Date: Sunday, March 18th 2012, 1:30 p.m.

Cost: Free, registration required by calling Denise Nichols (757) 385 0126

Part 1. Following the novel.

It happened at the end of September 2003, I was moving again and this time into my own house. Actually it was the house of my future husband George Makowiec, who lived then in Seaford, Virginia. Now we live here, in Virginia together as one happy family near the historical places like Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Jamestown.

This same place was described in the book “Gone with the Wind” by the great American writer Margaret Mitchell, a novel that has become classic since. At once I was captivated by this genius creation of the famous American writer, as well as by the autobiography of that famous woman. When the movie was made based on that same novel, I was trying to see the movie every time I had a chance. It was only natural the book “Gone with the Wind” became my favorite, and still is, even today. I brought a copy with me when I came to this country from Ukraine, though it was a Russian translation.

At that time, even in my dreams I never hoped I would be able to visit the United States, which seemed so far away. The United States of America, that vast and unreachable country for us, people of the Soviet Union, was, as you may say, taboo, though every young student knew that people in the United States lived much better than in the Soviet Union. That’s why every piece of knowledge about the United States was so desirable. And then everything changed…

And now, it has been thirty years (though it’s not such a long time for the human history); now I live in the United States of America! How could you not believe that “God works in mysterious ways”? But not only that I moved here, I also found here my love and soul mate (like in a fairy tale – in the far and away land). Having moved here, I settled at the place that I’d been dreaming about; I was walking down the streets so artfully described in the novel of my favorite writer, fantastic Margaret Mitchell! When I found out about that I could hardly contain my excitement! Was it a true miracle or a gift from God? When I visit the historical places where the United States of America were born, I feel like I am meeting the famous American writer.

But again, more and more often I feel certain that nothing happens in our life by random; everything, as they say, happens for a reason. Some people prefer sit and wait for the “its highness chance” and they shouldn’t do that because, as they say, “Seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened…” The main goal of one’s life is to find your road and follow it till the end. And so, my winding road brought me to the USA, and as soon as I got settled, at that time in New Jersey, somebody appeared in my life, willing to share my road with me. Who do you think that was? My future husband, George. I am not going into all the details of our very romantic meeting, as that deserves to be a theme of the separate novel in the future.

So it happened, Virginia was inviting me to live there now. The Commonwealth of Virginia, the southern state, with the new and different ways of living, with new people to meet and friends to make. Even at first site, it was rather different from New Jersey, with its slower pace and conservative views. In short – South. Though I came here not from the Ukraine (which is so far, but still is so close to my heart), but from the North of the same country… The hardest thing for me to deal with was that in that area the Ukrainian population was not anywhere close to the size of the Ukrainian Diaspora in New Jersey: there was no Ukrainian school or Ukrainian church, where I enjoyed volunteering so much. All my new friends were now too far away from me and my son. I had to look for a new job and get used to “our new place”. But here in Virginia, I had with me, side by side, my only one, my love – George. He helped me as only he could. As a gentleman, he took my burden to “carry on his shoulders”. So he deserves not just a short story, but a whole novel and not in prose, but in verse which I promise I will write for him very soon…

Through the gracious hospitality of Father Alex Shuter, we are able to hold the party
in the church hall that is part of Ascension of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church in
Williamsburg (directions are at the end of this article). There is an attached kitchen that
can be used for any heating of food.

The TUCA Board will be providing the normal party material (plates, silverware, etc).
Additionally the Board has arranged for the purchase of varenykiv (potato filled) for
the party. We will also provide soft drinks for the children attending the party. Other
beverages should be brought with you if something different or specific is desired.

We request that people attending bring a prepared dish to share with the group. The
preferred dish would be a Ukrainian style item that is appropriate to the season.

We will have a “For The Children Fund” collection box for voluntary donations, where all
funds will go to support a children associated effort in Ukraine. We will have information
available concerning past activities that TUCA has sponsored.

2006 Christmas Stamp:
Svyatyi Mykolai as a person who brings the Christmas gifts for children, the feast of which is marked on 19 December. It is supposed, that children should find their Christmas gifts under their pillow on that morning.

The TUCA Board has authorized some small gifts for attending children. We would like
to include a program pageant this year centered on children. We are allowing time in
the schedule of events for any child who would like to perform. We encourage children
to perform according to their interests (poem, songs, musical instruments, etc.).

Now for the specifics:

When: Sunday, December 18, 2011 scheduled from 4PM to 7PM
Where: Ascension of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church
114 Palace Lane, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Directions (off of I-64)
Take exit 238 on to VA-143 E toward Williamsburg/Colonial (and go 0.7 mi)

Turn right onto VA-132 S (go 1.2 mi)
Take the 1st right onto US-60 W/Bypass Rd (go 0.8 mi)
Turn right onto Palace Lane … (go 0.1 mi.) … Church will be on the left

Questions concerning the party can be directed to me

(Myron Bilyj, Phone: (757) 850-1873, Email: crusier27@cox.net)

Jacques Hnizdovsky Christmas Card

First Landing State Park, 2500 Shore Drive in Virginia Beach.
Scheduled hours for TUCA activities are from 3 PM to 6 PM in Picnic Shelter 1.

Braving dirt-blowing severe winds, the visitors were nonetheless enthralled to hear Joanna explain and illustrate how the beautiful tradition of pysanky are “written.” Joanna gave the children paper pysanky designs to take home to color.

Myron Bilyj, our festival chairman, explained the history of how other nations sporadically succeeded and failed to conquer Ukraine. Andy Grynewytsch played “customs agent” as he stamped the children’s “passports” With a “Ukraine” stamp. Elaine Hampton, co-chairman, asked and showed the visitors where Ukraine is located on a map, and also wrote their names in Ukrainian.

Elaine explained how our flag illustrates Ukraine being called the “breadbasket of Europe”: the blue represents the sky, the gold represents the wheat fields. Olena Boyko (with the help of her granddaughter, Lilliana,) sold Ukrainian items as part of fundraising for the orphanages. Ukrainian items, loaned by Myron, Andy, Elaine, Olena, Joanna and Melanie Paul, helped to add to the cultural décor of the entire tent. It was another successful endeavor by TUCA to educate the public about the beauty and uniqueness of Ukraine.

All TUCA members are invited. Anyone interested in meeting our membership and finding out about the organization is welcome to attend. We request that attendees bring a dish. The preferred dish would be a Ukrainian style item that is appropriate to the Spring/Easter timeframe. Your favorite Drinks will also be appreciated.

The TUCA Board will provide to the membership information on the results of TUCA involvement in the International Children’s Festival (ICF), which was held on April 16, 2011 in downtown Hampton’s Mill Point Park.

This year TUCA will participate in the International Children’s Festival (ICF), which will be held on April 16, 2011 in downtown Hampton’s Mill Point Park. The ICF provides a unique opportunity for children and their families to experience the sights, sounds, and cuisine of distant places, with over 30 countries and cultures represented. These will showcase their respective heritages through entertainment, food, and educational exhibits based on Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOLs). Last year there were over 15,000 people who attended the festival.

For further information about the ICF visit http://www.hampton.gov/parks/icf/, or contact the coordinators, Myron Bilyj or Elaine Hampton.