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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, СІЧЕНЬ 2018 WWW. UNWLA .ORG 9 As I was attempting to straighten out the house be- fore Christmas and puttin g some of my paperwork in order before the family arrival for the Christmas weekend, I came across one of my many folders filled with UNWLA notes and pictures. This partic- ular folder was dated 1991 and labeled in my own handwriting — “when it all began.” For getting about my immediate goal, I was taken back to March 1991 , when UNWLA Branch 95 was born in the Kerhonkson/Poughkeepsie, N .Y. area. I was voted in as the first p resident of the branch, and that began my journey t o a wealth of future UN- WLA experiences . And in the midst of these mus- ings, it dawned on me that it truly was an appro- priate time for personal reflection because 2018 would be the tenth year of my tenure as UNWLA national presiden t . The musing became more fo- cused: What had I learned since 1991? What were the rewards of belonging to and being an active member of the UNWLA? What were the rewards of leading the oldest and largest women’s organiza- tion in the USA? What had the UNWLA added to my life? Looking at the excited faces of those new members of Branch 95 in that 1991 picture, I pon- dered over the 10 years I had spent as Branch 95 president ( before term limits were written into our by - laws) , how we had worked together and be- yond. The women of Branch 95 had come together in a somewhat haphazard f ashion because there was no structured Ukrainian community per se in Poughkeepsie at that time ; nonetheless, they have stayed close and remained friends, support ing each other in good times and in bad. And as a unit , even though coming from various backgro unds, they’ve learned more about the UNWLA , as well as about Ukrainian traditions and culture , and have shared this knowledge with pride with the Ameri- can communities of their counties of residence. Then I wondered: What has been the glue holding the branc h together ? T he friendships formed ini- tially , based on a common ethnic background , has morphed into a personal, ever growing bond. I am confident that the continuing experiences with the co - members of this branch mirror those of all UN- WLA branches across t he country. My mother was a dedicated member of Branch 32 of Irvington, N . J ., ( a branch has since been disbanded) for many years , and I never quite understood her dedication to the branch and its members until I myself expe- rienced the UNWLA “sisterhood” of support and networking, of shared experiences . From a broader perspective, I have discov- ered that w orking in a respected and widely recog- nized organization such as the UNWLA has given me a deeper awareness of the Ukrainian American community as a whole. I nteraction with various or- ganizations broadens your community contacts and associations. At the same time, it provides the opportunity to associate and work in conjunction with U .S. a nd Ukrainian government officials, to represent our 92 - year history of a ccomp lishments with pride, and gain insight into the diplomatic representation of both countries. T raveling to Ukraine to represent the UN- WLA, whether this involved providing s ocial wel- fare aid or collaborating in joint efforts with the Ukrainian Women’s League of Ukraine, or re pre- senting the UNWLA as a delegate at a WFUWO or WCU congress , one quickly becomes aware how much respect our organization has earned over its decades of dedication to Ukraine and Ukrainian is- sues. It is truly an honor, a humbling experience which, at the same time, pushes you to measure up to the assignment, to be prepared, to do your best. And with respect to UNWLA social welfare aid, these projects are always a lesson in compas- sion and humility. From my first trip in connection with this in August 2008 , traveling to the flood zones in western Ukraine and visit ing th ose wounded in the war in Ukraine and their families over the past three years, looking into the sad eyes of those we help , you begin to realiz e what we may take for granted here in the U nited States. What we provide is not only financial help . It is also ac- knowledgment, a way of showing that someone across the expansive Atlantic actually cares. And, yes, UNWLA members do care. I truly feel that any UNWLA member who i s willing to serve as an officer in any of our t ri - level organi- zational structure — branch, regional coun cil , or national — is given the opportunity to develop strong communication skills, to rise to a level of di- plomacy when an internal situation demands it, and to learn to work toward a goal in cooperation with other members. It will or should teach us all that it should never be about “me or I” but should always be about “we and us ”! And it is through these experiences that leadership skills are ac- quir ed and enhanced in each of us, at least in those who accept the challenge and responsibility.
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