Windsor and Detroit area residents who had their roots in Ridna Shkola and UNYF at the Ukrainian National Federation (UNF), 1033 Ottawa Street, Windsor in the 1940s and 1950s were searching for a way to maintain friendships and contacts in the late 1960s. Diversified schooling and careers, geographic distance, marriages and young families prevented them from seeing each other except for occasional encounters at the UNF Hall for the Jordan Dinner or Annual Bazaar.
A core group of these people; Emil and Barbara Pociluyko, Roman and Vicki (Bobyk) Maksimowich, Dennis and Kathy (Syroid) Galay, Leo and Pat Zeleney, Ted and Arlene (Kosikowsky) McCabe, Michael and Maria (Woloschuk) Lyzen, Don and Nina (Mudry) Nedin and Don and Oresta (Woloshyn) Karalash started an investment club as a focus to meet on a monthly basis. The Partnership Agreement for the Trident Investment Club was signed on January 19, 1969. In the ensuing years, others with similar backgrounds and associations, including Dr Walter and Gloria Yaworsky, Bud and Barbara Kosikowsky, Bob and Anne Lysy, Dr Walter and Yvonna Romanow, Ihor Zeleney and Dr George and Nina Zeleney joined the club.
Although the club was founded for social reasons and members still consider our meetings to be social outings, we are serious about the business aspect of our meetings. The operating structure of the club is based on the guidelines of the National Association of Investment Clubs. Meetings are held monthly at a members home (within a 100 kilometer radius of Windsor) or as part of an outing such as our May meeting at the Tin Goose Inn on Pelee Island. At the close of each meeting we sing Mnohaya Lita to those with a birthday or anniversary during the month. We also announce upcoming functions at the various halls and churches which we support.
In the early 1980s, a few of the Trident members returned to formally join the UNF and Ukrainian Womens Organization (UWO) branches in Windsor, where their parents before them had been active. Gradually, other members of the club reunited with their Ridna Shkola background as full UNF and UWO members. Today, many of the Trident members are on these executives and have taken a lead in the rejuvenation of the Windsor Branch.
Seeing the closeness and fun that their parents enjoyed prompted several of our children to form their own investment club, New Kids. As an added bonus, some of these have joined UNF and UWO. New Kids have sponsored several Halloween parties at the UNF Hall and donated the proceeds back to the hall. They continue as solid supporters of UNF and UWO functions such as the Jordan Dinner, Annual Bazaar, Easter Egg Bingo, Picnic and Scholarship Tea. They also participate in UNFs annual Christmas Caroling.
Over the years, Trident has served to deepen the bonds and support that we have for each other as well as maintain friendships that started 50-60 years ago in Ridna Shkola at the Ukrainian National Federation Hall in Windsor.