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22 OUR LIFE • December 2024 ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ ВІДДІЛІВ І ЧЛЕНКИНЬ • BRANCH & MEMBER NEWS Branch 136 Celebrates 10th Anniversary Luba Maryn Howard , Branch 136, Naples, FL UNWLA Branch 136 in Naples, FL, celebrated its 10th an - niversary on November 2 with a luncheon aboard the Princess Naples as the ship sailed around beautiful Na - ples Bay. Our branch was established in 2014, when Ukrainian women who had been UNWLA members in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and New York but had retired and moved to Southwest Florida felt a need to form a community in Naples. Daria Hirniak, a long-time mem - ber of the Chicago branch, and Nusia Macielinski from Branch 56 in North Port, FL, were instrumental in draw - ing up a list of potential members: women of Ukrainian descent or affiliation, primarily retired and living either full-time or part-time in Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Estero, Bonita Springs, and Naples. These pioneer members held an organizational meet - ing at the Bonita Bay home of Lidia Devonshire on March 8, 2014. About 25 women gathered for a social luncheon hosted by Lidia and her cousin, Anna Macielinski, then UNWLA 2nd VP for Membership and Organizational Affairs. They decided to form a new chapter in Naples. We received our charter on March 12, 2014. Since no Ukrainian organizations existed in the area, the question of where to hold future meetings arose. The decision was made to use a member’s homeowner clubhouse. The branch’s official Christening took place on January 31, 2016, at Artichoke and Com - pany in Bonita Springs, with over 125 people in attendance. Reverend Petriv of North Port led the opening and closing prayers. Nusia Macielinski, our Godmother, and Marianna Zajac, President of the UNWLA, administered our oath and presented us with our UNWLA pins. The presidents of the Miami, North Port, and St. Petersburg branches also attended and delivered greetings, along with other members of the Ukrainian community. Since then, our branch has been instru - mental in bringing awareness of Ukraine — our traditions, our culture, and the war in Ukraine — to the forefront. The members stay motivated morally, investing their time and resources, and have established good re - lations with the local media and various com - munity organizations. Our Soyuzianky organized a joyous event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence on August 24, 2021, with plans to continue our support of Ukraine. But when russia attacked Ukraine on Febru - ary 24, 2022, our focus changed to advocacy and fundraising for humanitarian aid. With fundraising and generous donations from the American public, we were able to support UNWLA initiatives in the form of food, clothing, medical supplies, solar lanterns, generators, protein bars, medications, and tourniquets. We have donated to hospitals for disabled children, the destroyed Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, and animal shelters in Kharkiv. Additionally, we have been supporting a widow, Nadia Tanska, and her two daugh - ters, who lost their husband and father at the outset of the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014. They receive several care packages a year from us. We also funded 30 benches for school children forced to attend classes in un - derground bomb shelters. Branch president Natalie Santarsiero presents member Daria Hirniak with a commemorative pin celebrating her 50 years of UNWLA membership.
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