Nasha Doroha ~ Post 2006
At the first Nasha Doroha meeting held in Edmonton, AB on November 7, 2007 the Nasha Doroha Advisory Board, consisting of Luba Kowalchyk, National President; Oksana Bashuk Hepburn, Editor; Patrice Detz, Nasha Doroha Financial Administrator and Distributor of issues; and Rosemarie Nahnybida, Nasha Doroha National Coordinator, met to discuss matters arising from the 22ndUCWLC Congress in Toronto (July 2007). At this meeting a course of action was planned for the next three years (2007-2010) while National UCWLC Executive was in Edmonton.
Here are some of the things that were carried out in those three years in relation to Nasha Doroha:
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First, regarding the MMOR Resolution, as had often been stated since 2005, there was an ongoing need to increase UCWLC membership and Nasha Doroha readership, and to have a concerted effort—a plan(s) suitable throughout branches and eparchies. One way that this was done during those three years was to take backdated issues of Nasha Doroha—those which had been accumulating in Patrice Detz’s garage as was reported at the Congress in Toronto—and make them available at various places for people to hopefully pick up, peruse, read, and possibly even subscribe to. One never knows if one doesn’t try, and action was taken to seize upon this opportunity to create an awareness of our publication. Over 1,000 backdated copies of Nasha Doroha were put out at various events, for example at the UCC Congress in Winnipeg, MB (Oct. 2007/500 copies), WUCWO (World Union of Catholic Women Organization) Winnipeg, MB (August 2008/400 copies) and around 200 issues were sent to Ukraine through Hope International. All this was done with no costs involved. Through a personal contact of Patrice Detz’s in Regina, all these issues were brought to Winnipeg free of charge. This was accomplished by UCWLC members such as Stephanie Bilyj, Shirley Lisowski, and Patrice Detz. Also, backdated issues were passed out at some rural parishes with no UCWLC branches, at seniors’ homes, and at hotel lobbies (with Ukrainian connections). Copies of Nasha Doroha (Fall Issue 2008) were put out at the 75th Holodomor Commemorations and at other cultural events such as Heritage Days/Ukrainian Pavilion/and UCWLC Museum tent/Edmonton. The accumulation in Patrice’s garage was reduced as well by cutting down on numbers of issues printed. 5,300 issues were being printed, 5,000 members, 300 were being left over—by 2010 there were only 79 left over after each printing.
The practice of providing non-UCWLC members who had provided articles for Nasha Doroha by giving them a complimentary copy of Nasha Doroha was encouraged. During the 2007-2010 term, a considerable number of complimentary copies were given or sent to Nasha Doroha contributors.
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Second, backdated issues of Nasha Doroha were put online. Since this matter had been brought up by the previous National Executives and Nasha Doroha Editorial Boards, it was decided at the first Nasha Doroha meeting in November 2007, to delve into this matter further. A motion was passed to check into the possibility of getting this done. After considerable research and consultation, the findings were presented to the National Executive at the Plenary held in April 2008 in Edmonton. Another motion was passed at this time authorizing the proposal that the backdated issues of Nasha Doroha be put online with appropriate monetary compensation to the technical person for doing the work. Ihor Kodak was asked, he agreed, and undertook the task of putting all the issues online back to Summer 2003 (this was when he took over the technical production from Sylvia Baran). The first two issues were online by April 22, 2008 and, as of January 2020, there were 52 backdated issues online.
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Third, at that first Nasha Doroha meeting (Nov. 2007) the possibility of enhancing the UCWLC website was discussed. By May 2010, with the hiring of Stephan Bodnar, a graphic designer from Alberta, by National Executive, this was accomplished. The website was built through Stefan’s freelance design practice and his Flashcube Design Company. Nasha Doroha information was put on this enhanced website. As of June 1, 2010, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Nasha Doroha, nine history articles dating from the early beginnings of ND to more recent times (in English and Ukrainian) were put online. In addition, the list of Nasha Doroha Editorial Board members (2007-2010) was put online along with the Nasha Doroha Policy Paper (in both languages), current guidelines (in both languages), and the subscription form. Prior to this time, Peter and Glikeria Iwanuck, had put on the Nasha Doroha Editorial Board list, the subscription form, and the Nasha Doroha Policy Paper (in English only) online.
During the 2007-2010 term, National Executive compiled the Nasha Doroha Handbook (Підручник). At the National Plenary April 2008, a motion was passed to have a handbook printed for use by the National Executive, eparchial representatives, and others when needed. As of May 2010, the Handbook consisting of Nasha Doroha history (9 articles), Nasha Doroha Policy Paper, Current Guidelines, Duties and Responsibilities of Edit Board members, and other information was compiled. The Ukrainian translations were completed, and the Handbook was printed and assembled into binders. At the 23rd UCWLC Congress in Edmonton (July 5-8, 2010) the handbooks were distributed to the Nasha Doroha Editorial Board members and eparchial presidents in attendance.
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Also, a Nasha Doroha Display was put together to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the magazine.
At the 23rd Congress, after ten years of dedicated service as Nasha Doroha Financial Administrator and Distributor of issues, Patrice Detz retired from her position. She was recognized, thanked, and presented with a token of appreciation for her enormous contribution to our publication.
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From 2010-2013 while UCWLC National Executive was in Saskatchewan, the Nasha Doroha Advisory Board consisted of Gloria Leniuk, National President; Oksana Bashuk Hepburn, Editor; Elizabeth Zahayko, Nasha Doroha Financial Administrator; and Gloria Leniuk as National Nasha Doroha Coordinator.* PrintWest Communications in Regina, SK continued to print issues, and was hired to handle the packaging and distribution. Previously, this had been done by Patrice Detz and her husband Nestor. Ihor Kodak continued in the position of technical production of Nasha Doroha.
A highlight of this term was the compiling of the 2nd Nasha Doroha Anthology commemorating the 120-year anniversary of Ukrainians in Canada, and the 100th anniversary of our first Ukrainian Catholic Bishop, Mykyta Budka, in Canada. The remarkable 100+ page—“Антологія Оповідань – Нас 1.300.000 Stories – An Anthology”—special edition of Nasha Doroha, by editor Oksana Bashuk Hepburn was a collection of stories representing 120 years of Ukrainian settlement in Canada. It had six sections: Departing/Покидаємо, Settling/Поселення, Remembering/Пригадуємо, Contributing/Внесок, Returning/Поворот, and Going Forward/Вперед andwas published in2012. The long-awaited, much anticipated Anthology was distributed to branches by late September 2012. Promotion of this Anthology was encouraged by having it launched in the eparchies/archeparchy. Complimentary copies were provided by National Executive on request.† All this was done with the hope of creating a greater awareness of our UCWLC organization and its publication.
At the 24th UCWLC Congress held in Saskatoon, SK (June 27-29, 2013), Oksana Bashuk Hepburn was thanked, recognized for her 13 years of service, and given a fond farewell for her retirement as editor. Newly hired editor, Andrea Kopylech, was introduced and welcomed.
During the 2013-2016 term, when the National Executive was located at the Winnipeg Archeparchy, the Nasha Doroha Advisory Board consisted of Sophie Manulak, National UCWLC President; Elizabeth Zahayko, Nasha Doroha Financial Administrator; Andrea Kopylech, Editor; and Nasha Doroha Coordinator, Gloria Leniuk, HLM. Distribution of issues continued to be done by PrintWest in Regina, SK. Six issues (some combined) of Nasha Doroha were printed and distributed during this term—with Andrea’s last issue (Fall #50) arriving to the branches in 2016.
Mid-December 2015 editor Andrea Kopylech resigned. Consequently, by January 2016 the search was on for a new editor. Olena Wawryshyn applied for the position—a UCWLC member from Toronto Eparchy with extensive journalism experience. After much discussion and consultation with National Executive/Winnipeg Archeparchy and Nasha Doroha Editorial Board, members approved a plan to hire Olena Wawryshyn as editor of Nasha Doroha. However, regretfully last minute, Olena had to go in a different direction.
At that point the new Executive in Toronto sought an alternate appointee. They were able to find Larysa Hrynda who willingly took on the position of editor. Larysa studied journalism in Lviv, Ukraine. She immigrated to Canada over twenty years ago. Parish member and active UCWLC member at St. Josaphat Cathedral in Toronto, she worked at the newspaper New Pathway and co-edited the journal Women’s World for the Ukrainian National Federation. Eparchial presidents and Nasha Doroha representatives across Canada endorsed the hiring of Larysa. On August 27, 2016 she was officially hired as the new editor of Nasha Doroha.
During the 2016-2019 term, while National Executive was in Toronto, the Nasha Doroha Advisory Board consisted of Marusia Barszczyk, National UCWLC President; Elizabeth Zahayko, Nasha Doroha Financial Administrator; Larysa Hrynda, editor; and National Nasha Doroha Coordinator, June Herkner. Nine issues of Nasha Doroha were printed during these three years. PrintWest in Saskatchewan continued with printing and distributing of issues. Several national teleconferences were held—most of which dealt with Nasha Doroha matters including discussion of the Nasha Doroha Reserve Fund—as well as the proposed resolutions for the 26th National UCWLC Congress. A committee headed by Marusia Kobrynsky was set up to research Nasha Doroha finances including the Nasha Doroha Reserve Fund. At the 26th National UCWLC Congress held in Toronto (October 4-6, 2019: a motion to “suspend the collection of the funds of the donation to Nasha Doroha Reserve Fund for the next three years” was passed.
Currently, the National Executive is in Edmonton for the 2019-2022 term. The Nasha Doroha Advisory Board consists of Barbara Hlus, National UCWLC President; Elizabeth Zahayko, Nasha Doroha Financial Administrator, Larysa Hrynda and Lyrissa Sheptak as Co-Editors; and National Nasha Doroha Coordinator, Rosemarie Nahnybida. Ihor Kodak continues his position with Technical Production—which he has been doing since 2003. 2020 is the 50th anniversary of Nasha Doroha. To commemorate this historic milestone of the UCWLC journal, a special edition of Nasha Doroha has been planned.
Rosemarie Nahnybida
* Although Joyce Kniaz was elected as Nasha Doroha National Coordinator at the 23rd Congress, she was unable to fulfill her position because of health reasons, and as a result, Gloria Leniuk took on Joyce’s role as Coordinator as well as being National President.
† For example, the 2nd Anthology was launched at Edmonton Eparchy in October 2012. Over 100 complimentary copies were provided free of charge by National and distributed to all Ukrainian Catholic priests in Alberta, Ukrainian bilingual schools in Edmonton and area, to prominent Ukrainian individuals and organizations, and to those individuals who had submitted articles, photos, artwork, etc. to the Anthology.