Eighty-three youths attend Plast's 51st annual ski camp (01/29/06)

Eighty-three youths attend Plast's 51st annual ski camp

by Adriana Kuzyszyn

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. - From Christmas Day until New Year's Eve 2005, 83 "yunachky" and "yunaky" - Plast youths age 11-17 - took part in the 51st annual ski camp. Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization's Burlaky Fraternity organized and ran the camp with the help of eight administrators and 28 counselors.

Thirteen Plast (branches), 11 states and Canada were represented among the campers, counselors and administrators. Andrew Halarewycz, "komendant" (camp commander), and his colleagues worked hard to ensure the week's success and participants' enthusiasm.

The camp was centered around five days of skiing and snowboarding at Gore Mountain in North Creek, N.Y. Despite mediocre conditions and temperamental weather, most campers eagerly took part in the mandatory morning lessons and skiing/snowboarding during free time in the afternoon.

The hourlong bus trip back to the Landmark Inn in Glens Falls, N.Y., gave campers and counselors a chance to recover from the daily 6:30 a.m. wake up call and full day of winter sport activity.

A bustling evening schedule included informative lectures presented by Bohdan Zarowsky, interactive games that stimulated individual participation, and the presentation of skits prepared by most campers. These activities gave the campers the opportunity to acquire points for their respective rooms; they actively competed in a weeklong race to see who could amass the most points.

On December 29, Jurij Ferencevych, the main organizer of the yearly ski camps, was recognized for his upcoming birthday and continuous dedication and hard work. Fellow members of the Burlaky Fraternity presented him with gifts and kind words as a tribute to all that he has done and continues to do for the camp. An enthusiastic version of "Mnohaya Lita" gave both campers and counselors an opportunity to express their thanks and appreciation toward Mr. Ferencevych.

The final night, December 30, was a busy one for all involved. The campers were given the responsibility of choosing which of their peers would hold the honorary "Snowflake" and "Snowman" titles. After the 10 nominees answered various questions as best they could, Lana Denysyk of Morris Plains, N.J., and Zorian Lasowsky of Germantown, Wis., were chosen to be the elected representatives of Ski Camp 2005.

Following the appointments, the counselors presented the camp with a comedic skit created by Alexa Milanytch based upon the traditional Ukrainian Christmastime "vertep." The presentation gave the counselors the opportunity to entertain the campers while showing off their many talents. The skit concluded with the arrival of St. Nicholas, who distributed gifts to those who earned them. The evening ended with a spirited "vechirka" (dance), during which participants celebrated the bittersweet end to yet another successful camp.

Ironically, the coldest day of the camp was the last one, New Year's Eve. Everyone scrambled to pack up their belongings and clean up their rooms as quickly as possible. As campers looked through the photo and address books they received and started saying their good-byes, the staff of the Landmark Inn made sure that the rooms at least to some extent resembled their original state. As "zakryttia" (closing ceremonies) concluded, friends were reluctant to go home and promised to keep in touch.

Despite a few injuries, rain and a minor blackout, campers and counselors very much enjoyed the days spent at the Landmark Inn and Gore Mountain. The dedication of the Burlaky Fraternity and the enthusiasm of the participants continue to make this unique camp a success and ensure its popularity for years to come.

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