THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM (05/09/04)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

Albany District Committee of UNA holds annual meeting, re-elects Fil

by Slavko Tysiak

WATERVLIET, N.Y. - The 2004 annual meeting of the Albany District Committee of the Ukrainian National Association was held here at the Ukrainian American Citizens Club on Saturday, April 3.

The Albany District comprises of Branches 13, 57, 88, 200 and 266. This year's meeting marked the UNA's 110th Anniversary and included a visit from UNA President Stefan Kaczaraj, who was warmly greeted by over 30 people who attended, including branch secretaries, district officers and UNA members.

After welcoming everyone, District Chairman Mykola Fil opened the meeting and called for a moment of silence to honor UNA members who passed away during the past year. The agenda for the annual meeting was reviewed and the meeting moved to the first order of business - the election of new district officers. Stephanie Hawryluk was elected to chair this part of the meeting and Slavko Tysiak was elected to record the minutes.

Ms. Hawryluk called on former District Secretary Walter Litynsky to read the minutes of last year's annual meeting. The minutes were accepted and District Chairman Fil gave a report on overall district performance. He reported that, for a variety of reasons, individual branches did not meet their 2003 target goals. He said the district enrolled 18 new members, whereas the established annual goal was 32 new members. He lauded the efforts of longtime branch organizer Paul Shewchuk (Branch 13) who enrolled seven new members into the UNA.

While expressing disappointment in the Albany District's overall performance, Mr. Fil encouraged the branch secretaries assembled to double their efforts and stated that he hoped to see more positive enrollment results in 2004.

The district chairman then highlighted a number of community outreach efforts by individual districts as well as his home branch, Branch 13, that contributed $500 toward rebuilding Soyuzivka, $500 toward building a new cathedral in Kyiv, and $100 for a new seminary in Lviv.

Following the reading of the district annual report, District Treasurer Walter Krywulych presented his financial report, noting that the district had a healthy balance of $1,297.

John Udycz next reported that the Nominations Committee obtained a consensus agreement whereby all of the 2003 district officers expressed a willingness to serve another one-year term. There were no other nominations from the floor, so a unanimous vote was cast to re-elect the entire slate of district officers from 2003-2004 for another year.

District officers for 2004-2005 include the following: Mr. Fil, chairman; Mr. Shewchuk, honorary chairman, Ms. Hawryluk and Michael Sawkiw, senior vice-chairpersons; Mr. Tysiak, secretary; and Mr. Krywulych, treasurer. Also re-elected were the members of the Auditing Committee, Mr. Shewchuk, Stanley Mochulsky and Andrij Demczar, as well as the Nomination Committee that includes Mr. Udycz, Peter Spiak and Wasyl Terlecky.

After the elections, District Chairman Fil returned to the podium along with the other officers and thanked Ms. Hawryluk for presiding over the meeting and Mr. Udycz for his persuasiveness in getting everyone to agree to another term in office.

Mr. Fil then introduced UNA President Stefan Kaczaraj, who made his first visit to the Albany District in his new capacity as president. After a warm welcome, Mr. Kaczaraj provided a general overview of the UNA as it celebrates its 110th anniversary. He highlighted a number of positive things happening in the UNA, despite some lingering structural deficits that continue to require attention.

The UNA president reported that the UNA's surplus grew by $163,000, primarily due to a more favorable currency exchange rate with Canada in comparison to the U.S. dollar and a gradual improvement in UNA holdings in U.S. investments. He stressed, however, that the UNA's future well-being is dependent on branch secretaries enrolling new members in addition to higher volume and dollar value sales of insurance policies and annuities.

In the near-term, he pointed out that the UNA continues to financially and operationally support its two newspapers and Soyuzivka, but that these units need to search for new ways to raise revenues and to reduce operating costs.

President Kaczaraj also discussed the UNA decision to rejoin the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and emphasized the benefit of speaking out with one voice on issues affecting Ukrainian Americans. In addition, he announced a soon-to-be-unveiled proposal to build townhouses at Soyuzivka. He explained that the plan when rolled-out will attempt to gauge public interest in the Ukrainian American community for such a project.

Preliminary plans presently call for six buildings with eight units each of varying floor plans and sizes. He told the members assembled that the likely price range will begin from the low $100,000s and will include title to the land and townhouse unit.

He also expressed hope that a new insurance sales partnership being tested in Pennsylvania will yield new member growth and insurances sales.

After discussing a host of operational and strategic issues, Mr. Kaczaraj summed up that the UNA today is implementing myriad new initiatives and improvements to strengthen its financial standing and thus position itself to grow and prosper in the new millennium.

Following the UNA president's remarks, attendees raised a number of questions related to the UNA in general and the Albany District in particular.

District Chairman Fil then followed with a review of the proposed 2004 district work plan, challenging each secretary to enroll at least four new members in the coming year and thus enable the district to meet the established target goals in new membership and higher dollar value insurance policies. He also reminded everyone that Branch 13 is a sponsor of the Spring Zabava (dance) at the Ukrainian-Citizens Club the evening of Saturday, April 24. He encouraged everyone to come and to bring their friends to this fund-raising event, which includes music by Vidlunnia.

He stated that the district's members will again be traveling to Soyuzivka to celebrate Father's Day. This is an annual trip that allows all members to get reacquainted and to see the many changes completed and currently under way at Soyuzivka.

Following the official close of the annual district meeting, a buffet was served to all in attendance. The UNA anniversary buffet was prepared by Teodozia Krywulych, Maria Sawkiw, Melanie Suchowatski and Ola Zendran.

INSURANCE MATTERS
by Joseph Hawryluk

Pictures of babies!

Dear Osyp:

I am an avid reader of The Ukrainian Weekly and just became a parent. I am writing about the UNA ads featuring the babies (and my wife says she saw the same baby pictures in her father's Svoboda). What's it all about?

- Just Starting Out

Dear New Parent:

Congratulations on your firstborn! As I mentioned in my last column, life insurance can become very expensive (or unobtainable due to health issues) as you get older. Thus, the UNA is promoting obtaining some life insurance at a very young age, when the rates are almost unbelievable!

Just think, for a one-time payment of $300, a newborn or one year old child, obtains a $5,000 whole life (cash value) policy. Two- and 3-year-olds pay only $310 for the $5,000 policy, 4-year-olds pay $320, etc.

There are no additional payments, and the policy can never be cancelled. The cash value of the policy accumulates and the death benefit always remains at $5,000.

Lifetime UNA member benefits include subscription discounts on Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly, discounts on camps and lodging at Soyuzivka, four years of UNA college scholarships, etc. Grandparents, are you listening?

- Osyp

Joseph (Osyp in Ukrainian) Hawryluk is an advisor on the UNA General Assembly, chairman of the Buffalo UNA District and secretary of UNA Branch 360.

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