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28 WWW.UNWLA.ORG “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЛИПЕНЬ-СЕРПЕНЬ 2015 BRANCH 17 IN MIAMI, FLORIDA, IS ALIVE AND WELL! Growing up in South Florida, I remember our UNWLA branch being active and strong— branch members would sing at the Taras Shev- chenko, Lystopadove Sviato , and Zluky Zemel observances at the Ukrainian-American Club of Miami. While I was doing my best to learn Ukrainian at our church’s Ukrainian Saturday school, they were organizing embroidery displays and helping with the Ukrainian library at the Club. Their annual Vyshyvani Vechornytsi dance was a really big deal. Fast-forward to 2013... and sadly, many of the fine women who had been longtime UNWLA members had passed away, and others were in failing health or capability. Suddenly Branch 17 was on the verge of disbanding. So, many of us who had been active in other areas, such as the Ukrainian Dancers of Miami, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church and choir, and those who have participated in many cultural presentations, decided that it was time to join and save our little branch-at-large, here in our far- away Miami outpost. The legacy had to continue! President Ulana Romaniv, a high school chemistry professor, led everyone in deciphering the paperwork needed to make sure that we were in good status as a branch. We held monthly meetings to determine which of the many great ideas we came up with could actually be realized, given the time and money available. And against many odds, we have been successful. In 2014 we had hoped to rekindle the tra- dition of the annual Embroidery Dance, Vyshyvani Vechornytsi , but as Ukraine was fighting a war to keep her freedom, we followed the lead of our fellow UNWLA branches and postponed any sort of celebration. Instead, we participated in demonstrations in front of the As- sumption Church and in downtown Miami, wav- ing at passersby and bearing signs that read “Freedom for Ukraine” as well as many Ukrainian and American flags. Our first cultural effort was during Lent of that year, when members Karyn Maksymowich Wilk and Tanya Brown led a pysanky workshop, and included our littlest children by giving them crayons with which to color printed pysanky drawings. In June, we sponsored a Father’s Day lunch, with Donna Maksymowich-Waskiewicz (and her husband Richard) serving our dads a typical American box lunch of hot dog, potato sal- ad, and chips. The lunch was complete with games such as cupcake decorating and a relay to see who could tie a necktie the fastest. In November, we initiated the sponsor- ship of a table of Ukrainian literature at the Mi- ami Book Fair—an initiative spearheaded by member Oksana Piaseckyj. This endeavor, even- tually carried out under the auspices of the Ukrainian-American Club of Miami, was another way for us to raise awareness in our global com- munity of the current events taking place in Ukraine. Oksana and her husband, Peter, spent several days spreading information to the public who came to this widely attended event. In 2015, we finally held our first Vyshy- vani Vechornytsi in several years. Members do- nated delicious homemade dishes; music and dancing abounded; and of course, everyone wore their finest Ukrainian embroidery! Prizes for best outfits were awarded during the traditional “parade,” with longtime mem- ber (and prolif- ic artist) Tama- ra Huryn taking the top award for her lovely handmade dress. Embroidery contest judge Edgi Antonaccio and the top prize winner, Tamara Huryn, at Branch 17 Vyshyvani Ve- chornytsi . We wrote to Congress and signed peti- tions demanding prisoner of war and national heroine Nadiya Savchenko’s release from Russian captivity. Member and branch corresponding sec- retary Patricia Krysa sent a letter to John McCain asking for his assistance in obtaining Savchenko’s freedom. We thought Taras Shevchenko would have been pleased if our young Ukrainians shared their art with the community in his honor, so our first Taras Shevchenko Art Contest was held in March with great success. A few of our members con- tributed their own works of art to the display. Prizes included gift cards to Target. (There were several happy young faces as a result!)
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