THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM (05/08/05)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

District Chairpersons' Meeting and Secretaries' Course held at Soyuzivka

by Martha Lysko
UNA First Vice-President

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - The UNA District Chairpersons' Meeting and Secretaries' Course was held at Soyuzivka on Friday, April 1, to Sunday, April 3. Eight districts were represented, with 16 branch secretaries and eight members of the General Assembly attending the meeting.

UNA President Stefan Kaczaraj came Saturday afternoon for one session and the banquet, since he had to represent the UNA at another function.

Also present at the meeting were: Martha Lysko, first vice-president; Christine E. Kozak, national secretary; Alexander Serfyn, auditor and Detroit District chairman; Stefan Hawrysz, advisor and Philadelphia District chairman; Osyp Hawryluk, advisor and Buffalo District chairman; Myron Pylypiak, advisor and branch secretary; Pawlo Prinko, advisor; Gloria Horbaty, advisor and branch secretary; Oksana Trytjak, national organizer and branch secretary; Christine Dziuba, Rochester District chairperson and secretary; Ihor Hayda, Connecticut District chairman; Nicholas Fil, Albany District chairman; and Stephan Welhasch, Northern New Jersey District chairman.

The following branch secretaries also attended: Lubov Streletsky, Michael Bohdan, Longin Staruch, Valentina Kaploun, Myron Kuzio, Adam Platosz and Stephanie Hawryluk, as well as Steve Woch, UNA sales, and Sviatoslav Pylypiak, assistant secretary.

As has been a UNA tradition, Myron Pylypiak brought his son to listen and learn about the UNA and eventually to become a UNA activist. It was a great pleasure to see this tradition continue. Looking at the UNA's century-old history, one notices that dedication to the UNA is often passed from father and/or mother, to son or daughter, and from grandfather/grandmother to grandchildren.

National Secretary Kozak organized the event and planned the agenda for the meeting, while First Vice-President Lysko conducted one of the sessions. Ms. Trytjak, national organizer, presented the scope of her newly created position, and Robert Mitchell from Western Catholic Union (WCU) gave an excellent seminar on annuities. Each of the four speakers presented a different but vital aspect of UNA history, community involvement, business and Home Office innovations.

During the morning session Ms. Kozak welcomed all who took time from their busy schedules to attend this meeting. She then proceeded to discuss the new insurance products and benefits to members introduced by the UNA in 2004 and 2005.

The Guaranteed Issue Whole Life insurance plan is the newest addition to the UNA's portfolio of insurance products, she noted. This product offered to UNA members guarantees insurance to all UNA members regardless of their past or present medical history. It insures that no UNA member can be denied a policy for any reason.

Some free fraternal benefits were added for UNA members, Ms. Kozak continued. A nursing home/medical expense/terminal illness waiver is now offered to all UNA members who have annuities. A new prescription savings plan, ScriptSave is also free of charge to the membership. The UNA has received approval to sell the Coverdell ESA. This new tax-deferred plan should help all parents and grandparents help fund their children's and grandchildren's educational needs. Finally, she mentioned the new computer upgrades at the Home Office, which will help the branch secretaries and individual members obtain information on their insurance via the Internet. These upgrades will be operational by the end of July.

Mr. Mitchell, vice-president of sales for Western Catholic Union, gave an outstanding seminar on annuities. He not only explained how they work, who should be buying them and how they benefit both the member and the UNA, but also underlined the excellence of the UNA's annuities. Having studied the industry-wide interest rates on annuities he pointed to the fact that the UNA pays one of the best interest rates in the market. He further explained successful approaches to selling annuities. The participants were so interested in what he had to say that a special evening session was held for further discussion of this topic.

In further presentations on sales, Ms. Lysko reviewed the virtues and pitfalls of successful sales. She stressed that commitment, dedication and a firm belief in the UNA and its insurance products are keys to success. This led to the next topic of the seminar: using UNA districts as promotional tools for the UNA. Involvement in the community by UNA secretaries and districts is essential for promoting the UNA as a fraternal society and for obtaining new members.

The participants were eager to explain what the UNA districts in their area are doing to promote themselves and the UNA. Every district chairman spoke on what activities were helpful in attracting membership. All agreed that the districts should continue to exist and work with branch secretaries to promote the UNA. In areas where there are too many Ukrainian events planned, the UNA districts should join other organizations in planning committees. It is important that UNA districts, branches, district chairmen and secretaries continue to be involved in our community life. We must continue to be visible and active.

Following the discussion on district and branch activities, the newly appointed national organizer, Ms. Trytjak presented her view of her new position. She started by reiterating UNA history. The UNA is the oldest Ukrainian fraternal organization. It has been the pillar of Ukrainian community for over 100 years and wishes to remain that pillar for another 100 years. The community has changed and the UNA must adapt to this change. Although today there are many other organizations, where a century ago they did not exist, there still is room for the UNA. She sees her new position as that of a promoter of the UNA in the Ukrainian community.

Ms. Trytjak said she hopes that each district and branch will use her in order to help them organize and sponsor events in their areas. Ms. Trytjak said she wants to work closely with UNA branches and districts in developing and promoting the UNA.

To summarize the seminar and its topics, one can say that it revolved around a discussion of UNA insurance products and innovations, as well as a desire to make the UNA more visible and active within the community.

President Kaczaraj thanked all for attending and invited everyone to the excellent dinner prepared by the Soyuzivka staff. During the meal, Mr. Kaczaraj and Ms. Kozak distributed award certificates to a several people in recognition of their work for the UNA.

The following were recognized with award certificates: Ms. Streletsky, secretary of Branch 10, for highest number of policies sold in 2004; Mr. Hawryluk, advisor and branch secretary, for having a high level of activity, as an advisor, branch secretary and district chairman; Mr. Serafyn for long and dedicated services as district chairman and auditor; Ms. Lysko, first vice-president, for her work on the Executive Committee and continued close cooperation with the Executive Committee.

Mr. Hawrysz was not only recognized as a certificate recipient but also as being the longest-serving district chairman and a former very successful supreme organizer. For many years he was also a champion organizer of the UNA. He served as UNA auditor and continues serving as UNA advisor and district chairman. His dedicated service spans over half a century of dedicated work to the organization.

National Secretary Kozak also mentioned two other longtime district chairpersons who served the UNA with great dedication for many years and continue to do so. Mr. Zacharko, district chairman of Central New Jersey, has been serving in the post for more than 27 years, and Ms. Dziuba, district chairperson of Rochester, and her husband, Petro, have served their UNA district for many years, and their entire family is involved in UNA work.

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