Mike Boychuk
b. December 15, 1908 (Fraserwood, MB)
d. August 19, 1992 (Saskatoon, SK)

Mike Boychuk was born in Fraserwood, Manitoba in 1908. His parents, Jacob and Anastasia (Gurniak) Boychuk, were Ukrainian immigrants who first homesteaded in the Fraserwood area prior to moving to the Eatonia area in Saskatchewan in the early 1920s. The Boychuk family was very active in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church community in the Eatonia/Kindersley area.

From 1935-1944 Mike leased any land available and was a straight grain farmer. Mike was determined to find additional income in Saskatoon in the off-season from farming. He personally built and sold a few homes. By the 1950s he made the decision to be primarily a builder. He still was a farmer at heart and continued farming and raising cattle for many years.

Mike’s companies expanded and grew over the next 30 years. During the 1980s Boychuk Construction was recognized as one of the largest family-owned construction enterprises in western Canada. To date, Boychuk Construction has built over 7,000 residential homes in Saskatoon, and many commercial buildings such as banks, shopping centres and schools. Other business branches were established in Red Deer, Prince Albert, Lethbridge, Regina, Edmonton, and Colorado Springs.

During Mike’s career, he used his experience and expertise to advance the Ukrainian community and preserve Ukrainian heritage. Mike and his wife Mary devoted their personal lives to furthering the Ukrainian community in Saskatoon. They both had close ties with many Ukrainian organizations in Saskatoon and the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral. Mike assisted in securing the land where the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of All Saints in Saskatoon is located. Mike was also very involved in the planning and development of the Ilarion Seniors’ Residence. He was on the Petro Mohyla Institute board and did all he could to help the Institute grow and expand. Mike was instrumental in acquiring the site for the present Ukrainian Museum of Canada.

He would do whatever he could to be of assistance and opted out to work behind the scenes to ensure the projects were completed. He was often recognized for his contributions and business acumen that he brought to each organization. He received the Taras Shevchenko Medal (1992) for his contribution to the Ukrainian community in Canada.

Boychuk Construction and Boychuk Investments Land Development continue to operate as a family business by the Boychuk children.

Mike married Mary Humeny in 1935. They have three children: Gary, Fred and Honya.

Stefan Franko
b. December 20, 1931 (Theodore, SK)

Stefan is the son of Wasyl and Katie (Pidhorney) Franko. He came to the Petro Mohyla Institute in 1951 and enrolled in engineering at the University of Saskatchewan. Having been raised on a farm he readily identified with the principles of self-reliance, self-respect and self-help as espoused by the Institute and he has never wavered from them.

Stefan devoted his life to the Ukrainian community in Canada. He has worked with numerous Ukrainian organizations for over half a century, giving generously of his time, energy, business acumen, and professional knowledge.

Stefan had a highly successful 37-year career with the City of Saskatoon, which acknowledged his contributions with a special citation in 1994.

Stefan joined the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Saskatoon in 1958. In 1960 he spearheaded the founding of the Ukrainian Orthodox Parish of All Saints, serving as its first President and Chair of the Planning and Building Committee. He continued working closely with the parish until his move to Toronto in 2002. He is now an active member of St. Demetrius parish and the Order of St. Andrew.

Stefan has been a strong supporter and member of the Ukrainian Self-Reliance Association (TYC) since 1959. His three terms as National President of the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League of Canada (CYC) (1991-97) were preceded by over thirty years of dedication to executives and committees of TYC, Board of Mohyla Institute, Board of the Ukrainian Museum of Canada and the SUS (CYC) Foundation of Canada.

A strong advocate of cooperation amongst all Ukrainian Canadians, Stefan, served on the Presidium and Executive of the National Ukrainian Congress (UCC), Provincial and local branches of UCC. He was a founding member of both the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Friends of Taras Shevchenko Foundation, Saskatoon Chapter; President of the Ukrainian Canadian Business and Professional Club of Saskatoon and President of the Board of the New Community Credit Union in Saskatoon.

A generous supporter, Stefan donated an iconostas to St. Andrew’s College and a carved mural to All Saints Church. In 1998 he was one of the first inductees into the Kobzar Society of the Taras Shevchenko Foundation.

Stefan has received awards of excellence from TYC and CYC; the Metropolitan’s Medal for Outstanding Leadership and the Distinguished Service Award from St. Andrew’s College.

Stefan married Roma Stratychuk in 1956. They have two sons: Roman and Ivan.

Ehor William Gauk
b. February 22, 1935 (Wakaw, SK)

Dr. Gauk was born in Wakaw, Saskatchewan, when his family was living in Yellow Creek. The family moved to Prince Albert when he was ten. His university education took him to Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Chicago and London, England -- a twelve-year journey. His post graduate training and positions ranged from Intern to Senior Resident to Teaching Fellow.

He has practised as a pediatric neurologist in Edmonton since 1964 and has held numerous University of Alberta teaching and hospital appointments during those years. He held Licences to Practise in both Alberta and British Columbia. He is a past and present member of about ten professional organizations and an equal number of medical specialty groups.

He first went to Ukraine in 1958, the year he graduated from medical school. He was part of Canada’s first student delegation to the Soviet Union. He has since gone back sixteen times as chairman of the Medical Project OSVITA and for his efforts he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by Her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson. His wife Julianna, a rehabilitation specialist, has also worked with him in Ukraine.

Medical Project OSVITA was created in 1991 to share medical knowledge with those who attended to the children and mothers living with the legacy of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. The project was funded by the Federal Government of Canada to the end of 1997 and based at the University of Alberta. In that interval, 100 Canadian volunteers from every medical school in Canada went on 175 two-week unpaid teaching missions to Ukraine.

Dr. Gauk has been to Harbin, China several times as a visiting professor and more recently he has taught at the University of Mbarara in Uganda.

Dr. Gauk was appointed in 2000 and reappointed in 2005 to Alberta’s Advisory Council on Alberta-Ukraine Relations.

In 2005 Dr. Gauk received an Honorary Doctorate from St. Andrew’s College in Winnipeg, and was designated as one of 100 Physicians of the Century commemorating the Province of Alberta’s 100th anniversary. He is the recipient of many other honours including: Spotlight of Achievement Award (Ukraine 1998), the Shevchenko Medal (2004), Member Emeritus, Alberta Medical Association (2001).

Dr. Gauk and Julianna Nagy were married in 1992 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Dr. Gauk has a son and two daughters, and will have six grandchildren as soon as his youngest daughter delivers twins.

Jennie Ortynsky
b. May 20, 1927 (Sheho, SK)

Jennie is the daughter of George and Anastasia (Blahut) Lys.

A registered nurse by profession she received her registered status at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon and did her post-graduate training in obstetrics, Community and Public Health at Jersey City Medical Centre, New Jersey. Jennie was employed by the Yorkton and Canora hospitals.

She has been extensively involved in her local Ukrainian community and Ukrainian Orthodox Church. She has devoted her time to teaching Sunday School, and working with Junior CYMK, Ukrainian Women’s Association (48-year membership), Heritage Church committee, Trident Camp committee, provincial jubilee and Ukrainian festivals. Jennie is President of the local branch of the Ukrainian Women’s Association, on the Board of Directors for the church and a member of the Provincial Women’s Association Executive.

Locally and provincially, Jennie has committed herself for the betterment of children and adults in education and health. In education, she served on the local Board of Education for 13 years focusing on the Health and Music curriculum for school children. She was also served as Chair of Canora Home Care and numerous other home care and related health organizations.

Being a strong advocate of health issues, Jennie has served on and led groups which have initiated policies for such programs as Home Care, health reform, health district needs, and associated issues. The Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations, Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association and the Assiniboine Valley Health District were the more prominent organizations to which Jennie committed her time and leadership capabilities. Jennie continues to serve on the Board of the Sunrise Regional Health Authority.

To Jennie, the maintenance of the Ukrainian heritage is paramount and as Chair of the Board of the Ukrainian Museum of Canada in Saskatoon, she, along with the Board, endeavours to inform, educate and exhibit the best of all that is Ukrainian. The expansion and enhancement of the Museum has made it one of the most prestigious outlets for Ukrainian heritage and culture in Canada.

In 2000, Jennie was the honoured recipient of the Nora Armstrong Award for Health Advocacy from the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association. In 2005, she was presented the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal.

Jennie married Nestor Ortynsky in 1952. They are blessed with two sons, Evan and Taras, and six grandchildren. Nestor and Jennie continue to reside in Canora.

Anastasia Zuck
b. March 15, 1917 (Hafford, SK)
d. November 5, 1982 (Saskatoon, SK)

The late Anastasia Zuck was born in Hafford, Sask. She received a B. Sc. majoring in Household Science and did classroom teaching from 1936 to 1975. In addition to her regular school work, Anastasia was very active in the Ukrainian cultural activities.

She conducted Ukrainian classes for children and adults in reading, writing, Easter egg writing and cross-stitching. Having an avid interest in needlework she researched and became an authority on designs as they reflected geographic areas of Ukraine and freely shared her expertise. She was equally knowledgeable in cookery and Church Music.

A true pioneer, Anastasia took an active role in church organizations from their inception. As early as 1934, she took an active role in the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood (UCB) encompassing men, women and youth. With other equally inspired young people, she helped to organize the first Ukrainian Catholic Youth of Canada here in Saskatchewan.

She was a strong supporter of Ukrainian Catholic Women of Saskatchewan. In 1944 Anastasia attended a meeting in Winnipeg that marked the beginning of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada (UCWLC). From that time, Anastasia played pivotal roles at the National, Provincial, Eparchial and Parish levels. In the book, Blessed Endeavour, the history of Ukrainian Catholic women in Saskatchewan published in 1987, the author, Anna Maria Kowcz-Baran, cites the work of Anastasia Zuck some sixty times in various capacities on executives and committees.

Her involvement included revision of the UCWLC constitution and its policy paper, Nasha Doroha, which became the official publication of the National Executive of the UCWLC. She sewed the UCWLC banner; her version has become the prototype that graces the meeting rooms of UCWLC branches across Canada.

At the formation of the Saskatoon Eparchy in 1951, Anastasia Zuck and Stephania Pylypchuk cross-stitched the bishop’s vestments for the newly appointed bishop.

Many Saskatchewan churches have altar cloths and banners that were handcrafted and donated to them by Anastasia. These beautiful cultural treasures have become a permanent legacy to her former students and friends.

She never married, but she died as she wished. On November 5, 1982, while attending an early morning Divine Liturgy a Saints Peter and Paul Church in Saskatoon, she passed away surrounded by fellow worshippers.

Patrice Detz
b. October 22, 1935 (Canora, SK)

Leadership and Cultural Preservation & Development

Patrice (Pat) Detz is the daughter of Harry and Nellie (Yasenko) Patzernuk of Dnieper, Saskatchewan. She attended elementary school in Dnieper and high school in Yorkton. As a youngster she was active in the 4-H Club.

She moved to Regina in 1952 and there she held several positions with different government departments.

Pat was President of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada, St. Basil’s Branch for nearly eight years. In 1998 she was elected Treasurer of the National Executive and during this time was also elected as Financial Administrator to the publication Nasha Doroha. This involved working with a publisher in Regina, Editor from Eastern Canada, and Nasha Doroha representatives throughout the five Eparchies in Canada, as well as a quarterly mailing of nearly 5,000 copies.

She has served as Chairperson of Cultural & Education for the provincial UCWLC (two terms) during which time she conducted workshops in stitching, knitting and mixed crafts.

Pat has been involved with many dance groups throughout Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, supplying them with costume information such as design patterns for shirts, blouses, vests and headpieces. Her presentations are strictly authentic. She has also supervised making of costumes at various dance schools. She has taught at least 150 stitching classes, and organized three major costume presentation shows. Pat has designed and sewn two major costumes for Musée Ukraina Museum representing specific regions of Ukraine. She also has prepared many publications on various regions of Ukraine -- Hutsul, Bukovyna, Poltava, Volyn, Transcarpathia and Boyko -- including their history. Pat has a library of approximately 300 books on the costumes, traditional holidays, history and other information on the different regions of Ukraine.

She has been a member of the Board of Directors of Musйe Ukraina Museum: one year as Treasurer, two years as Chairperson of Finances and a Board member for four years. In her parish, she started the yearly practice of holding a traditional Christmas Eve Supper for parishioners and friends which is now in its ninth year. Pat organized the provincial Convention for UCWLC involving 125 delegates. She organized the first National Congress in Regina in 2001 for the UCWLC attended by 200 participants from coast to coast.

In the larger community Pat volunteered her services with Canada Militia’s Medical Corps in Yorkton and Regina.

Pat married Nester Detz in 1957. They have one daughter, Sandra Ann.

Shawna Lee Kozun
b. June 10, 1967 (Canora, SK)

Cultural Preservation & Development

Shawna Lee is the daughter of Donald and Elaine (Nahnybida) Bazansky of Canora. There she received her elementary and high school education as well as most of her Ukrainian language training.

While in Canora, Shawna was an active member of Junior and Senior CYMK (Ukrainian Orthodox Youth of Canada), member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and danced with the Canora Veselka Dancers from 1979-85. During this period she attended Mohyla Institute’s six-week Summer Immersion Program ‘Dzherelo’ as well as attending Camp Trident’s summer program for six years and serving as the assistant cook in 1983. In 1984-85 Shawna took on the position as teacher of the Rosa Ukrainian Dancers in Norquay.

To enhance her knowledge of and skills at Ukrainian dancing, Shawna studied during the summers of 1997-2003 with Doug and Roxanne Rachinski of Dance Unlimited in Edmonton and at the International Summer School of Ukrainian Dance in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2004 under the direction of Professor S. L. Zubatov.

Shawna is presently a member of the Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Codette and a member of the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada, Olena Pchilka Branch. She is credited by a number of her associates as one of the main forces behind the maintenance of Ukrainian culture and traditions in her community. As an example Shawna has served on the Malanka Planning Committee for the past 15 years. And, as in the past, Shawna continues to apply her knowledge and skills of Ukrainian dance as an instructor with the Nipawin Veselii Dancers, the Carrot River Ukrainian Dance Club as well as with the Melfort Kolosok Ukrainian dancers. Her creativity and dedication are credited for the many awards that her students have won at competitions and accolades at recitals.

In addition to supporting and working with the Ukrainian community, Shawna has dedicated her limited time to work in the larger community such as the Carrot River Healthy Living Team, serving on the Carrot River and District Recreational Board and as a Red Cross Fun and Fitness instructor.

Shawna married Michael Kozun in 1990. They have three children, Tanner, Samantha and Tessa.

Stacey Nahachewsky
b. November 18, 1987 (Saskatoon, SK)

Youth Achievement

As a child Stacey Nahachewsky was involved in Plast (Ukrainian Scouting Movement) and the Children of Mary at St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. She was home-schooled in Ukrainian and took piano lessons.

At age 12, so as to pursue her love of sport, Stacey joined the Saskatoon Century Track Club. To improve her physical fitness and to stay in shape in the track off season she joined the Saskatoon Racing Canoe-Kayak Club. Through hard work and dedication, success in competitive canoeing came quickly.

In her first summer of kayaking Stacey qualified for the 2000 Saskatchewan Summer Games. She brought home both a gold and bronze medal. In 2001 she represented Saskatchewan in the Jeux Canada Games. There she received medals in all three races she competed in, bringing home a silver and two bronze.

She had her first international experience paddling against top kayakers from the USA, Mexico and New Zealand at the Canada Cup Regatta (Montreal 2002). She has competed in other international events as far a field as Moscow, Russia, and Perth, Australia (October 2005). In Perth, the course was a grueling 21 1/2 kilometres.

She has competed in National Championship for the last five years and has been crowned national champion in at least one discipline/distance in four of those years.

This past summer at the Jeux Canada Games (2005) in Regina Stacey did our province proud by capturing 6 medals -- 2 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze -- the most medals won by any single individual at the games.

Notwithstanding a rigorous training schedule resulting in Stacey missing 10 to 12 weeks of high school per year, she has been able to maintain an above-90 average in all her classes.

In her limited spare time she has done volunteer work with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Stacey also coaches younger children as well as ‘masters’ in paddling programs.

Stacey will be completing Grade 12 in December 2005, half a year early. In addition to aspiring to become an Olympian, she hopes to study veterinary medicine.

We anticipate reading about Stacey’s exploits in sports for many years to come.

Theresa Sokyrka
b. April 1, 1981 (Moose Jaw, SK)

Youth Achievement

Theresa is the youngest daughter of Harold and Sonia (Stanicki) Sokyrka. Some of Theresa’s earliest memories include those of her family and friends gathering in the Sokyrka home to sing traditional Ukrainian folk songs.

The family moved to Saskatoon in 1989 where Theresa attended the Ukrainian Bilingual Program at St. Goretti School. Theresa studied voice and violin. Upon entering Holy Cross High School, she became involved in virtually all of the school’s musical activities. Being chosen to perform a lead role in My Fair Lady in her senior year solidified her determination to make performing her vocation. While singing with the Lastiwka Ukrainian Youth Choir, Theresa often performed solos. She began to teach herself guitar and to write and perform her own music.

Theresa auditioned for the Canadian Idol Contest in April 2004. She emerged as the runner-up in the competition and captivated the hearts of millions of Canadians with her vocal artistry, diversity and genuine modesty. The Premier of Saskatchewan attended the final show of Canadian Idol and made the following quote, "Theresa, you have won the hearts of a city, a province and a nation."

In December 2004, Theresa was given the opportunity to travel to Egypt and Israel to participate in the Military Show Tour, entertaining the International Peacekeepers and Canadian Armed Forces.

On January 1, 2005, Theresa received the Medal of Honour from the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan and was selected as the Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Youth Ambassador.

The Saskatchewan Teachers Federation has recognized Theresa as a role model. They nominated her as a spokesperson for UNESCO and their Associated School Projects Network which has a mandate aimed at eliminating intolerance, racism, discrimination or illiteracy, and in promoting a better understanding of the appreciation of customs, traditions and values of others.

Theresa has been featured on several nationally televised programs and radio broadcasts. Due to her strong Ukrainian cultural heritage, she has been interviewed by CBC’s Radio International and this interview was broadcast into Ukraine in 2005. She has travelled extensively throughout Canada with her concerts and the promotion of her album, These Old Charms.

Theresa has been featured in television commercials and, along with her family, has done public service announcements for Organ Donation Awareness. Her promotion of Food Banks and Hospital Foundations are part of her public performances.

Yarolaw (Jerry) Sywanyk
b. July 23, 1923 (Selo Markowa, Ternopil oblast, Ukraine)

Volunteerism

Yaroslaw Sywanyk is the son of Joseph and Anastasia (Worobetz) Sywanyk. While in Ukraine, Mr. Sywanyk was a corporal (desyatnyk) in the First Division of the Ukrainian National Army (Divisia) during World War II and following internment in camps in Italy and England he emigrated to Canada in 1951.

During his first five years, Mr. Sywanyk worked at the Petro Mohyla Institute. Thereafter, he worked at the University of Saskatchewan, Geological Sciences Department from 1957 until his retirement in 1988. Mr. Sywanyk was -- and in most instances continues to be -- a member of many Ukrainian organizations including St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood and the League for the Liberation of Ukraine (League of Ukrainian Canadians). He was one of the driving forces in ‘Rada Myryan,’ a Patriarchal organization for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. He was a member and leader in the SUM Ukrainian youth group where he mentored many of Saskatoon’s Ukrainian children. He was a member of the New Community Ukrainian Credit Union for 16 years and was the Secretary of the Board of Directors for nine years. Mr. Sywanyk was a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) Saskatoon Branch for many years and held the position of Treasurer with that organization for six years. He also served as President of the Saskatchewan Branch of Ukrainian Canadian Social Services. In 1989 he was the Ambassador of the Kyiv Ukrainian Pavilion at Saskatoon’s Folkfest. Mr. Sywanyk has given generously of his time to the building of our community and financially to many organizations including the Shevchenko Foundation, national organizations as well as churches both here and in Ukraine.

He has been recognized for his efforts with various honours including The Gold Medal and Award of Merit from the League of Ukrainians of Canada (National). He has also received service awards from UCC National, the Centre for National Rebirth (Kyiv, Ukraine) and Ukrainian Canadian Social Services (National). In 2001 he was awarded a certificate from UCC National in recognition of his special contribution during UCC’s 60th Anniversary.

He appeared in the documentary film A Church in Two Worlds and similarly his family in Scarred by History.

He continues to be active in the Ukrainian community and his many years of involvement make him an oft-consulted invaluable resource.

He married Rosalia Nahulsky in 1950 in England and they were blessed with two sons: Roman and Ihor.