EDITORIAL: Channeling our energy (09/11/05)

EDITORIAL

Channeling our energy

With relief, we note that the hot and humid days of summer this year are coming to a close. The heat has been especially draining this year; it has taken its toll, leaving many of us sapped of energy and weary. But, fall is in the air and with cooler temperatures comes rejuvenation of mind and spirit.

With cooler temperatures also come other reminders that summer is leaving and a new season is beginning. Our summer interns here at The Ukrainian Weekly (thank you for all of your help, Roxolana [Woloshyn] and Danylo [Peleschuk]), as well as the interns at our sister publication, Svoboda, have left us to return to their studies.

Meanwhile, a new school year has started (cue a collective drone from our school kids), and with it comes a feeling of commencement - a feeling for all of us that something new has started.

Fall is certainly a time of new beginnings. Many of our community's activities begin in September: youth organizations' meetings, dance lessons, sports seasons, etc. And many of our adult organizations refocus their efforts at this time, as people return from summer vacations and prepare to face another year of work.

September is also a good time for us to gauge if we've done enough for our parishes, our non-profit organizations, our schools and our clubs. If we do feel we've done enough with our time, we can instead ask other important questions. Namely, which organizations and charities should we support, which have truly done all they can with the resources they've been given, and which have not used their resources effectively?

September is also an opportunity to ask ourselves: What more needs to be done in the community? Are we, as a Ukrainian diaspora in North America, happy with our accomplishments, or is there more we can do?

But making a contribution to our community does not have to come in the form of money alone, though money is always needed. We can all make a variety of different contributions that in the long term will provide a wonderful example for our children and others of what it means to strengthen the Ukrainian community.

For example, we can reach out to our local parish and tell the pastor there that we're available to help. We can reach out to our Saturday schools and offer administrative help, work which can include something as simple as gathering, collating or photocopying materials. We can reach out to our youth organizations, many of which are always looking for volunteers, and offer to prepare an hourlong lecture or run a half-day hike. There really are numerous ways we can all help. We're constrained only by our own imaginations and our willingness to become involved.

So, as fall approaches and we're reinvigorated by the change of season, it would do us well to be reminded that a portion of our renewed enthusiasm and energy this fall should be channeled toward our Ukrainian community life.

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