UNYF Phoenix

By Walter Kish

Back in 1972, I was a university student and had been a member of the Ukrainian National Youth Federation Oshawa Branch for barely a year.  Being the eldest member in the Branch, and having had some organizational experience as a member of the Ukrainian Students’ Club at university, the Branch saw fit to elect me as its President.  Shortly after assuming this post, I went as a first-time delegate to a UNYF National Convention in Winnipeg.  My expectations were modest, consisting mostly of meeting fellow members from other Branches across the country, and learning something of what the organization was about and how it was run.  To my great surprise and some chagrin, I returned from the Convention as the UNYF’s National President. 

That was the beginning of what became, as my kids’ would say, a “most excellent adventure”, one that continues to this day.  Save for that twist of fate, I likely would not be writing this column today.  Undoubtedly, I also would not have experienced some of the most memorable moments in my life. I would not have met and become friends with some truly wonderful and memorable people. I would not have lived close to five years of my life in Ukraine. I would not have developed many of the organizational and communications skills that would lead me to have the successful and varied career that I have had. Most importantly, I would probably have had a rather boring and uneventful life.

It was not until I returned home from Winnipeg that the enormity of what had transpired really hit me.  I felt so unprepared and unqualified.  All I could think of was “Why me?”

You might wonder why I am inflicting these reminiscences on you at this time so long after that seminal event close to four decades ago.  Those memories came flooding back to me after attending the most recent UNYF National Convention held the weekend of July 4^th at UNF Toronto’s Camp “Sokil” in Hawkestone, Ontario.

This particular convention is memorable in that it is the first such convention in many years, the UNYF having come close to extinction in the past decade.  Fortunately, the efforts of some determined UNF Members in Toronto and Edmonton, as well as the current UNF of Canada Board of Directors under the leadership of Taras Pidzamecky, have seen the UNYF rising once more from the ashes like the proverbial phoenix.

The Hawkestone convention saw representatives from eight new or revived Branches in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Toronto-West, Hamilton, St. Catharines and Montreal.   Efforts are also underway to revive Branches in Regina, Saskatoon and Sudbury.

It was particularly gratifying to see the energy and enthusiasm of those young delegates in attendance, ranging in age from thirteen to the early twenties.  For many of them, like for me in 1972, it was their first real experience in organizational leadership.  I also recognized the same trepidation and uncertainty that I had felt when I was elected to the National Executive.  I am sure that many of them upon returning home will also ask themselves like I did – “Why me? What am I supposed to do, and how do I go about doing it?”

I am sure, from what I saw, that they will find the way and will achieve far more than they can imagine.  When I became President, my whole National Executive, like myself, were neophytes – it was also their first time in such positions.  Yet, what we achieved in the following years still stands out and amazes all those of us who were a part of the organization during those years.

This new executive also has something which we did not – the unqualified strong support, interest and attention of the UNF Board of Directors as well as all the Branches.  Rebuilding the UNYF is the top priority of the whole UNF organizational system. 

I wish this new Executive every success and can assure them that we are committed to providing them with all the help, advice and resources they may require in returning the UNYF back to its former glory.