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24 OUR LIFE • March-April 2023 attending. Her compatriots at DAR wanted to do something for Ukrainian children and quilted over twenty 4 x 4 quilts to keep the children warm. The children, 20 strong, who had been playing in a separate room, in turn favored us with traditional Vertep verses. The larger group of nearly 40 communi - ty and Branch 50 members sang Ukrainian Christmas carols to the accompaniment of bandura music played by our new member Sofia Milnikiewicz. In these difficult days, the requisite Ukrainian national anthem and “Chervona Kalyna” were also belted out with great enthusiasm. Finally, those who could, donated what they could, to further the Branch 50 charitable activities that benefit Ukraine so desperately in need during this time of war. It wouldn’t be January if Branch 50 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, didn’t celebrate Koliada by preparing traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve fare, gathering as a group with friends and family to eat Ukrainian food and sing Ukrainian Christmas carols, and collect donations to aid in financing Ukrainian scholarships and other charities during the coming year. In 2023, Branch 50 joined forces with the larger Ukrainian com - munity in the area and invited the five University of Michigan Ukrainian Scholars at Risk, a visiting Fulbright scholar, and a visiting ophthalmology fellow plus their families to the event. Also invited were any number of refugees who had landed at our doorstep and the American colleagues who helped them along their way. Notable among these colleagues is a new member of our branch, Emily Rusnack, who has personally guided 24 new refugees so far through the registration pro - cess and helped them with their documentation. Our invi - tation read potluck, and there was a signup sheet, so there was food, and food galore: three different types of borsch, varenyky, holubtsi, kutia, two different uzvars, kolach, and so many desserts that people took home doggie bags full. Branch 50 has held fundraising events throughout the year, but the Koliada on January 22 was a memorable gathering for our Ukrainian community. Those of us who have proudly rep - resented the Ukrainian diaspora realized that our collective projects and outreach now had to be more closely shaped by the events in Ukraine. The brutal war inflicted by russia created new needs for Ukrainian citizenry that tested our collective strengths and talents. It became evident that our American friends and neighbors were also generously giving of their time and money to help. These friends were particularly strong in the field of social services. With our bellies full, we listened to a representative from Jewish Family Services who described the many services that they offer to newly arrived Ukrainian refugees. A mem - ber of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Cin - dy Livingston, drove all the way from Grand Rapids to bring a remarkable gift of hand-crafted quilts for each refugee child BRANCH 50 Oksana Malanchuk President, Branch 50, Ann Arbor, MI Natalie Grossman Press Officer, Branch 50, Ann Arbor, MI Celebrates Koliada
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