2016 has been a very big year for the Canadian Ukrainian community and with Thanksgiving around the corner, they have a lot to be thankful for.
The community is celebrating 125 years of Ukrainian settlement in Canada, 25 years of independence in Ukraine and the 90th anniversary of the Ukrainian Woman’s Association of Canada.
As Ukrainians were immigrating to Canada 125 years ago, when they got to Saskatchewan, there was not much here except for land. Little by little, farm houses, barns and corrals were constructed, farm land was cultivated and livestock grew. Faith was also a very important part of life. The next step in the process was to build formal gathering places for people to meet and socialize. Soon community halls started to pop up on the prairie landscape. These halls were used for worship and social gatherings such as dances and suppers.
In the 1920s, the Ukrainian pioneering women of the prairies wanted to help build this new land that they now called home. They wanted to be a part of the endeavour of building community halls and domed churches, many of which are still standing in rural settings. They helped furnish them, kept their beauty and maintained them.
In 1926, a committee was formed in Saskatoon to initiate an independent Ukrainian women’s organization in Canada. The organization had two objectives. The first was active public service work in Canada. This organization was to promote Ukrainian culture through Ukrainian schools, literary papers and art. The second objective was to help the Ukrainian people back in the old country of Ukraine, to support and assist them with their fight for freedom.
Ukrainian culture became the cornerstone of the Ukrainian Woman’s Association of Canada. The Ukrainian language, faith and traditions were very important to preserve.
The Lesia Ukrainka Branch (named after a famous Ukrainian poet) in Dominion/Redfield was founded in 1927. In the first year the branch had an income of $122.75 and expenses of $35. Thirteen dollars was given to the national executive of UWAC and $18 went to the Red Cross. Membership fees were only 25 cents. In 1931 the Canadian Pacific Railway was built through the district where two small towns were established, Whitkow and Redfield. This split the women’s organization and parish. Members of the northern part of the district joined Whitkow branch (named Olha Kobylianska). The remainder of the ladies stayed with the Lesia Ukrainka branch. In 1997 the branch of Lesia Ukrainka formally disbanded, but the six parish church ladies who remained vowed to still work together for the church.
In 1928 the Olha Kobylianska Branch (named after a Ukrainian writer/author) in Whitkow was established. To help fundraising efforts, the women organized bazaars, dances, family suppers and had bake sales. In 1938, admission to a dinner was 25 cents and in 1940 admission to get into a dance was a dime. Like other branches, the women’s organization provided banners, vestments for the priest, rushnyky, candelabras and collection plates for the church. The Whitkow branch of the ladies organization ceased to exist in 1998.
The Olha Basarab Women’s Association in Glaslyn was organized in 1932. In 1933 the organization formally joined the National UWAC. Also in 1932 the Glaslyn community built its own church. The women supported this venture and donated considerable funds, sewed and embroidered rushnyky, bought pews and carpet. The local branch also encouraged the commencement of Sunday school and youth organization.
The women’s association of Olena Pchilka was formed in North Battleford in 1950. They formally joined the National Association in 1951. From the beginning, the members considered the needs of the local church their primary task. The ladies’ organization was active in sponsoring annual festivities such as Mother’s Day, St. Nicholas concerts, Thanksgiving and Taras Shevchenko’s anniversary. In present day, the members of the local UWAC along with the help from additional parish members (the men) are busy with fundraising efforts for the church through the sale of pyrohy (perogies), holubtsi (cabbage rolls) and borsch.
Oct. 2, the St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Orthodox Church in North Battleford celebrated these three milestones of the Ukrainian community in accordance with their Thanksgiving Divine Liturgy and luncheon. To highlight the 90th anniversary of the Ukrainian Woman’s Association of Canada, eight ladies were honored for their long-time dedication and service as members of this association. Those honoured were Sylvia Charko, Ann Ewanchuk, Natty Hawryliw, Sally Lazarowich, Thelma Lewchuk, Olga Nikiforuk, Stella Nikiforuk and Elsie Pluta. These ladies have a combined total of 486 years of service!
Thelma Lewchuk joined the Olena Pchilka Branch in 1970 with 46 years of service. Natty Hawryliw joined the Olha Basarab Branch in Glaslyn in 1960. After retiring in North Battleford, she joined the local North Battleford branch in 1983 giving her 56 years of service.
Stella Nikiforuk joined the Lesia Ukrainka Branch in 1954 and then joined Olena Pchilka branch in 2009 once she and her husband retired in North Battleford.
Olga Nikiforuk was also part of the Lesia Ukrainka Branch and she joined in 1950. Again, once retiring to North Battleford, she joined the Olena Pchilka Branch in 2009 for a total of 64 years of service.
Also with 64 years of service, Elsie Pluta joined the Dominion/Redfield (Lesia Ukrainka) Branch in 1952 and then in 2002 joined the North Battleford Women’s Association.
Sylvia Charko started out in Whitkow with the Olha Kobylianska Branch in 1951 and then joined North Battleford in 1958 with a total of 65 years.
Sally Lazarowich joined the Olena Pchilka Branch in 1951 with 65 years of service.
Ann Ewanchuk joined the Olha Kobylianska Branch in Whitkow in 1950. She joined the North Battleford Branch in 1998 with a total of 66 years.
Presently membership of Olena Pchilka is small with 13 members. It is amazing with all the years of experience of the eight ladies mentioned above, the amount of work that is still done to help support the church. A huge thank you to these hardworking and dedicated women for all the work they have done and are doing. May God bless them!
