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developed in a spontaneous manner, reacting to the immediate needs of the community and generously answering calls for help from overseas, there never seemed time to broaden the scope of activities, to think in terms of long-range objectives or plan concerted actions that would involve the entire organization. Bran ches’ annual reports cover a wide variety of cultural events, activities and projects, and proudly account for hefty sums of money that were contributed to all kinds of worhtwhile charities. It almost seems as if these sums were the most important criteria by which UNWLA’s members evaluated their work. In the 62 years of UNWLA’s existence, branches col lected and distributed millions of dollars, but a mere 10% of this vast sum was used for dues and projects of the organization. Since its inception UNWLA has lacked a solid financial foundation, and today more than ever this hand-to-mouth philosophy takes its toll, for without proper resources it is extremely difficult to develop uni fied, far reaching programs. For each significant pro ject, be it the collection of folk art, the publication of Our Life, participation in international women’s con gresses, the publication of the works of Lesia Ukrainka in English, the purchase of a building in Philadelphia, the founding of the Ukrainian Museum, — a separate fundraising campaign had to be launched. And it must be noted that each of the above projects has been sup ported exclusively by members of UNWLA, while the community within which we live and which we sustain has in no way felt duty-bound to help realize our objec tives. Experience dictates that in addition to the valua ble work the branches perform locally, the active sup port of the entire membership is needed if the orga nization’s long-range goals are to be reached. In the early 1970’s the National Board, realizing its responsibility for the further growth and development of UNWLA, initiated a program of “financial reconstruc tion.” A resolution of the XVIII Convention in 1978, reflecting this intention, bound branches to contribute only to the activities of the organization. The resolution was necessary in view of the ruling the Executive Board was seeking at that time from the Internal Revenue Ser vice which allows income tax write-offs for contribu tions made to UNWLA (Seciton 501/c/3). Due to this privilege, the scholarship program towards which sup porters contribute significant sums could be expanded. The National Board is accountable to the IRS for collec tions and expenditures made by branches under the UNWLA title and has to make sure that all moneys are used exclusively for the purposes stated in the charter and By-Laws of the organization. Numerous articles, circulars and speeches given on this subject seem to have no impact on the members who continue to give financial support to other organizations and institutions. This state of affairs violates the By-Laws of our organi zations, limits its further growth, and does not permit even a modicum of financial stability. At this point we are faced with a lack of funds to publish our magazine, to maintain our office, to preserve our archives and to continue effective public relations with American and international women’s organizations. Perhaps the general membership does not realize how disheartening it is for those in charge to be forced to focus their attention almost exclusively on means of financial survival, with little time or energy left for creative leadership. It seems that the reason for our shortcomings is the lack of a clear-cut ideology characteristic of an inde pendent women’s organization. Political and social groups normally organize along concepts which they formulate for themselves and which provide them with a sense of direction and purpose. If an organization does not conceptualize its ideology, it might end up in a state of confusion where individual members and branches arbitrarily embrace programs and activities reflecting their personal vision of the organization’s aims. An ideology that would define the need for the existence of a women’s organization, its specific characteristics and its function in the community, would help its members to realize the value of their work and would provide the impetus for concerted action. For half a century, the Ukrainian women’s movement grew on our native soil. After the end of the Second World War, all Ukrainian territories became part of the USSR, and the Iron Curtain cut our people off from the Western world. Those who have the good fortune to live in non-communist countries inherited the responsibility and privilege to continue the traditions of the Ukrainian women’s movement, a mission that was clearly under stood and caried out by the co-founder of UNWLA and its long-time president, Olena Lotocky. It is imperative that the oldest and largest independent Ukrainian wo men’s organization in the free world carry on the work of the Ukrainian women’s movement beyond the boun daries of the homeland. The task is clear; what we need to know is how best to approach it. But any long-range planning can only be done on the basis of an ideology that would define the direction in which UNWLA will have to develop.
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