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STEFA ABRAHAMOWSKA: PIONEER THEN AND NOW Stefa Abrahamowska is one of those remarkable UNWLA members whose involvement with UNWLA began in the early 1920’s and continues to this day. In October 1981, six decades after she first became involved with UNWLA, Abrahamowska made a $1000 donation to UNWLA’s newly-established ‘general operating expenses fund,’ which will honor Olena Lotocky. Her donation initiates the Fund which was recently established by the National Executive to provide a strong financial base for UNWLA’s daily operations. It is hoped many more donors will follow in this pioneer’s footsteps and help the Olena Lotocky Fund grow. Generosity and concern for others, for UNWLA and for the wider Ukrainian community is an integral part of Stefa Abrahamowska’s nature. Her extensive involve ment with UNWLA included seven years as President of Branch 1 (New York) in the 1920’s and ‘30’s, a Treasurer’s post in the UNWLA National Executive, chairmanship of the First Ukrainian Women’s Congress in the U. S. in 1932, as well as of UNWLA’s Fourth Convention in 1932 and its Eighth Convention in 1948. Abrahamowska wrote articles and served on editorial boards of several UNWLA publications, and was an early enthusiastic and generous supporter of Our Life, which began publication in 1944. She was also the first donor to Our Life’s Press Fund. Stefa Abrahamowska exhibited great organizational foresight in her UNWLA work, in organizing junior branches and in her “let them run it themselves” policy toward them. And she was prominent in countless conventions, rallies, concerts, exhibits, banquets and meetings. In 1947 she joined the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee and became part of the group of dedicated people who met the newly-arrived Ukrainian immigrants at the docks of New York City and helped them establish themselves in the new world. She travelled to Sweden in 1948 and made contacts with the Red Cross to help victims of the World War. Abrahamowska moved to Florida in the 1950’s where she joined Branch 17. Now she lives in New York and continues her interest in the work of UNWLA through contact with UNWLA headquarters and various generous donations. For example, in addition to the $1000 for the Olena Lotocky Fund, she also donated $1000 to the Ukrainian Museum, to which she had previously donated some valuable art objects. Stefa Abrahamowska’s achievements were great, and she has a personality to match. Her unique charac ter and philosophy of life which affected her relation ships with the people around her were beautifully portrayed by one observer (‘M-e’) on the pages of Our Life in its December 1946 issue. We are excerpting portions of it here. The setting: Stefa’s Beauty Parlor on East Sixth Street in New York City. “Vaguely I note that the doorbell of ‘Stefie’s Beauty Parlor’ jangles again and again. The pleasant shop seems the destination of many New Yorkers tonight. When the bell ushers in the sound of male voices — then I really take notice. “Congratulations!” I hear. “Many happy returns.” What is going on here? Can’t be Stefa’s birthday. I know that. Then I notice the baskets of flowers, Stefa’s happy smile, the sincere handshake of the handsome man saying, “And may your next ten years in business be twice as happy and prosperous as your first ten.” There it was. Stefa was observing the tenth anniversary of her business quietly, but her friends were seizing the opportunity to show their affection and respect and good wishes toward her. It was a heartwarming sight and I was a fortunate spectator. Stefa beamed on every visitor, kept up a sparkling repartee, and as more friends dropped in or phoned, her happiness shone around her. “Aren’t you going to celebrate your anniversary?” someone asked. “Of course, here’s my celebration,” she answered. We all looked. It was a ten dollar donation to the press fund of “Our Life.” Now everyone beamed at Stefa. Now isn’t that like Stefa, I thought. Even in her own personal happiness, she thinks of others to help. Stefa’s life, I further reflected, would make a Ukrainian “best seller” on “How to Win Friends for the Ukrainian Cause.” This modest lady with "the unbelieving “this-can’t-be- me” look in her eye, has won an enviable place for herself among Ukrainian women for her extensive community service. Yet here was a group of friends coming to wish her well, not because she was Stefa Abrahamowska, one of our “First Ukrainian Ladies,” and a real patriot, but because she was Stefa, their friend. And then I thought that the same qualities that made her a leader, a patriot, were the ones that won her an af fectionate place in her friends’ hearts. Her complete honesty. She knows people so well, she can instantly recognize ‘phonies’ or pseudo-patriots and will not hesitate to oppose or expose them, if she feels they are hindering or harming a good cause. She has a deep belief in the just cause of the Ukrainian people, and has been fighting for that cause. Her ideal has topped all thoughts of self — of health, of time, of personal happiness. People cannat help ad miring such a fighter. There’s loyalty and courage in her make-up too. But I guess people like Stefa, because Stefa likes people.”
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