Firecrosser - Special Premiere

This has been a good year for seeing Ukrainian movies. First goodbye Ukraine was screend at the Ronces Theatre and now Firecrosser will be screened by Ivan Franko Home in Mississauga.

Wikipedia has this to say about the film:
Firecrosser (Ukrainian: Той, хто пройшов крізь вогонь) is a 2011 Ukrainian drama film directed by Mykhailo Illienko. The film was selected as the Ukrainian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firecrosser

You can view a trailer on Youtube as well:

From Hens to the Holodomor

This event is co-sponsored by Ukrainian Canadian Congress, National Holodomor Awareness Committee and the Ukrainian Canadian Students' Union (or SUSK as it is more commonly known). You can't go wrong with Orwell, especially Animal Farm, so this should be a pretty good evening to see what interesting angles/lessons Andrea Chalupa can give us that ties the political system described in the book back to the real-life system that managed to give us something as awful as the Holodomor.

Rock School update

The voting began yesterday and already hundreds of people have expressed their opinions! (If you haven't voted yet then go to our facebook page to vote: https://www.facebook.com/ucuykc - or go directly to all four videos.)

As of 10:30am on September 26 the vote goes as follows:

Zapovid: 318 votes

Torontula: 296 votes

DoVira: 52 votes

PYX: 19 votes

So looks at the moment that it is going to be a big battle between Zapovid and Torontula. However, there are still many days to vote (contest closes October 6). We've noticed a bit of a trend here and that is that the vote roughly correlates to the number of times each video has been shared.

Zapovid: 43 shares

Torontula: 33 shares

DoVira: 4 shares

PYX: 2 shares

So if you want your favourites band to win, then share their video out to your friends so that they can vote too.

Also, don;t forget, if you like our page, you have a chance to win a few prizes. The top prize is $100 deposited into your Ukrainian Credit Union Limited account.

Who won Rock School?

Four Toronto bands attended Rock school this year with Kozak System just before the festival started. Torontula, PYX, Zapovid and DoVira each played in front of the members of Kozak System and then received some constructive criticism from the band members.

Then on Thursday September 13, the bands performed a graduation concert at earth on Bloor Street.

Now it is your turn to decide who is the best band of the four and who will win the GRAND PRIZE of one day at a professional recording studio at Loud Mouse Productions (valued at $1,000)

The contest starts September 24 on the Ukrainian Credit Union Limited Facebook page. All you have to do is click like on the video of the band that you think did the best job.

Also, if you "LIKE" our Facebook page, you will be entered into a draw to win some prizes too including $100 deposited into your Ukrainian Credit Union Limited account.

If you missed this year's Ukrainian Rock School, don't worry, the videos below will give you a good idea of each band's caliber. Also, make sure you don't miss it next year.

Will you vote for PYX? Click here to view their video.

Will you vote for Torontula? Click here to view their video.

Will you vote for DoVira? Click here to view their video.

Will you vote for Zapovid? Click here to view their video.

VOTING ENDS AT midnight October 6.

Семінар: ПЛАНУЄТЕ ПРИДБАТИ ВЛАСНЕ ЖИТЛО?

Sudbury Soup Kitchen on Undercover Boss

Bob Johnston at the Blue Door Soup Kitchen in Sudbury where he
handles PR. Bob is at the centre of the photo wearing blue jeans.

From a story in the Sudbury Star by Jonathan Migneault:

A Sudbury soup kitchen will soon gain national recognition on the popular TV show Undercover Boss Canada.

Last March, a film crew spent a day at the Blue Door Soup Kitchen under the guise of a documentary about food banks and soup kitchens across the country. The documentary was ruse to get Katharine Schmidt, the executive director of Food Banks Canada, undercover as a new trainee at three food banks and one soup kitchen across Canada.

Bob Johnston, who handles public relations with the downtown Blue Door Soup Kitchen, was shadowed by a woman who had introduced herself as Shelley, during an ordinary day at the soup kitchen. “I was supposed to train her as though she was going to take my job on Monday morning,” Johnston said.

Why are we telling you about this? Because Bob is the husband of one of our staff at the Sudbury branch, MSR Denise Johnston.

You can read more of this story at the Sudbury Star web site:  http://www.thesudburystar.com/2013/09/16/sudbury-soup-kitchen-featured-on-undercover-boss-canada

“МОЛОДЬ ЗМІНИТЬ УКРАЇНУ”: Богдан Гаврилишин

Bohdan Hawrylyshyn: “Dream Boldly and be Proud of Your Roots”  By Walter Derzko

The following is an exclusive interview conducted by Walter Derzko for New Pathway with Dr. Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, from Geneva, Switzerland, on the eve of his presentation and book launch on Sunday, September 22 at 3 pm at the Husulak Plast building, 516 The Kingsway (at Kipling) in Toronto. RSVP to Bohdan Myndiuk at 416-418-9609. The first 40 youth will receive a free copy of his book: “Remaining Ukrainian”.

UCU Director Awarded Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Olya Sheweli, UCU Director

Ukrainian Credit Union Limited Director Olya Sheweli will be honoured on September 26 with a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal. The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal was created to honour Her Majesty's 60 years of work on behalf of Canadians, and to recognize Canadians who exemplify a similar dedication to their community.

Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal will be awarded to:

Olya Sheweli

Bozhena Iwanusiw

Valentina Kuryliw

Irka Mycak

Mary Szkambara

Hania Szyptur

Oksana Zakydalsky

Ukrainian Canadia Congress Leadership Awards shall be presented to:

Framing the Ukrainian Peasantry in Habsburg Galicia

FRAMING THE UKRAINIAN PEASANTRY IN HABSBURG GALICIA, 1846-1914

NEW CIUS Press BOOK on the Ukrainian identity formation in Austrian-ruled Galicia (1846-1914):

by Andriy Zayarnyuk,

$34.95 (paperback)

http://tinyurl.com/peasantry-in-Galicia

About the Book

In his monograph Framing the Ukrainian Peasantry in Habsburg Galicia, 1846–1914, Andriy Zayarnyuk traces the evolution of modern collective identities among Ukrainian peasants in Austrian-ruled Galicia. His examination of identity-construction processes spans from the introduction of a new social system by Austrian emperors in the late eighteenth century to the establishment of an organized nationally conscious rural public space at the beginning of the twentieth century. Zayarnyuk’s inquiry probes several contexts: intellectual discussion of peasant national and social identity; popular representation of the peasantry; and peasant self-representation, including response to peasant-targeted programs and the work and influence of political and social activists in villages.

Great Deposit Rates!

Check out Ukrainian Credit Union Limited's great deposit rates in branch!

Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre Walk-or-run-athon

Walk or Run for the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Registration Deadline is Fast Approaching!

WALK OR RUN FOR OUR SENIORS AT THE CARE CENTRE!

Hurry Up!

Register to Walk or Run Today!

If you need help with your registration, call Anna Denkova at 647-725-0843 Monday through Friday, between 9:30am- 6:00pm. Alternative arrangements can also be made upon request.

Please join us and walk/run for the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre!

Share this information with family and friends and help us reach out to more people in the community to expand our team.

You can also help us by sponsoring our participants. To view and sponsor our walkers/runners, click here to Support a Participant

Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival

What is there to say other than WOW! This year was the best festival ever,. So much happened.

On Wednesday: Rock School. More Rock School Photos.

On Thursday: Rock School Graduation. More Rock School Graduation photos.

On Friday: Festival opens up with Taras Chubay and Vasyl Popadiuk on the main stage and a launch party for Toronto the Beautiful juried art show at KUMF. More Chubay and Popadiuk photos. More Toronto the Beautiful photos.

On Saturday: The parade took place, Kozak System signed autographs, then they rocked the main stage and held an after party at Earth Restaurant. More Parade photos. More after party photos.

Kozak System has landed!

The guys from Kozak System watch a performance by a
local band at a secret location in west end Toronto

Kozak System is now in town and getting to know some local bands. At an undisclosed location tonight in west end Toronto, Kozak System met with a few local bands to hear them play and give some professional advice. This "Rock School" is a new addition to all that typically happens during the Toronto Ukrainian Festival. Kudos to the boys from Kozak System for taking the time to listen and provide criticisms to their fellow musicians.

Tonight Torontula and DoVira took the stage to play some of their best songs in front of an audience of fellow musicians. For both bands it was a great opportunity to meet with and chat with one of the leading musical acts from Ukraine as well as to get some advice from them.

Tomorrow night several more bands will take part in the process. Afterwards everyone will move over to the Earth Bar on Bloor Street for a show featuring the bands who took part in the Rock School in a mini Battle of the Bands. Other veteran bands of the Toronto Ukrainian rock scene will also perform, and if we are all super lucky, Kozak System might also take the stage for a song or two.

Don't miss this free sneak preview of the band. And also make sure you buy tickets to the Friday and Saturday after parties where Kozak System and Taras Chubay will rock the house down till the early hours of the morning. We still have a few tickets left at our Bloor branch.

Your correspondent is not one to typically fawn over celebrities, but take it from me, the guys from Kozak System are real gentlemen and they know how to rock too. You get the sense that they are not only great musicians, but also people who care to see other musicians aspire to greater heights.

You can see a few more photos on Facebook in the "Kozak System has landed" album.

Happy Birthday to our Building Community Blog!

Our blog is 3 years old today. The very first post was on Wednesday, September 8, 2010! It's not all that interesting compared to everything else we've written about in the last three years, but you can read it here.

Thank you to everyone who reads the blog. It has been a great joy keeping it fresh. We have experienced a steady growth in readership with over 8,000 people visiting the blog this past August alone!

We appreciate your feedback. Let us know what you like best about the blog. What you would like to see more of and just any comments in general.

Thank you!

WIN After Party Tickets Saturday September 14th!

Ukrainian Credit Union Limited is holding another contest for someone to win 1 of 10 after party tickets at Earth Bloor West Village Saturday September 14th! Just like our Facebook page plus the pic posted on our Facebook page and you’ll be automatically entered! Click HERE!

Kozak System at the Toronto Ukrainian Festival!

Don't Forget to enter our contest on Facebook for a chance to win 1 of 10 after party tickets at Lithuanian Hall Friday September 13th. Just like our Facebook page plus the pic posted and you’ll be automatically entered!

Click HERE to enter now!

Hutsul exhibit is nearing its mark

Less than two weeks to go to see Youry Bilak's great exhibit. The organizers are nearing their goal in collecting the funds needed to bring this exhibit to Toronto.

You can help by donating a few dollars at the offical website: HutsulExhibition.com.