President’s Report of 2020 Activities - 52nd UTS General Assembly Sunday March 21, 2021
January: Although we did not sponsor it, UTS’ checking account was used to deposit funds donated through the very successful 2020 Маланка/Ukrainian New Year’s Eve celebration, organized by UTS member Svitlana Honchar, and held at the Ukrainian-American Citizens’ Club in Carnegie. Board member and UTS Secretary/Treasurer Nickolas Kotow was treasurer of the event. Over $1600 was sent in early February 2020, to recovering soldiers at the Lviv Medical Hospital. The soldiers are recovering from the Russian invasion of the Donbas region of Ukraine. Father Myron Horbovij, the chaplain of the hospital, distributed funds to needy healing soldiers ... on an individual-needs basis. At this point over 12,000 Ukrainians have been killed by the Russian invaders. (Photos of the funds distribution process are available on our UTS website.)
April: Our scholarship application process began, as well as our annual UTS scholarship donation appeal. Donors have been able to make donations online via PayPal since 2017. Board member, Andriy Bidochko monitors these transactions. Andriy also updates our website on a continuing basis.
July: We chose 27 Scholarship recipients, who received a total of $11,000 in scholarships. This was the 48th UTS scholarship program. The biggest contributor of $3000 was the Maria Hulai Lion foundation in New York City. Nickolas Kotow personally sent letter thanking the foundation for its continued support. George Honchar sent the chairman a Christmas card, which included the Ukrainian Weekly article about our scholarship program written by Nick Kotow.
In August: because of Covid, UTS was not able to hold its annual scholarship awards ceremony. Instead, most scholarship recipients living locally were handed their checks personally by President George Honchar. The remainder were sent their checks by USPS mail. As stated above, the UTS awarded scholarships to 27 very deserving students. Because of a limited amount of donations, coupled with more scholarship applications, a range in scholarship amounts was from $1000 to $250.
UTS board member and secretary/treasurer Nickolas Kotow authored articles about our scholarship program in the Ukrainian Weekly.
Our November event, the 50th annual UTS dinner dance had to be canceled because of the Covid pandemic. Instead, using a smaller venue, and inviting fewer people, UTS honored Staff Sergeant George Nestor with our UTS “Ukrainian Writers Award. The event was held at the Club at Nevillewood on November 8. George Nestor, a veteran of the Korean Conflict, and having served two tours in the Vietnam War, and serving in both the US Army and US Air Force, wrote many articles to newspapers and government officials in support of Ukraine, and Ukrainian-Americans. Nickolas C. Kotow wrote of the event in the Ukrainian Weekly.
The society continues to maintain a very professional and up-to-date website and Facebook page, which were monitored and updated by UTS board member Andriy Bidochko. He also began a linked in social media account for UTS in this past calendar year. We can also be found on the PittsburghUkrainians.com website.
As we enter our 52nd year, the board plans to continue to reach out to new and past members and to our employed UTS scholarship recipients, to build our membership numbers. Additionally, we are looking to have more opportunities to socialize and network, and to provide leadership and community activities, as we did with the 2020 Malanka. We will also make increased use of online services. Any suggestions?
Sincerely,
George Honchar
President
April: Our scholarship application process began, as well as our annual UTS scholarship donation appeal. Donors have been able to make donations online via PayPal since 2017. Board member, Andriy Bidochko monitors these transactions. Andriy also updates our website on a continuing basis.
July: We chose 27 Scholarship recipients, who received a total of $11,000 in scholarships. This was the 48th UTS scholarship program. The biggest contributor of $3000 was the Maria Hulai Lion foundation in New York City. Nickolas Kotow personally sent letter thanking the foundation for its continued support. George Honchar sent the chairman a Christmas card, which included the Ukrainian Weekly article about our scholarship program written by Nick Kotow.
In August: because of Covid, UTS was not able to hold its annual scholarship awards ceremony. Instead, most scholarship recipients living locally were handed their checks personally by President George Honchar. The remainder were sent their checks by USPS mail. As stated above, the UTS awarded scholarships to 27 very deserving students. Because of a limited amount of donations, coupled with more scholarship applications, a range in scholarship amounts was from $1000 to $250.
UTS board member and secretary/treasurer Nickolas Kotow authored articles about our scholarship program in the Ukrainian Weekly.
Our November event, the 50th annual UTS dinner dance had to be canceled because of the Covid pandemic. Instead, using a smaller venue, and inviting fewer people, UTS honored Staff Sergeant George Nestor with our UTS “Ukrainian Writers Award. The event was held at the Club at Nevillewood on November 8. George Nestor, a veteran of the Korean Conflict, and having served two tours in the Vietnam War, and serving in both the US Army and US Air Force, wrote many articles to newspapers and government officials in support of Ukraine, and Ukrainian-Americans. Nickolas C. Kotow wrote of the event in the Ukrainian Weekly.
The society continues to maintain a very professional and up-to-date website and Facebook page, which were monitored and updated by UTS board member Andriy Bidochko. He also began a linked in social media account for UTS in this past calendar year. We can also be found on the PittsburghUkrainians.com website.
As we enter our 52nd year, the board plans to continue to reach out to new and past members and to our employed UTS scholarship recipients, to build our membership numbers. Additionally, we are looking to have more opportunities to socialize and network, and to provide leadership and community activities, as we did with the 2020 Malanka. We will also make increased use of online services. Any suggestions?
Sincerely,
George Honchar
President
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