Dear Soyuzianky,
Our weekly newsletter lands in your inbox every Monday night. Together we celebrate the achievements of our sisters and get inspired for the week ahead. If you have news or an idea to share, email us at [email protected]! Tap into your support network: our Branches, Members-at-Large, Regional Councils, and, of course, the UNWLA National Board.
If you are a new member, welcome! This regular newsletter will keep you updated about news and events related to the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America.
Join members of the UNWLA National Executive on Monday evening, October 24 at 7:30 pm EST to learn about some exciting new developments, resources for you to use, and news about our national “Keep Ukraine Warm!” campaign.
This season’s new “World on Stage” program at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens presented a live music performance “from the steppes of Ukraine through the Carpathian Mountains to the blue Danube.” The concert featured Cleveland’s own HARMONIA ensemble playing the traditional music of Eastern Europe. Soyuzianky used this event as an opportunity to collect donations for Ukraine.
UNWLA Branch 8 prepared packets of delicious pastries (generously donated by Rudy’s Strudel – Lidia Trempe and Eugenia Polatajko), tasty crepes (nalysnyky), and a variety of blue and yellow crafts. Sweetened with delicious treats and supplied with information about UNWLA and its humanitarian goals, the enthusiastic mostly non-Ukrainian audience enjoyed a wonderful evening of music, song, and Ukrainian culture. Our soyuzianky were able to collect $1,000 for Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine!
From left to right: Dozia Krislaty, Christine Fedynsky, Olena Tarnawsky-Fergurson, Lydia Pawlyszyn, Martha Rupert, Christina Pichurko, and Adriana Mironovich
Valentyna Tabaka serves as a Wound Care Coordinator by day and UNWLA’s 2nd Vice President by night. She coordinates with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to distribute medical equipment to numerous hospitals throughout Ukraine. Recently she also managed and oversaw all of the booking and scheduling for the artists in this year’s cultural festival at Soyuzivka. “If you want to get something done, ask the busiest person you know to do it,” she answers the inevitable question, “Where do you find time to do all of this?”
Last week, Valentyna’s contribution to the development of Ukraine and the protection of its sovereignty was recognized with a special award, “National Treasure – 2022” in Ukraine. We are incredibly proud to have her in our community and wish her joy, peace, and victory for Ukraine. Congratulations!
Award-winning journalist Myroslava Gongadze will join the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus as the guest narrator in the second installment of the LESYA: Her Voice and Poetry Through Seven Strings concerts on October 21 – 23. Get your tickets soon to experience the genius of bandura music and Ukrainian women! A recognized advocate for freedom of speech and human rights, Myroslava Gongadze is a voice you don’t want to miss.
*Concerts are a collaboration with the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, and a portion of the net proceeds from the October 22 and 23 concerts will benefit humanitarian needs in Ukraine.
Read more: Concert Season is Coming: Lesya Ukrainka Concert Series
We traditionally spend November honoring the victims of the Holodomor. The 9th of November, however, is the day to celebrate something many Ukrainians hold most dear: their mother tongue.
The Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language unites Ukrainians worldwide for Радіодиктант національної єдності – a major annual event when famous writers read a pre-selected text on the radio for people to write down and check how well they know their native language.
Are you sure your Ukrainian hasn’t gotten rusty? Write a dictation with us at the virtual event “Америка пише диктант” on November 9. Cross the t’s and dot the i’s and celebrate the Day Of Ukrainian Writing and Language with us!
Do you get excited at the prospect of organizing educational events, collaborating with our academic partners, promoting Ukrainian education and literature?
Consider Becoming a UNWLA Volunteer
You don’t have to be a UNWLA member to volunteer with us – just sign up or share this link with your friends who might be interested!
The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA) invites the world to invest in peace for Ukraine. The original artwork of renowned ethnographer, pysanka artist, and UNWLA member Sofika Zielyk goes digital! Purchasing it, anyone can help us raise funds for Ukrainian humanitarian aid initiatives, increase awareness of Ukraine’s current needs, and provide hope for Ukrainians suffering the consequences of Russia’s brutal aggression.
Ukraine Has One More Problem: Glass. Read this article in New York Times about the recent challenges to Ukrainian dwellings damaged by the russian bombs and missiles.
Odessa And Miami Are Sister Cities Now. See some images from the Designation Ceremony in Miami last week.
