My wife Katrusia and I wish to extend to our children, grandchildren, great-granddaughters, other relatives throughout the United States, all our friends and neighbors, and Sun readers, best wishes for a healthy, safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. In addition, to all our Jewish neighbors and friends here and in the greater New York City area, who will begin to celebrate their Festival of Light and Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah, this evening, we also wish you a happy, healthy and enjoyable holiday.
Every Thanksgiving holiday since our marriage 61 years ago, with the exception of the two years I was in the Army, Katrusia had managed to prepare a truly festive Thanksgiving dinner, including turkey and all the trimmings (the exception was apple pie instead of pumpkin pie!) for our family and, most of the time, two or three invited single individuals.
This year, for the first time, our Thanksgiving dinner will be somewhat different, scaled down, due to Katrusia’s indisposition, and my culinary mastery falls short of my wife’s close to professional knowledge of cooking and baking. Regardless of the size and the contents of our dinner, we will be thankful for all our blessings, and even challenges, as we did every year heretofore. We had to overcome many challenges in the past!
• • •
While the Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community is commemorating the tragic death of close to 10 million Ukrainian men, women and children during the artificially created genocidal famine created by Joseph Stalin and his henchmen known as “Holodomor” (death by hunger) 80 years ago, and many communities in Ukraine and throughout the world stop to say a prayer for the repose of the souls of the victims, protests are taking place in just about every city, town and village in Ukraine, and in many cities throughout the world. It’s a result of the Ukrainian government, comprised of mostly Russian-leaning politicians including ethnic Russians, and President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to discontinue preparations for signing the Association Agreement with the European Union. The signing was expected to take place at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Friday.
The massive demonstrations (some observers see the resemblance to the peaceful Orange Revolution in 2004) involve mostly students and other young Ukrainians. The main opposition parties’ leaders Vitali Klitschko, Arseniy Yatseniuk and Oleh Tyahnybok are with the demonstrators, but the students who are the main force of the demonstration, do not permit any party flags or memorabilia except the Ukrainian national blue and yellow flags, and flags of the European Union.
• • •
Last week I was surprised and humbled by the “small celebration” planned by the Community Health Center of North Port Inc. Board of Directors in recognition of my service on the board. My advanced age and health issues, in addition to my wife’s serious health problems, necessitated my resignation from the board.
Contrary to the announcement, the “celebration” was not small at all — there was a rather large special cake and other goodies, a laudatory speech by Dr. Linda Stone, CEO, and a presentation of a plaque with the inscription: “In Appreciation for Dedicated Service and Meaningful Contribution 2005-2013.”
I am very grateful for the recognition, reception, plaque and all the nice things said by Dr. Stone and other Board of Directors members. I wish all continuous success in serving the North Port area’s residents in need of service.
Atanas Kobryn covers the Ukrainian community for the North Port Sun. He can be emailed at atanask@aol.com.
Every Thanksgiving holiday since our marriage 61 years ago, with the exception of the two years I was in the Army, Katrusia had managed to prepare a truly festive Thanksgiving dinner, including turkey and all the trimmings (the exception was apple pie instead of pumpkin pie!) for our family and, most of the time, two or three invited single individuals.
This year, for the first time, our Thanksgiving dinner will be somewhat different, scaled down, due to Katrusia’s indisposition, and my culinary mastery falls short of my wife’s close to professional knowledge of cooking and baking. Regardless of the size and the contents of our dinner, we will be thankful for all our blessings, and even challenges, as we did every year heretofore. We had to overcome many challenges in the past!
• • •
While the Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community is commemorating the tragic death of close to 10 million Ukrainian men, women and children during the artificially created genocidal famine created by Joseph Stalin and his henchmen known as “Holodomor” (death by hunger) 80 years ago, and many communities in Ukraine and throughout the world stop to say a prayer for the repose of the souls of the victims, protests are taking place in just about every city, town and village in Ukraine, and in many cities throughout the world. It’s a result of the Ukrainian government, comprised of mostly Russian-leaning politicians including ethnic Russians, and President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to discontinue preparations for signing the Association Agreement with the European Union. The signing was expected to take place at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Friday.
The massive demonstrations (some observers see the resemblance to the peaceful Orange Revolution in 2004) involve mostly students and other young Ukrainians. The main opposition parties’ leaders Vitali Klitschko, Arseniy Yatseniuk and Oleh Tyahnybok are with the demonstrators, but the students who are the main force of the demonstration, do not permit any party flags or memorabilia except the Ukrainian national blue and yellow flags, and flags of the European Union.
• • •
Last week I was surprised and humbled by the “small celebration” planned by the Community Health Center of North Port Inc. Board of Directors in recognition of my service on the board. My advanced age and health issues, in addition to my wife’s serious health problems, necessitated my resignation from the board.
Contrary to the announcement, the “celebration” was not small at all — there was a rather large special cake and other goodies, a laudatory speech by Dr. Linda Stone, CEO, and a presentation of a plaque with the inscription: “In Appreciation for Dedicated Service and Meaningful Contribution 2005-2013.”
I am very grateful for the recognition, reception, plaque and all the nice things said by Dr. Stone and other Board of Directors members. I wish all continuous success in serving the North Port area’s residents in need of service.
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
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