BRAMA, January 2, 2000, 2:00pm EST

Kobzar Society to ship first computers to Ukraine schools

LEHIGHTON, PA, January 2, 2001—The Kobzar Society, Ltd., a non-profit organization chartered to improve the access to knowledge of Ukrainian students, has announced it is ready to ship its first installment of recent model computers to Ukraine as part of its "Computers for Ukraine" humanitarian initiative.

In the photo from left to right: Stephan Reshetylo, President, Microapex Computer Systems, Allentown, Pa. Orest J. Hanas, President, Kobzar Society Christine J. Hanas, Director Eugene Mychajliw, Director & Treasurer The goal of "Computers for Ukraine" is to establish computer labs across country, and connect students to each other and the rest of the world.

The Society, which is comprised of volunteer business and community leaders, and private citizens from throughout the United States, has been working diligently over the past year to prepare for the first shipment. Society members have met with Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and other government officials to gain acceptance of the program in Ukraine as a humanitarian aid project, and ensure that no importation or taxation barriers prevent the computers from reaching the country’s schools and libraries. In addition, the Kobzar Society has secured initial funding from donors, and has collected more than 100 computers to date. The Society has also established a technical and logistical center in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and has staffed it with volunteers who will test donated computers and prepare them for shipment.

According to Orest J. Hanas, president of the Kobzar Society, the goal of the program is to "empower a nation by connecting the people."

"Computer technology is a vital pathway to a free and democratic society, and a strong economy," explains Hanas. "We take that for granted in our country. Many American businesses have perfectly good first-generation Pentiums collecting dust in storage rooms. For the children of Ukraine, these discarded computers are gold. Our program is simple, but it is expensive. We are calling upon all members of the Ukrainian community in North America to help us by donating used computers or money—and, in doing so, help empower Ukraine’s younger generation."

Hanas calculates that it will cost the Society about $200 to collect, test, modify and ship each computer, and about $300 per year for Internet access. To leverage the benefits of the program, the Society wants to set up computer labs with Internet access in schools and libraries throughout the country, in both rural and urban areas.

To help administrate the program in Ukraine, the Society has established partnerships with a number of non-profit organizations, including Rotary Clubs of Ukraine, which is working with the Rotary Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania, plus the Lviv Charity Foundation for Humanitarian Initiatives, the Lviv Regional Ecological Children's Center, and the Caritas Foundation, Ivano Frankivsk.

The computers that have already been funded are being sent to schools in the Lviv, Ternopil, Volyn, Kyiv, Rivne and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts.

Individuals or groups wishing to support the program can designate a particular city or village where they would like to see a computer lab installed. The Society will honor such requests and place plaques listing the benefactors in the local lab.

"This is a terrific way for Ukrainian Americans and Canadians to honor their parents and grandparents—by establishing a lab in a town or village from where their family came from," adds Hanas.

For those who wish to donate computer hardware, the Society prefers Pentium I or later model PCs, or comparable-generation Mac computers. It is also collecting printers, modems and other peripherals.

Individuals wishing to support the program are encouraged to contact Mr. Hanas at the Kobzar Society, P.O. Box 37, Lehighton, PA, 18235, or by fax, (610)-377-3383. Additional information is also available at the Society’s website: http://www.kobzarsociety.org.

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