The Ukrainian Museum's Malanka 2001

One of the most exciting events that is fast becoming a New York tradition is the Ukrainian Museum's annual New Year's dinner dance, the Malanka. This year, to welcome the year 2001, the event was held in the popular restaurant Tavern on the Green, in legendary Central Park in mid-Manhattan. According to the Julian calendar and Ukrainian tradition, the New Year arrived on the stroke of midnight on January 13^th.

This year also, Malanka 2001 was the kick off event for what promises to be a year-long celebration, marking the Museum's 25^th anniversary. More than 250 elegantly dressed guests, for the most part a younger crowd first gathered for cocktails, later retired to a richly adorned, mirrored banquet room that glowed with thousands of lights. The dinner menu proposed a choice of Chilean sea bass or filet mignon. The guests enveloped in the ebullient spirit of the evening, enjoyed the good food and danced to the lively music of the orchestra Montage. Vocalist Nestor Kyzymyshyn entertained with a few songs, while Master of Ceremony Orest Kyzyk kept the verve of the party on a high, even keel. The huge windows of the fabled restaurant allowed a pristine view of the snow covered vista of the park, thus serving as an almost fairy tale-like backdrop for the effervescent ambiance of the party indoors.

The event was organized by the Special Events Committee on the Board of Trustees of the Museum. The Committee, chaired by Tatiana Tershakovec has as its task the creation of events cultural and entertaining in nature, that will also serve as fundraisers. Malanka 2001 raised over $50,000 in cash and pledges to the Building Fund.

This year the sponsors of this event, whose support contributed greatly to its success were: Dr. Roman and Anna Alyskewycz, Orest and Lidia Bilous, Dr. Areta Podhorodecki and Zenon Chernyk, Bohdan and Lydia Hajduczok, Roman Hawrylak and Maria Tershakovec Hawrylak, Timish and Anna Hnateyko, Dr. Arthur and Irene Hryhorowych, Dr. Jaroslaw and Alla Leshko, Orest and Daria Temnycky, Dr. Andrew and Tatiana Tershakovec, Lydia Zaininger and the corporation Western Union Money Transfer.

Olha Hnateyko, President of the Board of Trustees greeted the guests with the New Year and shared with them the good news that the Museum received a major gift from Eugene and Daymel Shklar - $2.5 million outright donation to the Building Fund and a $1 million Challenge Grant, designed to match any donation to the Museum, dollar for dollar, up to $1 million, between November 2000 and the end of December 2001.

The Board President informed the audience that the gift will allow the Museum to begin construction of its new building on East Sixth Street in Lower Manhattan, in the Spring this year. The original design plans of architect George Sawicki will be utilized.

Many individuals contributed their time and effort to make the Malanka dinner/dance an unequivocally wonderful and unforgettable experience for those present. The work input by members of the Special Events Committee, with Lydia Hajduczok as the liaison with the Museum's Administration, is to be applauded. The humorous drawing on the invitation to the event was created by caricaturist Orest (Gogo) Slupchunsky.

The Museum is poised on the threshold of its 25^th year. Although this is an impressive length of time in its life, in reality these were the fledging years for the institution. The Museum had to find its footing, develop a strong base for its agenda, encourage support, and make a name for itself. In a quarter of a century the Museum has done just that - it became a viable member and leader in its community and a respected institution among its peers. Hard work, consistently professional quality programs and consistent support of the people who subscribe to the belief that the Ukrainian cultural legacy is to be treasured and preserved for future generations of Ukrainian Americans, have underwritten the Museum's achievements and successes.

The crowning glory of its twenty-five year journey will be a new museum building, a modern, state-of-the-art facility, a showcase for what is best in the Ukrainian culture and experience. This achievement of paramount importance to Ukrainians in the United States, Canada and to Ukraine is being made possible with the great generosity of the Ukrainian people, and will mark the beginning of a new exciting journey for the Museum that will last for many years to come.

Marta Baczynsky
Press & Public Relations

The Ukrainian Museum 203 Second Avenue (bet. 12th & 13th Sts.) New York, NY 10003 Wed. thru Sun. 1-5PM (212) 228-0110 e-mail: info@UkrainianMuseum.org * www.ukrainianmuseum.org