John Yaremko’s gifts top
$100,000 for the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre
John Yaremko and his late wife, Myroslava
(Mary) will be commemorated by the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre in
On Sunday, April 20th,
Mr. Yaremko, accompanied by long-time friends Bill and Rose Sametz, visited the
Care Centre. Bill Sametz highlighted
many of John’s professional and personal achievements over the years, but the
event focused on Yaremko’s wish to share his worldly wealth through donations
he is making to many fine organizations.
Remembering the Care Centre’s roots, Yaremko’s gift will also ensure an
appropriate tribute is made to honour the work of the Very Reverend Father John
Tataryn, the visionary behind St. Demetrius Seniors’ Residence, St. Demetrius
The Great Martyr Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre
and St. Demetrius Elementary School, all located on a ten acre campus in
Toronto’s west-end - Etobicoke.
Ian Ihnatowycz, Co-Chair of
the Home with a Heart Campaign thanked Mr. Yaremko who then stood
proudly and addressed the group with humour and remembered his beloved wife.
John and Myroslava Yaremko's
civic leadership and generosity has benefited many educational, cultural,
social service and heritage organizations including Roy Thompson Hall; the Art
Gallery of Ontario; the Canadian Opera Company; the Royal Ontario Museum; the
Faculty of Music, the Faculty of Law and the Library at the University of
Toronto; Bellwoods Centre for Community Living Inc.; Laurier University and the
Ontario Heritage Foundation, to name a few.
As recipient of prestigious
awards and honours by many organizations, prominent distinctions include the
Ukrainian World Congress’ highest award - the St. Volodymyr Medal and the
Hungarian government's Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit from for
facilitating the immigration of 40,000 Hungarians to Canada in 1956.
John Yaremko, B.A., Q.C.,
LL.B., LL.D., Dr. rer. Pol., is the first Ukrainian Canadian member of the
Ontario Legislative Assembly, as former MPP for Toronto-Bellwoods (1951 to
1975) and served in the Progressive Conservative Cabinets of Premiers Leslie B.
Frost, John P. Robarts and William G. Davis, as Ontario’s first Solicitor
General, its first Minister of Citizenship, Minister of Transport, Minister of
Social and Family Services and Minister of Public Welfare. A vocal and effective advocate for human
rights, he focused the government’s attention on the needs of Ontarians of
different ethnic backgrounds in community services and long-term care.