Skip to content
Call Us Today! 212-533-4646 | MON-FRI 12PM - 4PM (EST)
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE
Search for:
About Us
Publications
FAQ
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Initiatives
Advocate
Educate
Cultivate
Care
News
Newsletters
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Join UNWLA
Become a Member
Volunteer With Us
Donate to UNWLA
Members Portal
Calendar
Shop to Support Ukraine
Search for:
Print
Print Page
Download
Download Page
Download Right Page
Open
1
2-3
4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40
4 OUR LIFE • January-February 2023 “As soon as I heard about the UNWLA pin, I immediately envisioned a pinning ceremony,” says Tatyana Tymkiv, Branch 120 president. Inspired by new members joining her Branch this past turbulent year, she welcomed the idea of awarding UNWLA pins to them during a special celebration. The UNWLA pin symbolizes new members' commitment and connection with the generations of Soyuzianky before them, and the pinning ceremony allows us to look at the past while welcoming our future: the women who will shape the face of our organization in the years to come. Welcoming new members with these pins, Branch presidents have an opportunity to unite newcomers around the meaning of our organization for many Ukrainian women and their families here in the U.S. Another important part of the pinning ceremony is the UNWLA new member certificate, with the member’s name on it. It is meant to be framed and displayed at home as a tangible symbol of belonging to the UNWLA. “When we welcome guests to our home,” shares Tatyana Tymkiv, “we share everything we have; such is our Ukrainian nature. So, I hope that displaying these certificates in their homes will manifest the belonging of our women to the UNWLA community and spark conversations.” As 2022 drew to a close, the pinning ceremony was officially introduced to UNWLA leadership and membership. Other Branch and At-Large members received their pins during in-person ceremonies or via mail. In both cases, the UNWLA pin symbolizes a woman’s connection to the organization and should be worn proudly. UNWLA Introduces Pinning Ceremony: A Rite of Passage for New Members Alina Zhurbenko , UNWLA Communications Coordinator UNWLA Branch 120 after the pinning ceremony. Weeks after the ceremony, members of Branch 120 visited the George Eastman Museum together, all proudly wearing their UNWLA pins. Branch 120 in Rochester, NY, welcomed 13 new members in 2022, many of them Ukrainian women who had recently arrived in the U.S. This is where an idea turned into a heartwarming new ceremony, which Branch presidents are now encouraged to hold to welcome new members. Tatyana Tymkiv awards a UNWLA pin to new member Maria Tymoshyk. The ceremony matched Tymkiv’s vision exactly. The granting of pins followed the inspiring words of the Branch president about the meaning and symbolic value of the UNWLA pin. UNWLA President Natalie Pawlenko awards a UNWLA pin to Andrea Kulish Wilhelm (MAL, North Carolina).
Page load link
Go to Top
1 
2-3 
4-5 
6-7 
8-9 
10-11 
12-13 
14-15 
16-17 
18-19 
20-21 
22-23 
24-25 
26-27 
28-29 
30-31 
32-33 
34-35 
36-37 
38-39 
40 
