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UNWLA — BRANCH 116-ERIEPA “STATE OF THE BRANCH” — FEBRUARY 1997 Branch 116 held its last Annual Meeting on March 26, 1994 with an attendance of ten members. During these past two years our branch has been busy with several projects, thanks to the dedicated tireless efforts of a few members — but on the whole our branch life has reached an all-time low. Many members have expe rienced serious health problems and other family prob lems. Weather and various other commitments and interests have made it difficult for members to get to meetings and branch activities. As a result during these two years we have managed to get together only nine times — with poor attendance at that! One contributing factor this past year was my inability to lead because of my parents’ illnesses and my absence from Erie. Yet we did accomplish quite a lot!! Our mothers with young children kept the school and dance group going. Luba Clark spent many hours with the dancers and at home — teaching, planning, driving... The child ren put on many wonderful performances, the highlight being an exciting show before a huge crowd at Perry Square as part of the Bicentennial celebration in August 1995. While Erie was preparing for its Bicentennial Cele bration, for 15 months branch representatives attended monthly meetings of the Bicentennial Ethnic Commit tee, planning the Bicentennial Parade and the Ethnic Festival. These representatives were: Dail, Kosenko, Shpon, and McKay. Our branch built a pysanka float and participated in the Bicentennial Parade on May 27, 1995. The dance group marched in the “Parade of Nations” on the opening night of “We Love Erie Days” on August 17, where all present heard our National Anthem! Members of the Toronto Academy of Ukrainian Dance and Anna Kosenko performed on August 19, and our own dance group performed on August 20, 1995. In August 1994 we celebrated the anniversary of Ukrainian Independence with a Divine Liturgy, dinner at the Maennerchor Club, and a signing of a declaration by Mayor Savocchio. Our Ukrainian flag flew by City Hall for a whole week! On several occasions Kosenko, McKay and Clark demonstrated pysanky decorating or gave workshops. The students of Mercyhurst Prep H. S. donated $1,000 both in 1994 and 1995 for the Children of Chornobyl Fund. We are truly grateful for such generosity! Swonder and Swystun sent many boxes of clothing and supplies to orphanages, families, schools and Soyuz groups in Ukraine and Brazil. To raise needed funds, we participated in the Philharmonic Marketplace and had a garage sale. Our Nyz embroidery apprenticeship project directed by Nadia Wolynec was highlighted in the Erie Art Museum as part of a traveling exhibit entitled “Tricks of the Trade” — “a celebration of the PA Heritage Com mission Apprenticeship Grant Program.” Our branch also had its sad and bitter moments in these past two years. We shared the sorrow of members who lost beloved family members — Helena Dombro- wiak on the death of Richard, Liz Kelly on the death of her father, Zenon Shpon on the death of his father, Michael Dail on the death of his mother. On November 5, 1994, all of us lost and bid farewell to our dear member Jenny. ’’Вічна їм пам’ять!” In July, 1995 we gathered for a farewell dinner in honor of founding members Irene and Roman Swystun and Larissa and Zenon Shpon who decided to leave Erie and settle in North Port, FL. We are grateful for their dedicated and tireless efforts for the good of our Erie community and we will miss them very much. In December 1995 our branch passed its 20th birth day! Though we did not celebrate the anniversary in a formal way, I hope we can find time in 1996 to celebrate all that we accomplished as a group, re-evaluate our needs, and make productive plans for the future. While other ethnic groups in Erie are organizing and revitaliz ing because of the Bicentennial, we were inactive and falling apart. We need to reverse this negative process, wake up and look for new members and new ideas for our branch. We need to find more opportunities to gather with or without spouses and families, share our culture and heritage, help each other in time of need as well as the needy in Ukraine. I’m sorry that I will have to miss this Annual Meet ing. I wish you a successful and brief and pleasant meeting! God bless us all! Daria McKay, President 20 ’’НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЛЮТИЙ 1997 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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