Introduction to The Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada

1. Introduction to The Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada Soyuz UkrainokKanadi – Olga Basarabova Branch – Calgary

2. Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada Soyuz Ukrainok Kanadi Calgary Branch 2006

3. As part of a National Organization The Alberta-BC Provincial Executive 2008-10 The National Executive 2007-009

4. The purpose of our organization: • To support, • preserve, • promote, • maintain, • provide, • disseminate, • publish representative facts which portray Ukrainian heritage and its contributions to Canada

5. As part of SUS – The Ukrainian Self Reliance League of Canada Clergy at the USRL Convention in Calgary 2003 Clergy and lay at the USRL Convention – planning together

6. Soyuz’s primary goal: to contribute in every way to the continual growth of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC) Encourage members to practice and live by Christian principles as taught by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

7. Soyuz Ukrainok Kanadi – Calgary Branch sends greetings to our new Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada Archbishop Yurij His Eminence Archbishop Yurij (George Kalistchuk) AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!

8. His Grace Bishop Ilarion(Roman Rudnik)Bishop of Edmonton and the Western Eparchy

9. In many ways, Soyuz at St. Vlad’s may be perceived as a women’s auxilliary – performing necessary acts of charity, however SOYUZ IS MUCH MORE!!! Some of us are more like Mary. Others are more like Martha. And at times we are both.

10. Maintain service group relationship between CYC and UOCC • As lay bodies, both the men’s (TYC) and women’s (Soyuz –UWAC) foster a service group relationship with our church- to ensure the continued service of the Sacraments to the faithful and our community.

11. Probably our most lasting legacy will be to:focus on the education of our youth in Church Schools, Sadochok Programs, Ukrainian Schools, Bilingual schools, and CYMK - Ukrainian Orthodox Youth

12. You really cannot forget the things you learned at your mama or baba’s knee. Moya azbuka Mama moyaliuba

13. Fellowship for new families A Mom and Tots program led by Father Tim for new families building home/church/home relationships. Starting late September 2010 Times TBA

14. Our fabulous Ukrainian Bilingual Sadochok program –serving our congregation and Calgary’s Ukrainian community for over 20 years!! Early Social Skills Groups A Ukrainian-Bilingual Program

15. Delivering a quality program – great teachers with special training from the Alberta Heritage Language Teachers Training Program

16. Lucky Sadochok participants learn a lot!! When did you learn to make kolachee??

17. Sunday School/Church School • Sunday School/Church School classes begin mid September 2010 • Classes for : • 3-4 year olds • 4-5 year olds • Grade 1-3 years • Grade 4-6 years • Welcoming volunteer teachers!!!!

18. Ridna Shkola – a Saturday tradition with programs starting in mid September 2010 here at St. Vlad’s in our newly renovated church school rooms.

19. Ridna Shkola – 2010-2011 • A fabulous team of qualified teachers will begin the ridna shkola program on Saturday, September 25th. • A teen class for language learning too. • Newly stocked with exciting teaching materials, enthusiasm, and a year long program • Registrations accepted through late September

20. Conversational Ukrainian Classes Register now for Adult Conversational Ukrainian classes – Classes begin September 22, 2010 with excellent teachers – small class sizes – engaging program and supportive environment.

21. What is CYMK? Well, first and foremost it is the youth group that is strongly connected with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada. Simply put, CYMK’s guiding priniciples are faith, culture, leadership... and FUN!

22. Cultural –Educational Program Lucky grandchildren learned to love great homemade specialties. Many of us learned to dance at the national/cultural hall • .

23. CYMK – UOYThe Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association – Ukrainian Orthodox Youth at Bar-v-nok for Zustrich 2009

24. Ivan Bohun Branch of CYMK-UOY Perepeliuk Trophy Winners of 2009!! Our CYMKivtsi from Calgary! • At the USRL (SUS) convention during the summer of 2009, Alberta CYMKivtsi were the largest contingent, sending many delegates to the biannual conference. Every 2 years trophies are awarded to recognize the Jr. and Sr. CYMK locals that have shown the most initiative and been most active over the 2 year period. This conference proved to be an Alberta sweep, with the Baziuk Trophy for Jr. CYMK being awarded to the Taras Shevchenko branch in Vegreville, while the Perepeliuk Trophy for Sr. CYMK was awarded to the Calgary’s Ivan Bohun branch.

25. Customs and traditions Traditional feasts Customs and celebrations

26. Children and Youth Programs CYMK Summer and winter programs at our own camp – the Western Eparchy Camp – Barvinok at Pigeon Lake – holds wonderful learning, memories and fun for all.

27. Soyuz members help to organize • Conventions Provincial ConventionSaturday October 2 • Meetings Regular monthly Soyuz meetings • Conferences October 2010 ABC Provincial • Workshops Arts/Culture/etc. • Libraries Financial support St. Vlad’s library • Museums Ukrainian Museum of Canada – Calgary Collection • Festivals Calgary Ukrainian Festival June 2010 • Concerts SviateyMikolay – December 19, 2010 • Theatricals • musical recital • handicraft exhibits. The Art of Pysanka Show – 2009

28. Calgary Soyuz maintains a gem of a museum in the city of Calgary. It features our Ukrainian heritage, particularly textiles, decorative eggs, and artifacts witnessing to the Ukrainian Canadian pioneer immigrant experience.

29. The fabulous Pysanka Display

30. School and group tours are available at the Ukrainian Museum of Canada – Calgary Collection all year. The minimum size is 15 students. For more than 25 students, the tour is broken into two groups. It is expected that adult volunteers will be provided by the teacher for younger classes.  Tours must be booked at least two weeks in advance Tours last approximately one hour. Additional activities (such as a video presentation or our Discovery Box) can be arranged when booking Pysanka workshops cannot be booked as part of a tour.

31. Publish and promote • written word and art, culture, politics, and pedagogy • Financial support for PROMIN, HOLOS, VISNYK

32. UWAC ProjectsBilingual Publications of the UWAC • A Half Century of Service to the Communityby Natalia KohuskaA history of UWAC 1926-1976 • Ukrainian CanadianaArticles on twelve topics dealing with Ukrainian art and culture • My Icon BookIcons written by Vera Lazarowich-SenchukScript written by the Committee for Religions Instruction UOCC

33. More titles in our UWAC library • Feast days of the Orthodox Churchby Very Rev. Dr. Ivan Stus • Ukrainian Embroidery Designs and Stitchesby Nancy R. Ruryk • Essays from the History of Ukrainian Culture, Book Iby Dr. Savella Stechishin and Natalia KohuskaSelections of Ukrainian Literature • Essays from the History of Ukrainian Culture, Book IIby Serhij Eremenko and Valerian RevutskyUkrainian composers, drama, and theatre

34. And more…. • Essays from the History of Ukrainian Culture, Book IIIby Ivan KewanUkrainian Fine Arts • The Child's CompanionText by Lilia Matwijiw SorokowskiIllustrations by Marika Onufrijchuk SokulskiA pictoral prayer book explaining important sections of the Liturgy

35. In 2010 Soyuz is celebrating our own magazine - Promin’s 50th!!!

36. The Provincial Soyuz Executive "Enough" Project involved distribution of the book Enough and a booklet on Holodomor published by UCC to 668 Alberta elementary schools.

37. Thankyou’s from Alberta Schools Thank you so much for your generous donation of the book “Enough”.   I have forwarded the book and your e-mail to our Library and it is a welcome addition to our collection. Sheila….., Administrative Secretary………School Hello, On behalf of the staff and students we thank you for sending us the two books. Our Library Assistant will catalogue them and they will become part of the library. Thank you!! Susan ….Principal- …

38. More thank you notes… Thank you so much for your generous donation of "Enough" to our library--beautiful book and wonderful illustrations...the kids always enjoy Martchenko.  Yours, Cathy……., Librarian, ………Elementary, Calgary

39. And the best reason for this work… I just wanted to thank you and whoever else played a part in putting this resource together.  I was already familiar with the book Enough but I didn’t fully appreciate the magnitude, the impact and the cover-up of the Russian genocide of Ukrainian people.  The Holodomor booklet made that very clear and got me asking more questions of my Ukrainian friends and colleagues.  They shared some incredible stories of their own family histories, of which, up until now, I had totally been ignorant.  As I educate my students about Ukraine in grade 3, Holodomor will definitely be a more poignant area of study.  Thank you for educating me and initiating some very good dialogue.  This is definitely a story that needs to be told. Sandy……., Principal ………,…….School, Edmonton

40. A member of the Order of Princess Olha!! In 2008, Marsha was awarded the Order of Princess Olha by Ukraine’s President Yushchenko in recognition of her writings on the Holodomor.

41. Soyuz actively cooperates with other ethnic groups through such activities as:

42. The Orthodox Women’s Retreat - September 17-19Register now!!

43. Soyuza benevolent, charitable group Active and material support for • Calgary Women’s Shelters (4 in number) • Hygiene Kits for women in need • Orphanages in Ukraine • Fundraising to ensure young girls are safe from the sex trade in Ukraine • Monetary scholarships to assist high school graduates in Sokil, Ukraine in further studies

44. Self determination for our ancestral homeland-Ukraine Through our actions as Canadian citizens, we ensure that information flows through honest, open dialogue – democracy defended through responsible world-citizenship.

45. Promote Canadian citizenship – democratic institutions Shortly after the publication of a scathing review of the international protection of women - The Natashas: inside the new global sex trade, by investigative journalist Victor Malarek, the issue was raised to the Calgary branch of theCanadian Council of Women. Soyuz in Calgary raised the issue of the international sexual enslavement of women, particularly from Eastern Europe, and the issue gained both provincial and federal attention. Soyuz’s involvement helped focus political attention!

46. Soyuz hosted (2005) a very positive, beneficial, informative Fundraiser , to support programs that protect girls from predators trafficking in girls - the white slave trade. Informing our public about the issues plaguing young girls and women in Ukraine – our Soyuz wants to help! Women’s Fashion Show and Luncheon – our 2005 fundraiser !

47. Our former Soyuz National President ( Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada) Mrs. Orysia Sushko recently received the Order of Canada for her nation building work.

48. SOYUZ supports positive representation of Ukrainian-Canadiana in our halls of authority – council members, MP’s and MLA’s. Many of our elected officials had their start in programs such as the language, cultural, religious and community groups our Soyuz supports.

49. Good fellowship for all members A grateful and heartfelt thank you to all the generous individuals, who have supported SOYUZ UKRAINOK – The Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada – Calgary Branch ! Сердечно дякуємо всім тим особам, котрі нас щедро підтримували !

50. SOYUZ is a non-profit educational cultural organization. • The services provided to and for members are volunteered – so all of us benefit when each of us take a small role in building a thriving community that supports the dreams we have for our children and grandchildren!! • Leaders, followers, short projects, long term vision, each of us has a gift to share – the gift of the Holy Spirit – God’s work through us – for us.