Federal judge to speak on Ukraine situation

The monthly membership meeting of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port, will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (known as the “Oseredok”). This is a change from the traditional meeting day of Wednesday.
The Honorable Bohdan A. Futey, a federal judge now serving on senior status for the U. S. Court of Federal Claims, will be the guest speaker. His topic will be “Two years after the Revolution of Dignity— Strengths and Weaknesses,” an overview of the progress and the current situation in Ukraine.

Judge Futey’s presentation will follow a brief business meeting.
All are invited to the meeting and to hear Judge Futey’s presentation. There is no admission fee.

The Board of Directors of the club met last Monday at the Oseredok, chaired by President Daria. It reviewed recent activities (the Christmas party, “Kolyada”, et al), and discussed plans of activities for the next several months, including the Scholarship Fundraiser Luncheon tentatively scheduled for April 12 at Heron Creek Golf & Country Club, art exhibit (date, place and other details to be determined at a later date), the club’s charitable activities and planned social activities.

President Daria announced the club’s nominating committee consisting of Ihor W.Hron of Osprey, Oksana Lew of Venice and Klara Szpiczka of North Port.

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The 97th anniversary of the unification of two states, Ukrainian National Republic and West Ukrainian National Republic, into one Ukrainian National Republic on Jan. 22, 1919, was celebrated in Ukraine and in all Ukrainian communities throughout the world.
In Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, in addition to many parades and commemorative concerts, a live chain across the Dnieper River was created in honor of the unification and in commemoration of a live chain with nearly 3 million taking part 25 years ago, stretching from L’viv and Ivano-Frankivsk to Kyiv.

The North Port and Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community commemorated the historic eventat the assembly last Sunday at the Oseredok.

The event was sponsored by “Hromadskyi Komitet” (Coordinating Committee of Ukrainian American Organizations) headed by Romana Harasymiak-Guran, who opened the ceremony and introduced master of ceremonies Dr.Orest Bilous of Osprey, who introduced Lidiya Mychalowych (who recited the poem “Bells in Ukraine”), Ostap Macielinski (who recited the moving “Poem from Maydan”) and the United Choir under the direction of Lubow Ingram of Venice, which sang “O Ukraine,” “Oy u Luzi ...,” a historic song that was a favorite of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen of World War I — which the public always listens to while standing with respect — and the hymn-prayer “O Great and Only God.”
The guest speaker, introduced by Dr.Bilous, was Vira Andrushkiw, vice president of the U.S.Ukraine Foundation and chair of the Detroit Regional Council of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, whose topic was “Independence and Unification of Lands,” a comprehensive and professionally presented historic overview of world events affecting Ukraine since the start of WWI.

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