after the show, we've already received more than 80 requests for the videotape via the Internet and by phone," said CCRF Procurement Director Lisa Milanytch. "Some of these requests are coming from people as far away as Finland and Japan," she added.

The Danbury program generated tremendous Internet traffic, and many of the skaters promoted the show on their own fan club websites in a gesture of solidarity with Mr. Petrenko.

In an interview that appeared in the Hartford Courant prior to the show, Mr. Petrenko praised the all-star cast for their generosity of spirit: "It's unique seeing skaters from different generations. You don't see that very often. My friends and colleagues understand what I'm trying to do. They're donating their performances to help."

Since the fall of 2001, Mr. Petrenko has made several visits to the Odesa Regional Children's Hospital to see first-hand the neonatal intensive care unit that now bears his name. "Every time I talk to the doctors, they say, 'We're saving this newborn ... we're saving that one.' They can treat 12 babies at one time. I saw the wing before they started remodeling. I saw it after ... It's as modern as St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, where our daughter was born. You can't tell the difference ..."

Prior to the ice skating gala at the Danbury Ice Arena, the Children of Chomobyl Relief Fund also held a fund-raising reception across the street at the Colorado Brewery and Steakhouse, whose owner Michael Kondrat is a prominent Danbury businessman of Ukrainian descent. Ms. Grushina and Mr. Goncharov joined Mr. Petrenko in welcoming the guests and thanking the organizers and donors for their support.

The banquet hall was elegantly decorated by Alexandra Palylyk of Ridgefield, Conn. Ms. Palylyk thanked her brigade of enthusiastic volunteers from the Danbury area and from Salem and Brewster, N.Y., including Mark and Irene Pawliczko, Rostyk and Ulana Slabicky, Motrya and Tassos and Yuri Kokoris, the Rev. Luke Mihaly, and Jim and Pat Zeleniak.

Connecticut State Rep. Janice Giegler read a proclamation from Gov. John Rowland and the Connecticut State Legislature praising CCRF and Mr. Petrenko, and declaring October 4 as "Viktory for Kids Day" in the state. A delegation of schoolchildren dressed in Ukrainian embroidered blouses presented Mr. Petrenko with a bouquet of flowers, and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton also greeted the crowd.

In his impromptu remarks, Mr. Petrenko underscored the dramatic impact that CCRF has had on the quality of medical care at the Odesa Hospital. "They have shown that we can achieve great results. And CCRF is definitely the organization to get the job done." When he concluded his remarks, the guests viewed a homemade movie filmed by the staff at the Odesa Hospital, and narrated by Yuri Kokoris clearly showing the contrast between conditions at the hospital before and after CCRF implemented its modernization program.

At the conclusion of the skating program at the Danbury Ice Arena, VIP guests returned to the Colorado Brewery for a celebrity auction hosted by recording artist and Soyuzivka emcee veteran Olya Chodoba-Fryz. Mr. Petrenko, Ms. Grushina, Mr. Goebel, Ms. Alt and Mr. Plushenko took turns helping Ms. Fryz promote various auction items, raising thousands more dollars for CCRF.

Since 1990 CCRF has launched 30 airlifts and 14 sea shipments, delivering over 1,300 tons of medical and humanitarian aid valued at over $50 million. This year the fund is launching a new program to develop a children's cardiac surgery program in Lviv. CCRF is also expanding hospital partnerships with perinatal centers in Chernihiv, Rivne and Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, in an effort to reduce infant mortality in those regions.

To support the Viktor Petrenko Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Odesa, or any of CCRF's children's health programs in Ukraine, tax-deductible donations may be forwarded to: CCRF, 272 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills, NJ 07078. For more information, consult the CCRF website at www.childrenofchornobyl.org, or call (973) 376-5140.

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