Ukrainian American Veterans leaders sworn in

    The newly elected/ re-elected leaders of the Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans were formally sworn in and installed by UAV National Commander Ihor W. Hron of Osprey, who is Post 40’s past post commander, last Thursday at the traditional installation/ fundraiser luncheon. Over 100 members and guests attended the luncheon, held at Heron Creek Golf & Country Club in North Port.

    The new officers of Post 40 are: commander, Col. Roman Rondiak, USA (Ret.); vice commander, Col. Roman Synychak, USAF (Ret.); adjutant and historian, John Czerkas; finance officer, Oleh Sawkiw; chaplain, the Rev. Roman Badiak; judge advocate, Dr. George Baranowskyj; quartermaster, Mykola Kompanijec; welfare/ service officer, Marian Bojsiuk; and public relations officer, Bohdan Hirniak. Eugene “Gene”

A. Tomashosky, immediate past post commander, will be a full member of the Executive Board.

    Col. Rondiak is also UAV national adjutant, and Marian Bojsiuk is UAV national chaplain and service officer.

    Gene Tomashosky did an outstanding job as master of ceremonies. After greeting the attending members and guests, he commanded the posting of colors, and after the induction of new officers and change of command ceremonies introduced new post members and special guests, including presidents of local Ukrainian American organizations and two Ukrainian Armed Forces officers now serving as liaisons with the Headquarters United States Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

    (Now former) North Port Mayor Jim Blucher was the featured speaker, who was followed with brief remarks by Col. Kalenichenko, Armed Forces of Ukraine, and UAV National Commander Hron. An auction of a picture donated by NC Hron and colorful traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs by Marian Bojsiuk, plus special donations from guests, raised over $3,000 for the UAV National Monument, which will be erected to honor all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Cemetery in South Bound Brook, N.J. The monument is scheduled to be dedicated in fall 2015 during the UAV 68th National Convention.
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    This Saturday, Ukrainians in Ukraine and throughout the world will commemorate the 81st anniversary of “Holodomor,” the genocidal famine in 1932-1933 artificially perpetrated by Josef Stalin and his cohorts in Ukraine and adjoining to Ukraine regions, which resulted in about 10 million deaths. In Ukraine, Nov. 22 was declared an official “Holodomor Commemorative Day.” The religious services and various civic observances are scheduled to be attended by political leaders and government officials, including President Petro Poroshenko.

    Ukrainians will pause at 2 p.m., Kyiv Time, for a moment of silence in commemoration of the Holodomor victims. In New York City, the Ukrainian American community will be commemorating the 81st anniversary of Holodomor with a requiem service at 1 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

    In spite of decades- long Russian Communist propaganda denying the murderous acts of the Stalin regime against freedom-loving Ukrainians, the majority believe that ”Holodomor” was a genocide against Ukrainians.

    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 American Veterans elect new leadership

     The North Port Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, headed by Eugene “Gene” A. Tomashosky of North Port, held its monthly membership meeting last Friday at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (known as the “Oseredok”), and elected a new slate of officers to lead the post for 2014-2016.

    Col. Roman Rondiak, USA (Ret.) of Osprey, UAV national adjutant, was elected post commander; Col. Roman Synychak, USA (Ret.), vice commander; Oleh Sawkiw, finance officer; the Rev. Roman Badiak, chaplain; Dr. George Baranowskyj, judge advocate; Mykola Kompanijec, quartermaster; John Czerkas, historian; Marian Bojsiuk, UAV national chaplain/ service officer, welfare/ service officer, and Bohdan P. Hirniak, P.E., public relations officer. Eugene A. Tomashosky will serve on the post executive board as immediate past post commander. Post Commander Rondiak will appoint the post adjutant, as per the UAV constitution and bylaws.

    The newly elected and re-elected officers will be formally installed by UAV National Commander Ihor W. Hron, Post 40 past post commander, Thursday at the Officers Installation/ Fundraiser Luncheon at Heron Creek Golf & Country Club in North Port.

    All tickets for the luncheon are sold out. In addition to the installation ceremony there will be a reading of 16 post members’ names who passed away, a presentation of the Commander’s Award to a community activist, recognition of special guests including the Armed Forces of Ukraine officers now serving as liaisons with the Headquarters United States Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, and an auction for paintings. The keynote speaker will be outgoing North Port Mayor Jim Blucher.
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    On Nov. 4, in the Cathedral of St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Svyatoslav (Shevchuk) of Kyiv, Ukraine, presided over the consecration and enthronement of the newly elected Ordinary of the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, Bishop Bohdan

J. Danylo.

    The Ukrainian Catholic parishes in Florida, including North Port’s Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church, belong to St. Josaphat Eparchy (the Diocese). My wife Katrusia and I were invited but, sadly, were unable to attend the pontifical divine liturgy with the rite of ordination and installation, and other activities, due to her physical condition.
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    HBO announced that it has finalized a deal to carry live American coverage of Saturday’s heavyweight championship fight between Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 53 KOs), and challenger Kubrat Pulev (20-0, 11 KOs) of Bulgaria from the O2 World arena in Hamburg, Germany.

    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 American Veterans meet Friday

   The North Port Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, headed by Commander Eugene “Gene” A. Tomashosky of North Port, will hold its monthly membership meeting Friday at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (known as the “Oseredok”). Commander Gene scheduled the start of the meeting at 2 p.m. instead of the customary 3 p.m. due to the need for preparations for Veterans Day observances.

    One of the items on the agenda will be the election of post officers for 2014-2015, who will be formally installed by UAV National Commander Ihor W. Hron of Osprey, a Post 40 member, at a special Officers Installation/ Fundraiser Luncheon at noon Nov. 13 at Heron Creek Golf & Country Club in North Port.

    All proceeds from the luncheon will go to the UAV National Monument Fund. The monument will be erected at a special plot at St. Andrew’s Memorial Cemetery in South Bound Brook, N.J. donated to the UAV by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Formal dedication of that memorial, honoring all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, will take place in the fall of 2015, in conjunction with the UAV 68th National Convention.

    Other planned Post 40 Veterans Day activities: A “panakhyda” (requiem service) for the repose of souls of all departed veterans will be celebrated following Sunday’s divine liturgy at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Church, and participation in the community Veterans Day observance at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Veterans Park, next to the North Port Library.
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    The Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port, held its monthly membership meeting Oct. 29 at the Oseredok. The reading of last meeting’s minutes, the financial report and reports of other officers were followed by a lengthy discussion of this year’s Christmas dinner, scheduled for 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Oseredok.

    This year’s Christmas dinner committee is chaired by Anna “Nusia” Mariani of Port Charlotte, who had chaired last year’s very successful Christmas dinner. Knowing Nusia as we all do, she will do everything in her power to outdo her last year’s dinner. In addition to delicious food including homemade pastries, and other “traditional” events, the dinner will provide many pleasing activities and a good time for all.

    At the end of the meeting there was a very interesting presentation by Col. Roman Rondiak, USA (Ret.) of Osprey about his visit to Ukraine last summer.
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    The North Port Branch 56 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, known as “Soyuz Ukrayinok” (union of Ukrainian ladies), headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood, held its monthly membership meeting yesterday.

    The meeting’s agenda included the plans for fundraising for the national UNWLA project, “Aid for the Victims of the Ukrainian War of Dignity Program,” and the traditional fall picnic scheduled for Nov. 19 at Maxine Barrett Park, near Sharky’s on the Pier in Venice.

    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