Community activist, Nazi concentration camp survivor honored

 The children of Iwanna “Jean” Holowaty of Venice — an active member of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port, past president of the North Port chapter of Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (“Soyuz Ukrayinok,” union of Ukrainian ladies), an active member of several other organizations and a Nazi concentration camp survivor
— arranged for a special celebration of her 90th birthday. The children, Christine Schlesinger and David Kotok, Marta and George Garcia, Alexandra and Kent Hildebrand, and George and Margie Holowaty, invited more than 100 friends of their mother to a dinner March 1 at Boca Royale Golf & Country Club in Englewood.

    The invitation, made expressly for Jean by Lidia Bilous, was very specific: “Please help us honor our mother’s wishes that no gifts be part of His celebration. In their place, please consider a contribution in her honor to one of the charities listed.” There were two charities — the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (checks to be made payable to the UNWLA Scholarship Program) and the Ukrainian Catholic University (checks to be made payable to the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation). My wife Katrusia, who is a member of the UNWLA, and I made a contribution in honor of Jean’s 90th birthday to the UNWLA Scholarship Program, and wish her many more years of good health and happiness and continuous productive community activities, which she enjoys very much.

    The delicious dinner, including dessert and wine, all expertly served by the friendly Boca Royale staff, began with an invocation by the Rev. Dr. Severyn Kovalyshin, pastor of St. Mary’s Church, and continued with the traditional singing of “Mnohaya Leeta!” (many, many years), a slide presentation of the birthday girl’s life and her family, and the introduction of all members of her family — children and their spouses, grandchildren and their spouses, and great-grandchildren. It was a truly classy, wonderful, enjoyable and memorable affair.

                                                     • • •

    We are very proud of our youngest son, Maj. A. Ihor Kobryn, U.S. Army Reserve, a St. John University alumnus and a veteran of “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” who recently received a master of science degree from New York University after completing his required studies while supporting his family and attending all scheduled USAR meetings.

    Congratulations and best wishes for continued success in all your endeavors, dear son!

                                                      • • •

    Sixty years ago, on March 4, 1954, while on active duty as a corporal with the 530th Military Intelligence Platoon of the 3rd U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, N.C., I was made a citizen of the United States of America. My naturalization certificate, after the swearing-in ceremony, was presented to me personally by Maj. Gen. Joseph P. Cleland, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg post commander, in the Fort Bragg sports arena while the XVIII Airborne Corps orchestra played military and patriotic songs.

    There were more than two dozen individuals naturalized in that ceremony, mostly soldiers. The largest group was made up of soldiers born in Ukraine who arrived in the U.S. after World War II, who were in the country for only a short time. For example, I was inducted after being here only eight months.

    Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed atanask@aol.com. 

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

Club guests will share their trip to Western Ukraine

    Members of the Greater Boston chapter of the Friends of Ukrainian Catholic University will report and show slides about an unforgettable seven-day journey to Western Ukraine at the monthly membership meeting of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida at 6 p.m. tonight at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (Oseredok) in North Port. Presenters are Ulana Sos, Alicia Szendiuch and Tania Vitvitsky.

    The itinerary of their Sept. 15-21, 2013, trip included the UCU in Lviv, cultural capital of Western Ukraine, with its magnificent churches, monasteries, museums, Ploshcha (Place) Rynok, opera, and cafes; Krekhiv Monastery, the oldest in Western Ukraine, and the Renaissance city of Zhovkva; ancient castles in Volyn region, Lesia Ukrainka Museum near Kovel, and icons in Lutsk, Dubno (city featured in Gogol’s “Taras Bulba”) and Ostroh.

    At the UCU, the trip participants had the opportunity to interact with UCU students and faculty, tour the new campus, and participate in the unveiling of the Boston Seminar Room plaque (the focus of the fundraising project of the Greater Boston Chapter of the Friends of UCU). They were housed in the Sheptytsky Collegium on the new UCU campus located next to Stryysky Park.

    The presentation will follow a brief business meeting which will include the mandatory reports of President Daria Tomashosky, other officers and committee chairs, and other business matters.

    At the conclusion of the presentation, there will be a reception including coffee and home-baked pastries.

    Mr. Alexander B. Kuzma, Chief Development Officer of the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation, Chicago, Ill., will be a special guest.

    All are welcome.

 Special Prayers for the Heroes of Maidan.

    At the conclusion of last Sunday’s Divine Liturgy (mass) at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port there were special prayers for the fallen heroes of Maidan in Kyiv, Ukraine, and for their families. The Rev. Dr. Severyn Kovalyshin, pastor, read the names, ages and home cities/ towns of the known 82 individuals killed by police sharpshooters during what began as the peaceful demonstration against the corrupt and dictatorial pro-Russian regime of (now former) president Yanukovych.

    One of the altar servers rang a bell after each name and two other children lit candles on the “tetrapod” (an altar in the middle of the church).

    After all names were read, Rt. Rev. Mitrate Archpriest Wolodymyr Woloszczuk, pastor- emeritus, and The Rev. Dr. Kovalyshin celebrated “Panakhyda” (special requiem service) for the repose of souls of all murdered heroes, with the church choir under the direction of Lubow Ingram singing beautifully responses. After singing “Veechnaya Pamyat” (eternal memory), the Rev. Dr. Kovalyshin led the congregation in special prayers for the bereaved families of the murdered heroes.

 Upcoming Events

    The monthly membership meeting of “Soyuz Uikrayinok” will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 4.

    The monthly membership meeting of Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, March 7, at the Military Heritage Museum at Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda. Please note: This is a one-time only change from the regular meeting place at the Oseredok.

    The festive assembly to commemorate the 200th birthday of Taras Shevchenko, Ukraine’s outstanding poet, artist, revolutionary and prophet will be held Sunday, March 9.

    Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

Ukrainian heroines honored at dinner

      The North Port Chapter 56 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, UNWLA, known as “Soyuz Ukrayinok,” (union of Ukrainian ladies), headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood, held a dinner with a special program honoring women- heroines of Ukraine with a special emphasis on the “Women of Maidan.” The affair, attended by more than 120 members and guests, organized by a committee headed by the chapter’s Cultural Affairs Chair Ulana Rondiak, was held last Saturday at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (“Oseredok”) in North Port. The proceeds from the dinner were designated for humanitarian aid to the protesters at the Maidan, the Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, who have been demonstrating there since November 2013, against the corrupt, criminal, pro-Russian regime of President Yanukovych.

    The program, with Larissa Shpon of Warm Mineral Springs as mistress of ceremonies, consisted of a prayer and three songs by the chapter’s choir (the only UNWLA choir in the United States) under the direction of Lubow Ingram of Venice, the song “Chuzhyna” (foreign land), a duet by husband and wife Wolodymyr and Neoninilia Lechman, recitation “Heroyiniyam UPA” (to heroines of UPA) by Lesya Popel, and the screening of two videos, “Mothers of Maidan” and “Ode to Women of Maidan,” courtesy of Viktor Lisnyczyj.

    The keynote address by Lidia Bilous, chapter vice president and member of UNWLA National Board, covered the history of Maidan and the role of women of various ethnic groups of Ukraine. A large segment of her address dealt with the activities and personal involvement at the Maidan and on behalf of Maidan of the world-renowned composer, performer and singer Ruslana. The program was designed and printed by Lidia Bilous included on the last page the as yet unofficial, proposed new national anthem of Ukraine.

    Upcoming meetings, other affairs

    The regular monthly membership meeting of Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida will be held at 6 p.m., on Feb. 26, at the “Oseredok.” Scholarship Committee Chair Viktor Lisnyczyj reminds all potential applicants for scholarships that the deadline for submission of complete applications is Friday, March 14.

    Monthly membership meeting of “Soyuz Ukrayinok” Chapter 56 will take place at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 4. The place of the meeting will be communicated to the members via email and/ or telephone in advance of the meeting.

    The March monthly membership meeting of Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, March 7 at the Military Heritage Museum at Fishermen’s Village in Punta Gorda. Commander Tomashosky suggested that members who would like to share a ride should meet at 2 p.m. at the “Oseredok.”

Taras Shevchenko Bicentennial

    The festive assembly to commemorate the 200th birthday of Taras Shevchenko (March 9, 1814 – March 10, 1861), Ukraine’s poet, prophet, artist and revolutionary, whose monuments are located in over 1,200 towns and cities worldwide, including one in Washington, D.C., will be held Sunday, March 9. It is being sponsored by the Coordinating Committee of Ukrainian American Clubs and Organizations of North Port and vicinity, headed by Romana Guran of Venice.

    More details, including time and place, in next week’s column.

    Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol. com. 

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

Ukrainian ladies to honor heroines

     The North Port Chapter 56 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League (UNWLA), known as “Soyuz Ukrayinok” (union of Ukrainian ladies) headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood, canceled the dinner/dance known as “Vyshyvani Vechernytsi” (embroidered ball) traditionally held in the middle of February in respect for the dead and injured heroes of Maidan in Kyiv.

    The UNWLA chapter will hold a dinner and program honoring heroines of EuroMaidan in Kyiv, Ukraine, at 6 p.m. Saturday at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (“Oseredok”) in North Port. This is a fundraiser for humanitarian aid for the demonstrators at Kyiv’s Maidan. A special program will follow the dinner. Tickets are $15 per person and proceeds will go to the UNWLA Humanitarian Aid Fund for Maidan.

    Additional donations are welcome. Please write a check to “UNWLA Br. 56,” with notation “Humanitarian Aid for Maidan.” The funds are needed to aid the wounded and sick demonstrators.

    Monthly membership meetings of UNWLA Br. 56 take place at 10 a.m. every first Tuesday of the month, with the exception of July and August. For information and/or membership application, contact Membership Chair Olya Hron at 941-966-2845.

UAV Post 40 inducts new members

    Three new members were inducted by UAV National Commander Ihor W. Hron of Osprey at the conclusion of last Friday’s monthly membership meeting of Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans. NC Hron was assisted by Post Commander Eugene

A. Tomashosky and Post Vice-Commander and National Adjutant Col. Roman Rondiak, U.S. (ret.).

    The new members are: Bohdan P. Hirniak, P.E., of Naples; Erik Nakonechnyj, of Hudson, Fla.; and George Steciuk, of Venice. A brief reception followed the induction ceremony.

    The meeting included the customary reports of Post Adjutant Roman Kilar and Finance Officer Col. Roman Rondiak as well as reports of other offi- cers and the financial review committee. NC Hron provided a lot of information about the nationwide organization and plans of activities of the National Executive Board, including the status of fundraising for the national monument honoring all veterans of all branches of service in all wars, UAV website, etc.

    Monthly membership meetings of Post 40 are held at 3 p.m. every first Friday of the month at the “Oseredok.” Veterans of the United States Armed Forces who are of Ukrainian descent or whose spouse is of Ukrainian descent are invited to join our Post, the only UAV post in our Sunshine State.

    English translation of ‘Kobzar’ presented

    Peter Fedynsky, translator of the first-ever complete English translation of Taras Shevchenko’s “Kobzar,” was introduced by Daria Tomashosky, president of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, last Sunday afternoon at the “Oseredok.” In addition to speaking about his “labor of love” and reading excerpts of Taras Shevchenko’s poems, Fedynsky was also busy signing the copies of books, which were sold out with many, including yours truly, having to order and await the future shipments.

    This was indeed a very nice and proper introduction of worldwide (including the United Nations) celebrations of the 200th anniversary of Shevchenko’s birth.

    Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com. 

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

‘EuroMaidan’ heroes honored

A“Panakhyda” (solemn requiem service), sponsored by Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, was celebrated at the conclusion of last Sunday’s divine liturgy at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port by the Rev. Dr. Severyn Kovalyshin, pastor, and the Rt. Rev. Mitrate Archpriest Wolodymyr Woloszczuk, pastor emeritus, for the repose of souls of four known and many unknown “EuroMaidan” heroes who died while participating in the peaceful demonstration against the oppressive regime of President Viktor Yanukovych in Kyiv, Ukraine. The church choir, under the direction of Lubow Ingram, sang the responses, and Post 40 veterans, led by National Commander Ihor W. Hron and Post Commander Eugene A. Tomashosky, formed the honor guard and rendered a hand salute during the singing of “Veechnaya Pamyat” (eternal memory).

    The following known victims of the oppressive regime (there are reportedly a number of demonstrators missing, some very likely also dead) were prayed for: Serhii Nihoyan, 20, an ethnic Armenian whose parents fled the war in Azerbaijan and settled in Ukraine where Serhii was born, killed by four shots from a sniper; Roman Senyk, 45, shot in the lung and shoulder by a sniper, he died in a hospital from loss of blood; Yurii Verbytskyi, 50, a leading engineer at the Institute of Physics at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, was taken to the hospital after being shot in the eye by a sniper, was kidnapped from the hospital by 10 plain-clothes men and his mutilated body was found in a forest outside Kyiv; and Mykhailo Zhyznevskyi, 25, a native of Belarus who fled from persecution to Ukraine at the age of 17.

                                                        • • •

    Last Wednesday’s monthly membership meeting of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port, was highlighted by a comprehensive and very interesting presentation on the Constitution of Ukraine by the Honorable Bohdan A. Futey, a federal judge serving on senior status for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. During the business segment preceding Dr. Futey’s presentation, the members heard the reports of the secretary, treasurer, scholarship and other committees. Members approved a $500 humanitarian donation for the EuroMaidan Fund and activities for the next several weeks. New members Katya and George Steciuk, as well as several guests, were introduced and warmly greeted

    Due to the extensive involvement of the club in charitable activities, including food drives for the Salvation Army, homeless students, the “Didusi” (grandfathers) Project, etc., a special committee was formed to handle this aspect of the club’s activities. The committee will be chaired by Executive Board member Halya Lisnyczyj, with members Maria Kolesnichenko, Katya Steciuk, Roma Steckiw-Long and Alice Tercijonas.
                                                         • • •

    St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (known as the “Oseredok”) and the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida are sponsoring a presentation and reading by translator Peter Fedynsky from his first-ever complete translation of Taras Shevchenko’s “Kobzar” at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Oseredok. A cocktail reception will follow. Copies of “Kobzar” will be available for purchase.

                                                         • • •

    The monthly membership meeting of Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans will take place at 3 p.m. Friday at the Oseredok.

    Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com. 

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

Judge Futey to speak at tonight’s meeting

The Honorable Bohdan A. Futey, a federal judge serving on senior status for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, will be the guest speaker at tonight’s meeting of Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port. Judge Futey, who earned his J.D. in 1968 at the Cleveland Marshall Law School, joined the court in 1987 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan after serving as Chairman of the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States from 1984-1987. He served until his term ended in 2002 when he assumed senior status.

    Dr. Futey’s presentation will be “Why Ukraine’s Constitution is in Danger.” The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (known as the “Oseredok”), 4100 S. Biscayne Drive, North Port. Everyone is welcome to attend what is sure to be a very informative evening in this critical period of Ukraine’s history.

    Dr. Futey’s presentation will be preceded by a brief business meeting which will include the customary financial and other reports. 

                                                            • • •

    The North Port Chapter 56 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America known as “Soyuz Ukrayinok” held its annual membership meeting and election of officers for 2014-2015 on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at the Oseredok. The meeting opened with a prayer, singing of UNWLA hymn, and a moment of silence for deceased members of Chapter 56. It was chaired by Neonillia Lechman with Lesya Popel serving as secretary.

    Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood was unanimously re-elected president.

    Other officers and committee chairs elected and/ or re-elected are: vice president, Lidia Bilous; recording secretary, Roma Guran; correspondence secretary, Larissa Shpon; treasurer, Orysia Zinycz; financial secretary, Ulana Stadnyk; membership chair, Olya Hron; cultural affairs chair, Ulana Rondiak; public relations co-chairs, Neonillia Lechman and Vira Bodnaruk; press secretary, Lidiya Mychalowych; social welfare chair, Halya Lisnyczyj (committee members, Odarka Horbachevsky, Helen Indianu, and Anna Mariani-Kebus); art/ museum co-chairs, Tanya Silecky and Katya Steciuk; choir director, Lubow Ingram; archives chair, Roxolana Yarymovych; hospitality chair, Katya Posnachivsky and memberat-large, Oksana Lew.

    Branch honorary membership was bestowed on Slawa Maluk for her dedication and years of service to Chapter 56.

    The members voted to donate $1,000 to the Ukrainian Museum in New York City, and $1,000 to the UNWLA monthly journal, Our Life, press fund.

    A guest, Alexander Terlecky of North Port, who recently returned from a visit to Ukraine and who also spent some time at the “EuroMaidan” in Kyiv, spoke of his experience and impressions of the Maidan protest movement in Kyiv, and other cities of Ukraine.

    The next monthly membership meeting will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4 at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Parish Hall, 1078 N. Biscayne Drive, North Port
                                                                                                     

                                                                                                       • • •

    The monthly membership meeting of Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans will take place at 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7 at the Oseredok.

    Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol. com. 

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn

Unity Day — then and now

Ninety-five years ago, on Jan. 22, 1919, a new European nation, Ukrainian National Republic was created through the Act of Unification entered by two heretofore independent Ukrainian states — Ukrainian National Republic with Kyiv as its capital, and West Ukrainian National Republic with Lviv as its capital — both established at the end of World War I as the result of collapse of the Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires, respectively. The official announcement of the unification took place in Kyiv near the then-900-year old St. Sophia Cathedral. Many thousands of Kyiv residents as well as delegates of other regions of Ukraine and Ukrainian military units joyfully applauded the act.

    Sadly, the young Ukrainian nation was not destined to stay independent and united for a long time. Unable to defend itself against several aggressors, mainly the “White” Russian armies supported by Western powers who wanted to re-establish the czarist Russian empire, and the Red Army of the Russian communists, the lands of Ukraine got divided among the four neighbors — Communist Russia which eventually took the name Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Poland, Romania and Czechoslovakia. Ukrainians, who continued to struggle to regain the independence and unity, were subjected to various oppressive, often draconian, actions, including the genocidal, artificially created famine in 1932-1933 resulting in the loss of close to 10 million Ukrainian lives.

    Many Ukrainians were hoping, perhaps naively, that World War II, which resulted in millions of lost Ukrainian lives, both military and civilian, and the destruction of infrastructure, cities, towns and villages, would end similarly to WWI — that is, with the collapse of both Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Russia. Unfortunately, only Germany was defeated. Stalin’s empire, with the help of its western wartime allies Great Britain and the United States, got even stronger and was able to continue to subjugate Ukraine, now united with a name of Ukrainian Soviet Social Republic, but not free nor independent.

    The centuries-old dream of patriotic Ukrainians became a reality in 1991 when the “Evil Empire,” the USSR, finally disintegrated, and the Ukrainian parliament (“Verkhovna Rada”) proclaimed Ukraine’s independence on Aug. 24, 1991, which was confirmed by more than 90 percent of voters in the Dec. 1, 1991, national referendum.

    The neighbors of Ukraine, especially Poland, became some of Ukraine’s staunchest friends, but not the pseudo-democratic Russian Federation which, especially under President Vladimir Putin and his idea of “Russkyi Mir” (Russian World), assisted by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church head Patriarch Kirill, continues to create problems in Ukraine up to and including the suggestion, through covert agents and their Ukrainian collaborators, of breaking up Ukraine into at least two separate nations.

    The current massive demonstration “EuroMaidan” in Kyiv of mostly young Ukrainians, including students and veterans from all regions of Ukraine, shows the world and President Putin that the act of unification of all Ukrainian lands into one sovereign, independent and democratic Ukraine proclaimed 95 years ago is a reality that is dear to all patriotic Ukrainians.

    The Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community will commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Act of Unification at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center in North Port.

    Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.

Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians

by Atanas Kobryn