In the fall of 2012, three CYM oseredoks: Chicago, Philadelphia & Yonkers embarked on a food drive in commemoration of the victims of the Holodomor – Ukrainian famine-genocide of the 1930s. While this is only the second year that the US CYM National Executive druzhynnyky have organized such an undertaking, the Philadelphia oseredok has had its own program in place for the last four years.
The entire Philadelphia oseredok not only collected foodstuffs, but also prepared baskets which they hand delivered to the Ascension Manor, a non-profit senior citizen apartment complex of the Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. They spent time with the residents and sang Ukrainian Insurgent Army songs together. This year, a local Boy Scout troop also contributed to their efforts. Afterwards, the group held a prayer vigil outside the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception by the statue of Metropolitan Andriy Sheptytsky. Thanks to druh Mykola Hryckowian, druh Andrew Leskiw and druh Yuriy Mykytyn for the execution of this annual event.
The Chicago and Yonkers oseredoks concluded their food drives at the end of December and donated 884 pounds of food to the Greater Chicago Food Depository and 409 pounds of food to the Westchester Food Bank, respectively. In Chicago, various events at the oseredok and a separate drive at St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Catholic Church helped in the doubling of last year’s collection. In Yonkers, St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church and the UCCA Yonkers branch helped with collection efforts. Thanks to druh Myhash Kapitula of Yonkers and druh Marko Krutiak of Chicago for their efforts in making this event a success.
Ivanka Bryan & Nadia Dlaboha
Druzhynnyk Directors – US CYM National Executive
