Members of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port, will meet tonight at 6 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center, known as “Oseredok” (center) to Ukrainians. This will be the first meeting after a long hot summer.
Guests and potential members are always welcome, and there is no admission charge — unless one signs up to become a member.
Delicious pizza to welcome in the new season will be served before the business meeting.
The business meeting will include the usual reports of Secretary Doris Horbachevsky, Treasurer Nancy Wosny,Correspondence Secretary and Social Services Committee Chair Halya Lisnyczyj and other committee chair heads. The traditional and very popular Christmas Party, scheduled to be held Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Oseredok, will be discussed at length and the party committee will be selected.
Other planned activities will be discussed and approved, including planned Tarpon Springs tour on Thursday, Feb. 16, club’s picnic on Wednesday, March 8, and Scholarship Awards Luncheon Fundraise at Heron Creek Golf and Country Club on Wednesday, April 5, 2017.
Nominating Committee Chair Klara Szpiczka will present a slate of candidates for the Board of Directors for the next term, to be voted on by the members.
Featured speaker will be our own Lieda Boyko of Port Charlotte who will speak about her visit of Ukraine during the last summer, including her visits with families of soldiers fighting Russian armed aggression at the eastern border of Ukraine.
Some families she visited lost their family members in the war, other members were disabled due to war activities.
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The first post vacation meeting of the Executive Committee of Branch 56 of Ukrainian National Women’s’ League of America, known as “Soyuz Ukrayinok” (Union of Ukrainian Ladies) headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood, was held Tuesday at the Oseredok. There were many important issues to be discussed and voted on.
Two members of Branch #56, Lidia Bilous of Osprey, and Orysia Zinycz of Venice, members of the UNWLA National Board, will be attending the UNWLA, Inc. National Board Meeting at Soyuzivka, New York, on Oct. 7 – 9.
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Retired U.S. Army Col. Roman Rondiak, the commander of Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post #40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, reminds all post members of the next meeting at 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Oseredok.
All post members are strongly urged to attend as we will be holding the election of Post Officers for the coming year.
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The traditional and very popular Ukrainian American dinners will be served from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 30, at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center located next to the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church, 1078 N. Biscayne Dr. (corner of W. Price Blvd.), North Port.
For more information, please call Parish Hall at 423-2427, or Rectory at 426-7931.
Email: atanask@aol.com 
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
Ukrainians throughout the world, including the Southwest Florida Ukrainian American community, are intimately familiar with life in Ukraine, including the heroic struggle of the Ukrainian Army against the Russian invaders in the eastern regions of Ukraine, after illegally annexing Ukrainian Crimean peninsula. All this in view of the solemn declaration of Russian Federation, together with the United States, Great Britain, and other nations, to respect the integrity of Ukrainian borders, by signing the Budapest Accord on Dec. 5, 1994.
It should be kept in mind that, as a result of the assurances provided in said agreement, Ukraine, at that time the third or fourth largest nuclear power in the world, signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and disposed of its nuclear arsenal.
It is no wonder that members and visitors at this month’s monthly meeting of the Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida held Wednesday, at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center (Oseredok) enthusiastically welcomed highly decorated Ihor Petruk, Ukrainian Army veteran, who was severely wounded (grenade and small arms wounds, including crushed pelvic bone) while fighting the Russian invaders in the Donetsk-Luhansk region of Ukraine.
After undergoing surgeries in Germany and rehabilitation in the Kyiv Military Hospital, he is in the U.S. to enter one of the orthopedic rehabilitation centers in Chicago.
Before going to Chicago, Mr. Petruk is visiting Florida, including Warm Mineral Springs, and North Port as a special guest of Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida.
After being introduced by Daria Thomashosky, club president, who described Ihor Petruk as a war hero and defender of our freedom against the Putin’s hordes, Mr. Petruk briefly introduced himself and provided information about his war service.
He then asked the public to ask questions, and there were many, to which he provided his answers. The interaction lasted longer than the normal meeting time with a featured speaker. A reception which included wine, coffee, finger sandwiches and home-baked pastries brought in by the club members provided additional opportunities to interact with the special guest.
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The local Branch 56 of Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (“Soyuz Ukrayinok” — Union of Ukrainian Ladies) headed by Ann-Marie Susla of Englewood will hold its monthly membership meeting Tues., Nov. 1, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. at the Oseredok.
In addition to the customary meeting agenda, this meeting will also include commemoration of Month of November historic events: establishment of Western Ukrainian National Republic in L’viv on Nov. 1, 1918, and commemoration of “Holodomor” – artificially created famine in 1932-1933 by Stalin and his henchmen resulting in millions of Ukrainians, including women and children dying from starvation.
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The monthly membership meeting of Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post 40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, headed by retired U.S. Army Col. Roman Rondiak of Osprey, will take place at 1 p.m., Friday, Nov. 4, at the Oseredok.
The agenda will include reports of delegates to the UAV 69th National Convention held last week in Chicago, and election of Post 40 officers for the next year. Also the matter of Veterans Day observances and Installation Fundraiser luncheon at Heron Creek Golf and Country Club on Wednesday, Nov. 16, will be discussed.
Email: atanask@aol.com
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
Ihor Petruk, severely wounded soldier of the Ukrainian Army fighting Russian aggression on the eastern border of Ukraine, will speak tonight at the monthly membership meeting of Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. tonight, at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center - Oseredok.
All are welcome.
Mr. Petruk received a medal for courage in the war. He was severely wounded by grenade and several bullets in his arms and legs. His pelvic bone was crushed. He went to Germany for medical treatment, then returned back to Kyiv for rehabilitation. A year after he was wounded he is still at the Kyiv Army Hospital. Currently, he is in the United States to enter one of the orthopedic rehabilitation centers in Chicago. Thanks to the efforts of “Revived Soldiers Ukraine” organization headquartered in Winter Park, Florida (www.rsukraine.org).
Before going to Chicago, Mr. Petruk is visiting Florida, including our Warm Mineral Springs. He will be an honored guest at tonight’s meeting of Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida where he will speak about the war, about his involvement and will answer questions.
Preceding Mr. Petruk’s presentation there will be a brief business meeting chaired by Daria Tomashosky of North Port, club president, including the customary reports of officers and committee chairs. A traditional coffee and home-baked pastries reception will follow.
Next month’s membership meeting will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 30. Members are being asked to take to the meeting nonperishable food items and unwrapped toys for children for the club’s annual non perishable food and toys drive. Items will be turned over to the local Salvation Army.
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The North Port Branch 56 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, commonly known as “Soyuz Ukrayinok” (Union of Ukrainian Ladies) is inviting all to attend their traditional fall picnic. It will take place at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Maxine Barritt Park Pavilion, next to Sharkey’s on the Pier Restaurant in Venice. A donation of $10 will cover a delicious and tasty buffet luncheon, entertainment, games, surprises and fellowship.
Mrs. Larissa Shpon of Warm Mineral Springs chairs the picnic committee. She can be contacted for additional information at 941-423-9457.
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Ukrainian specialties “varenyky” (perogies), “kovbasa” (kielbasay) and kishka will be available for takeout at the Oseredok, 4100 S. Biscayne Drive, North Port, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., starting Friday, Oct. 21, and every Friday thereafter.
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Traditional Ukrainian American dinners are being served between 4 and 6 p.m., Fridays at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center located next to the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church, 1078 North Biscayne Drive, North Port, for $12 per person. The dinner includes varenyky, cabbage rolls, chicken or fish, borshch (beet soup), pastries and beverages.
Takeout is also available.
For more information, call 941-423-2427, or the rectory at 941-426-7931.
Email: atanask@aol.com
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
The 10-day period of genuine, heart-driven atonement/repentance, which began 10 days ago on Rosh Hashanah, culminates today, on Judaism’s holiest day, Yom Kippur, which commenced at sundown yesterday and will end at nightfall today.
Yom Kippur is a day of forgiveness for sins committed against God, as well as sins committed against fellow human beings. It is a day of hope and optimism, in addition to a solemn soul searching. We wish all our Jewish friends and neighbors good health and God’s blessings on this holiday season andafterward.
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The monthly pre-convention membership meeting of Cpl. Roman G. Lazor of Ukrainian American Veterans, headed by retired U.S. Army Col. Roman Rondiak of Osprey, who is also UAV National Adjutant, was held Friday at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center — the “Oseredok” (center) to Ukrainians. After the opening ceremony, post members commemorated recently departed charter member of Post No. 40 Rostyslaw Ratycz (1930-2016), Korean War veteran, honorably discharged as corporal in 1960 after serving two years on active duty and six years in the USAR.
Discussions of the 69th UAV National Convention, which will take place Oct. 13-15 in Chicago, including instructions for the post’s delegates to the convention, took up most of the meeting’s time. Also discussed was post’s participation in Veterans Day observances next month, election of officers, and the Officers Installation/ Fundraiser Luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Heron Creek Golf and Country Club in North Port.
Tickets for the luncheon are $25 must be ordered by Nov. 9.
As provided by the bylaws, a list of proposed officer’s candidates was presented by yours truly on behalf of the nominating committee, to be voted at the next membership meeting at 1 p.m. on Nov. 4.
Col. Rondiak encourages all post members to attend that very important meeting which will also include reports of delegates to the 69th UAV National Convention.
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The monthly membership meeting of Ukrainian American Club of Southwest Florida, headed by Daria Tomashosky of North Port, normally held on the last Wednesday of the month, will be held this month at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19 at the “Oseredok.”
This change was necessitated by the scheduling conflict of the interesting and important featured speaker. All are invited, free of charge, to the meeting, which will include traditional pastries and coffee or tea social hour after the meeting. All meetings are conducted in English, and membership is open to all interested.
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Three Ukrainians, out of the total of 12, became grand winners of 2016 Karate 1-Premier League held this past weekend in Okinawa (Japan): Kateryna Kryva (50 kg), Anastasiya Stepashko (+68 kg), and Valerii Chobotar (84 kg).
A native of L’viv, Ukraine, Kateryna Kryva was the silver medalist in Istanbul, Turkey and Rotterdam, The Netherlands is stating her status with the triumphant performance in the first-class international Karate competition.
As the top international karate league competition came to an end in the birth nation of this discipline, the biggest 12 heroes of the year were announced.
Email: atanask@aol.com
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn
My wife Katrusia and I wish all our Jewish friends and neighbors Happy New Year 5777, Rosh Hashanah, the observance of which began at sundown on Sunday and ended at nightfall Tuesday.
Rosh Hashanah means “Head of the Year” It is also known as “The Day of Shofar Blowing” (“Yom Teruah”). It is the birthday of the universe, the day God created Adam and Eve, and it’s celebrated by candle lighting in the evening, festive meals with sweet delicacies during the night and day, prayer services that include the sounding of the ram’s horn (“shofar’) on both mornings (except when the first day falls on Sabbath), and desisting from creative work.
In Ukraine, more than 30,000 of Hassidic Jews from all over the world have gathered in a small city, Uman in the Cherkassy region, where there is one of the holiest Jewish shrines — the grave of “tsaddik” Rabbi Nachman — a charismatic founder of Breslavian Hassidim.
He moved to Uman in spring 1810. He preached his last lesson to hundreds of followers on Rosh Hashanah 1810 and passed away a few weeks later on Oct. 16, 1810, at the age of 38.
He was buried in Uman All who were fortunate to meet the New Year at the grave of tsaddik Nachman are certain that the year 5777 will be lucky for them.
The security of the pilgrims in Uman is being provided by 200 Ukrainian and 15 Israeli policemen.
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The monthly membership meeting of Cpl. Roman G. Lazor Post #40 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, headed by retired U.S. Army Col. Roman Rondiak of Osprey, who is also UAV National Adjutant, will take place at 1:00 p.m., this Fri., Oct. 7, at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Religious and Cultural Center, 4100 S. Biscayne Dr., North Port.
United States armed forces veterans of Ukrainian descent, and others whose spouse is of Ukrainian descent, with other than dishonorable discharge are invited to join our post, thus far the only UAV Post in the state of Florida.
Col. Rondiak is urging all members to attend this meeting because one of the items on the agenda is election of post officers for the next term, and preparation for the formal installation scheduled to be held at noon, Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Heron Creek Golf and Country Club, 3401 S. Sumter Blvd., North Port.
Other important issues are also on the agenda to be discussed and approved by members.
Tickets for the Nov. 16 Officers Installation/Fundraiser Brunch Buffet Luncheon, are $25 per person and should be ordered in advance by contacting Gene at 941-786-5256, Roman at 941-445-5281, or yours truly at 941-4239499. There will be no tickets available at the door. Proceeds of the luncheon will support UAV programs (scholarships, welfare, etc.)
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Traditional Ukrainian American dinners are being served between 4 and 6 p.m., each Friday at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish Center located next to the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God (St. Mary’s) Ukrainian Catholic Church, 1078 N. Biscayne Dr. (corner of W. Price Blvd.), North Port.
For more information, call the Parish Hall at 941-423-2427, or Rectory at 941-4267931.
Email:atanask@aol.com.
Our Neighbors — The Ukrainians
by Atanas Kobryn