University of Calgary Ukrainian Students' Society

The Ukrainian Student's Society, at the University of Calgary, has a new President!  Kathryn Owad is a third year science student, majoring
in Biology! Besides that she is a PLAST member, and youth leader/counsellor on Saturdays, and has willingly given up her summers to be a camp counsellor/leader too!  And she has been dancing with Barvinok Ukrainian Dancers, for 16 years. 

The Ukrainian Student's Society at the Univeristy of Calgary has been a welcoming place since Kathryn's first year of studies.  Since many PLAST friends were actively involved, she instantly felt at home, and extended an arm to welcome others.  She served on various executive positions, but was made President just recently!  Congratulations, Kathryn!

President Kathryn (and Former President Andrij Butynets - who were both recently counsellors at PLAST's summer camp for novaky - at Camp Bar-V-Nok, Pigeon Lake) recently told me of their first Ukrainian Student's Society event for the 2012-13 season - it was a Perogie dinner and perogie eating contest! Their first social gathering, it was basically a meet and greet to involve our old and new members.  And the winner of the perogie eating contest (which involved THIRTEEN competitors) got a bottle of Ukrainian vodka followed by continued socializing at the University bar "The Den".

The Ukrainian Student's Society welcomes all students to their next event,  "Music Bingo Night" which will be on October 9 at "The Den".  They will feature three categories of music (Classic rock, top 40's, and Ukrainian").  Prizes will be awarded to those who recognize the songs!

Their third event is the "Ukraine vs. Poland's annual soccer match," which will be held
October 19th and is pretty much just a big cultural competition between
the USS and the Polish club! Kathryn says they are still sorting out main details but
it's always a fun time, and Ukraine almost always wins!

Their future events include: Holodomor awareness at St. Vlads with a small presentation by the club. EURO CUP 2013 which is a soccer tournament against different clubs, some of which include: Polish, British, French, German, and Spanish clubs, and is mainly organized by their USS executive! (who, it seems, won the tournament last year!!).
The club also hosts a pysanka painting workshop, a dance workshop, and a Ukrainian cuisine night/garlic eating contest, coming up in the new year!!!
Kathryn shared another interesting bit about the group.  She says that the USS executive likes to do is play "Mario Cart" in our clubs office (which is graciously provided by the U of C! The Ukrainian Student's Society club room is a gathering place where there is always gaming going on and it has become a club tradition to play on study breaks!

Come and visit at MSC 279-I. The office is located in the Macewan Clubs area in the corner of Macewan Hall by 'Stor'.
So, if you are aware of Ukrainian students needing a Ukrainian welcome at the U of C, please pass this information along! 

ps - Congrats to the club for their generous and enthusiastic welcome!  Good luck with your events!!  Sounds like fun!

Their contact info is:
Email - uss@ucalgary.ca
office - MSC 279I (Mac hall)
Phone # - 403-220-7012
Website - www.usscalgary.org
Facebook page: University of Calgary Ukrainian Students' Society

http://susk.ca/media/publication/

When is MALANKA 2013? Not too early to book the date!!

The Calgary Plast Ukrainian Scouting Association (PLAST) is again planning for their annual MALANKA!  A really special event, the PLAST MALANKA brings a Calgary Western Flare to the Ukrainian New Year celebration called Malanka.  Plast has a lot of experience with this event, it has been on the calendar each year for.....well at least over 10 years - and each year we dance til the band begs to go home!!



uocvancouver.com

A Ukrainian Malanka is a formerly rural celebration of the New Year. In the deep winter in Ukraine, people would perform traditional plays and skits marking the mystical turn of time.  Calgary PLAST Ukrainan Scouts is also a mix of old and new traditions - each year their program of activities seems to broaden its vision of what is means to be Ukrainian and Canadian.  Calgary PLAST's MALANKA is really a very impressive black tie event in modern downtown Calgary!  It's a special, dress up affair!

Calgary PLAST is again hosting two bands for their 2013 Ukrainian New Years Malanka. Performing that evening will be the two Dance Bands from Calgary, "Zhyto" and "The Real Deal". Also performing will be Stephania Romaniuk, Tanya Chumak, and TRYZUB Dance Ensemble.  Non stop dancing is guaranteed - with a mix of blues, R&B, funk, soul, swing and beyond, and then enthusiatic toetapping traditional Ukrainian dance band sounds, how can you beat it?

I always have such a fun time at Malanka - it's a good party, good company and such a lot of fun seeing friends after the family clutch of the Christmas holidays.  Time to kick up a kolomeyka or something. 

PLAST’s Malanka 2013 will be held on Saturday, January 19, at The Calgary Petroleum Club.

Here's a sample of Zhyto playing - Komaryk - The Mosquito!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v2LKVCbTvM