Pavlo
Terefenko
Grafton,
ON
The
weekend of June 21-22 marked the traditional day of “Sviato Vesny” for
Toronto’s Plast Ukrainian Youth Association. Plast, an organisation that
promotes scouting in a Ukrainian speaking environment, holds the event
which has become a sign of the approaching summer. Taking place just as
the academic year winds down, “Sviato Vesny” celebrates the conclusion
of a long learning season and gives everyone taking part a taste of the
coming excitement of freedom from scholarly pursuits. With a relaxed approach,
over one hundred participants take part in a diverse schedule of activities.
Children
ranging in age from thirteen to eighteen took the hour and a half bus ride
to the “Plastova Sich” in Grafton, Ontario. Still groggy from the early
morning departure, the kids trudged their way to their temporary weekend
homes.But there would be no cabins
for these rugged scouts. Being the older, and thus more hardy “Yunaky”,
they would set up camp in the forest using tents for shelter, and fire
for heat and cooking.
If
you took a tour of the campground you would have seen a group of boys take
a pile of rope, tarp and logs, and create a working weatherproof field
kitchen, then proceed with a tantilizing stir fry dish made with pork,
onions, red/green peppers, mushrooms, cauliflower, broccolli, snow peas,
chow mein noodles, and soy sauce. Iron Chefs beware! Walk a little further
and you’d have noticed the girls busying themselves with hatchets as they
prepared a massive bonfire for the entire group.
The
event is not, however, simply about camping. There is a significant social
aspect to “Sviato Vesny”. Be it a game of Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, or
European Handball everyone gets involved in the activity. Even the occasional
rain delay didn’t phase anyone. With the showers coming to an end, a scavenger
hunt was organised. Showing their resourcefulness the kids grouped off
in their “kurins” and began searching for everything from cologne to poison
ivy.
As
the day’s activities concluded, the groups gathered for the traditional
closing bonfire. While the girls were responsible for MC-ing, it was everyone’s
responsibility to provide entertainment. Songs, skits and merriment took
over as laughter filled the night air. Then as the sky swelled with stars,
the kids made their way to the lakeside pavillion for a zabava filled with
music, dancing and glowsticks.
For
many “plastuny” this is their first taste of “Sviato Vesny” since Plast
has different programs for their younger (“Novaky” are in the 7-12 year
old range), and older members (“Yunaky” range in age between 13-18 years
old). The weekend let the older kids get familiarized with many aspects
of camping they would not have experienced as "Novaky”, and pulled them
away from the city for a little fresh air. They learned various important
camping skills and, with the help of Mother Nature, some discovered that
their tents needed some waterproofing work before they headed out for the
much anticipated multi-week camps taking place all over North America.