Unification of Ukraine lands commemorated

     The Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community commemorated the 96th anniversary of the unification of all Ukrainian lands in one Ukrainian National Republic with an assembly and concert last Saturday at North Port’s Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center. The event was sponsored by the Coordinating Committee of the Ukrainian American Organizations of North Port and vicinity (“Hromadskyi Komitet”), headed by Roma Guran of Venice. It was organized and presented by a Unifi- cation Commemoration Committee headed by Lidia Bilous of Osprey.

    The observance began by posting the American flag and the blue and yellow national flag of Ukraine by the Color Guard of Ukrainian American Veterans Post 40 and Ukrainian Armed Forces officers who are members of the liaison team with U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, and the singing of the two national anthems. Dr. George Baranowskyj, Post 40 judge advocate, and Eugene Tomashosky, past post commander, were the flag bearers. Members of the Honor Guard were Post Commander Col. Roman Rondiak, Marian Bojsiuk, Jerry Zinycz, Julian Helbig, Clifford Heiser and the Ukrainian Army officers, Col. Kalenichenko and Col. Nazola.

    Roma Guran, president of Hromadskyi Komitet, opened the assembly, greeted the attendees and introduced mistress of ceremonies Lidia Bilous, who in turn introduced professor Vira Bodnaruk to deliver the keynote address. Yulia Lopanchuk and Iryna Strilka recited poems appropriate for the occasion, and Col. Kalenichenko delivered a brief message and greetings from Ukrainian Army personnel and members of volunteer formations fighting Ukrainian terrorists and soldiers of the Russian Federation in the eastern frontier of Ukraine.

    The highlight of the evening was the internationally renowned Ukrainian soprano-soloist Oksana Krovytska, New York City Opera star, who sang over a dozen patriotic, historic and folk songs, including two arias from the Ukrainian operas “Natalka Poltavka” and “Zaporozhets za Dunayem.” She was accompanied by pianist Chrystyna Karpevych, who also sang two songs while accompanying Krovytska on the piano. The standing ovation prompted the two performers to add yet another song to stop the ovation. It was definitely one of the best commemorations of the unification of Ukraine lands, in our area.

    Proceeds from the assembly and concert were designated to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine. They were augmented by several individual donations, including the honorariums of both guest performers, Krovytska and Karpevych. At the end of the concert, Col. Nazola thanked the organizing committee and all individual benefactors, including the guest performers, for their generous contributions for the benefit of war victims in Ukraine. He also assured all present, on behalf of the members of Ukraine’s Armed Forces and volunteer formations, including the defenders of the Donetsk airport, that they will stand and fight the aggressors until the complete victory. The United Choir, under the masterful direction of Lubow Dobrowolska-Ingram, concluded the very successful affair, attended by over 100, by singing the hymn-prayer “Bozhe Velykyi-Yedynyi” (God, Great and the Only One).
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    The monthly membership meeting of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida will be held Jan. 28 at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center, known as the “Oseredok.” The guest speaker will be the Honorable Bohdan A. Futey, serving on senior status for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. His topic will be “Ukraine’s quest for democracy and rule of law after the Revolution of Dignity.”

    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