Happy birthday, UNA! In celebration of our 110th year (02/22/04)

Happy birthday, UNA!

In celebration of our 110th year

Following is the text of greetings from the UNA Executive Committee.

"Just as a fish needs water, as the bird must have wings, as the thirsty need to drink and the hungry need bread, just as every one of us needs air, so do we Rusyns scattered across this land need a national organization, namely such a brotherhood, such a national union that would embrace each and every Rusyn, no matter where he lives. One man cannot lift a heavy stone, but when three or four men put their strength to it, the stone will soon be lifted..."

These words were written so eloquently in 1893 in Svoboda, as the rallying cry to prompt support for the formation of a new central organization, a brotherhood that would unite all Ukrainians who found themselves in this new, strange yet wondrous land of America. And today, as we celebrate the 110th year of our existence, we, as the torchbearers of those brave, founding fathers find these words remain no less valid today.

110 years ago, on February 22, 1894, 10 brotherhoods having total assets of $229 and a combined membership of 439 resolved to become what now is known as the Ukrainian National Association. For decades, the UNA has dedicated itself to its community and, together with our members, has built an organization that today has admitted assets reaching $64 million and a membership of close to 50,000.

We should all be proud of this accomplishment.

The founding ideals of the Ukrainian National Association - to help the ailing; to pay benefits after members' deaths so their families could be assured of a brighter future; to promote enlightenment among our people through the means of publications; to educate our youth and people with regard to their heritage; to preserve the culture, language and traditions of our native land; and to be a representative voice in the American political arena in order to help our countrymen both here and in Ukraine - have proved to be the guiding principles that remain relevant for our community today.

110 years - a milestone! And, as such, a time for reflection. 110 years filled with achievements, successes, development and growth. We have had our share of disappointments, failures and turmoil. Yet, the UNA survived. Few organizations can be proud of such sustenance. Today the UNA is the oldest continuously running Ukrainian organization in this country.

For all of us on the Executive Committee, it is a time to analyze, contemplate and strategize for the future. We must ask ourselves where are we today and where are we going to take the organization in the next decade.

The UNA has always been here for Ukrainians. Can it continue to survive for the next 100 years? Will the UNA be able to face and overcome the continued growing fiscal and social challenges that confront our society, the changes in family structure, the diverse faces of the post-1990 wave of immigrants, the increased assimilation of our community, the shrinking spirit of activism and volunteerism, and an ever more transitory and dispersed population? How do we market ourselves to a community that has, for the most part, lost sight of the original purpose of the UNA and is unfamiliar with the structure or purpose of the organization?

Today's newly arrived immigrants or the progeny of the founding father, for the most part, do not know what or whom the UNA represents. Yes, we sell insurance as our core business. Yes, we compete with the traditional insurance product providers, e.g., Prudential and John Hancock.

But the UNA is so much more. It is not just an insurance company, and shouldn't be viewed as such.

How many realize that it is the UNA's unique structure as a fraternal benefit society that allows us to take the profits collected by our insurance sales and put them right back into the community where needed, supporting cultural, educational and social programs within our diaspora community and in Ukraine? Will a Prudential or any other insurance company be willing to do this for our community?

As a not-for-profit organization, members' dues are what supports the publications Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly, our beloved resort Soyuzivka, and a multitude of other social and community services. Certainly this value-added benefit makes the significance of the UNA and its role in the community as valid today as it was 110 years ago.

As the new leaders of the organization, our challenge remains how to restore the UNA's pre-eminent role as a social and community organization, while maintaining an operation that is run as a professional and sound business enterprise. We must restore the UNA to a position of financial strength and reverse the trend of declining membership.

The challenges are great, but so are the opportunities. The U.S. Census reported approximately 741,000 citizens of Ukrainian American descent. In 2000, this number skyrocketed to 893,000. Though they are geographically dispersed and come from many backgrounds, we believe that the need to remain unified and tied together as a community remains a fervent desire and need of our Ukrainian people.

In the next decade we would like to ensure the UNA's role as the most recognized and effective Ukrainian organization in the United States. We want to redefine ourselves as the central hub organization for all Ukrainian Americans interested in preserving their culture and heritage. We strongly believe that the UNA, with its well-developed infrastructure and expansive and diverse membership, is in the best position to unify our disconnected diaspora community. Our publications provide a well-developed communications network. Building on this as a foundation, the UNA can be the conduit that ties together the widely dispersed community through a new global and electronic communications network. As such, we will continue adhering to the UNA's original purpose: preserving our unique culture heritage, extending charity and maintaining fellowship.

We need to partner with our community in order to meet these challenges. We need everyone's help and commitment. Together, and with God's blessing, this goal is attainable.

Mnohaya Lita and may we prosper for the next 100 years!

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