60th Anniversary Banquet
The Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Hamilton hosted over 250 guests at the Jubilee Banquet
commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Youth Association (UYA) of
Canada on Saturday, March 1, 2008. Youth members representing the Hamilton, St.
Catherines and Etobicoke branches captivated the audience with fanfare, flags and the
singing of the Canadian and Ukrainian national anthems in the opening ceremony.
Opening remarks were given by the president of the UYA National Executive, Irene
Jendzjowsky, followed by the opening prayer led by father Zenon Walnycky, parish
priest of Holy Protection Ukrainian Catholic Church in Burlington.
After the acknowledgement of the honoured guests, Eugene Czolij, vice-president of the
Ukrainian World Congress and Halyna Vynnyk, treasurer of the National Executive of
the League of Ukrainian Canadian Women addressed the audience with congratulatory
remarks.
After dinner, Irene Jendzjowsky, made special posthumous acknowledgements of
founding members of the UYA in Canada, namely Ivan Bonk, Wolodymyr
Deychakivsky, Roman Malaschuk, and Peter Mykulak, represented respectively by
surviving family members Halyna Bonk, Iryna Deychakivsky-Malaschuk and Stephanie
Mykulak. She also introduced past presidents of the National Executive who were
present: Bohdan Baran, Eugene Czolij, Irene Mycak, Nadia Tataryn and Halyna
Holowka. All were received with a standing ovation.
The guest speaker of the evening, Myroslava Pidhirnyj, the President of the World
Executive of the UYA, highlighted the success of the UYA over the last six decades as
well as the challenges in working with youth that lie ahead.
The formal part of the banquet concluded with the unveiling of the commissioned
lithograph-print of Archangel Michael, the patron saint of the UYA, which will be sold to
raise funds for future youth program initiatives. Eerka Shust-Dankowycz, a member of
the National Executive introduced the artist, Bohdan Holowacki, who together with the
president, Irene Jendzjowsky, unveiled the artwork for the audience and encouraged
everyone present to support the UYA in its fundraising endeavour.
The evening ended with the hilarious performance of “Spalenyj Teatr”, a comedy troupe
from UYA in Chicago, which left the audience teary-eyed from fits of laughter.
The MC of the evening, Ivanka Baran, thanked everyone who contributed to the success
of the evening. A special thank you on behalf of the National Executive was extended to
the Hamilton Branch, the youth of Southern Ontario, the founding members and their
families, the past presidents, the main speaker, Myroslava Pidhirnyj, Bohdan Holowacki
and all the guests for their participation and continued support.
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