Basil Baleshta
b. May 22, 1891 (Toky, Ukraine)
d. February 5, 1973 (Canora, SK)

Basil Baleshta was born in 1891 in the village of Toky, Zbarazh District. He began conducting choirs from early youth. At the age of 12, he conducted the Institute Choir at Lemberg (Lviv). He also sang and assisted with directing choirs while attending high school in the cities of Ternopil and Lviv, Ukraine where he received instruction in secular choral music.

Basil came to Canada in 1913 and studied law in Chicago and Winnipeg. He married Anne Farion of Sifton, Manitoba and came to Canora in 1923 to practise law. For a time, Basil served as an immigration officer for the Canadian government in Poland.

Basil had an illustrious and widely acclaimed career conducting much loved Ukrainian choral work. After arriving in Canada, he made every effort to secure a thorough Canadian education while maintaining an interest in the people of his homeland who were residing in the West. As a soloist, he possessed a fine baritone voice. As a choir organizer and conductor, he had highly successful performances in Toronto, Winnipeg (Walker Theatre), Chicago and Regina (Darke Hall and Grande Theatre). His energetic and enthusiastic efforts made festive occasions more culturally and musically meaningful. He conducted performances for the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan. As a composer, he arranged the Ukrainian version of the Lord's Prayer (Otche nash) for the CBC program Hymn Sing.

Some of his choirs have been recognized nationally, one of them being the Regina Ukrainian Mixed Voice Choir.

Basil's work has received critical acclaim from the late Dan Cameron of Regina, a well-known conductor and music critic. His choirs specialized in choral works of Ukrainian folk and traditional songs. In 1965 Mr. and Mrs. Baleshta were honoured by the Ukrainian Community Choir for their work with choral groups.

Following his arrival in Canora, he devoted all his free time to directing and organizing choral groups in Canora and district while continuing as a regular member of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Among his accomplishments is the translation from Ukrainian into English of a story of a prisoner of war in Russia.

Basil and Anne Baleshta were blessed with four sons: Leo, Orest, Basil and Ted.

Michael Baran
b. November 18, 1923 (Hryhoriv, Ukraine)
d. March 15, 2002 (Yorkton, SK)

Michael Baran was born November 18, 1923 in the village of Hryhoriv, Monastyrysky District in western Ukraine. He completed his high school in Ukraine before being enlisted into the army where he served until his arrival in England.

On September 21, 1951, he came to Yorkton and began his employment with the Saskatchewan Co-Op Dairy Producers. His employer encouraged and assisted him in furthering his education at the University of Saskatchewan; upon completing his courses, he returned to his position with the Co-Op Dairy Producers and remained employed there until his retirement.

Michael was very active in St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Parish in Yorkton and belonged to various Ukrainian organizations. Starting at a young age, Michael was active in the Ukrainian Catholic Youth and Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood and served in various executive positions locally, provincially and nationally. He was active in the League of Ukrainian Canadians and Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

He served as local president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress from 1991 to 1996. In 1992, Michael was inducted into the Order of the Knights of St. Volodymyr by the National Ukrainian Canadian Catholic Congress for devoted service to the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood and other organizations supporting Ukrainian culture.

A true nationalist, Michael loved Canada, but to the very end loved his native land of Ukraine as well. He felt great joy and pride when Ukraine finally became independent. He was proud of his heritage, and loved and supported the customs and traditions of Ukraine.

Michael was musically gifted and passionately dedicated himself to activities involving music and culture. He sang with the Centennial Choir, Singing Christmas Tree and St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Choir for many years. He participated in many different plays and operettas.

Because of his love for his native land, he traveled to Ukraine on several occasions where he visited with his family still living there.

Michael married Zena Gulka on October 13, 1957. The couple was blessed with three sons: Terry, Orest and Mark.

Stan (Orest Stanley) Chepyha
b. May 31, 1930 (Saskatoon, SK)

A retired educator, Stan was born, raised and educated in Saskatchewan where he served out his entire professional career and still lives to this day. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Education degrees from the University of Saskatchewan and taught for 39 years, many of which were in Saskatoon's Catholic school system.

While teaching in Alvena, during the early years of his career, he organized a Ukrainian youth choir that participated regularly in the Sunday Divine Liturgy and, later, in Saskatoon's Catholic school system, he formed a children's chorus of over 200 voices for the celebration of Canada's centennial year, and a Catholic teachers' choir that responded to Masses celebrated for airing on CFQC-TV. During this time, the inaugural Catholic Carol Festival and Noon Festival of Carols were held at the Centennial Auditorium.

Outside of the school environment, Stan's love for (and expertise in) music was also widely known and recognized. In addition to serving as choir director at St. George's Greek Catholic Cathedral for the last 40 years, he organized UCWLC and children's choirs at the Cathedral and an Obnova Choir at Sheptytsky Institute at the University of Saskatchewan. He was also a member of the Vesna Festival executive for 17 years during which time he assembled and directed the Vesna Choral and Bandurist Ensemble.

Along with his extensive choral involvement, Stan also assisted in: the translation of various tomes; the publication of a song book for St. George's Cathedral; the preparation of liturgical music for tropars, kondaks, etc. in both the English and Ukrainian languages; and, the organization of programs such as Ukrainian Christmas Carols, Vertep, and Christmas Holy Supper for broadcast on CFQC-TV. He also participated in many aspects of the Kyiv Pavilion at Folkfest, including serving as its ambassador.

A recipient of the Papal Medal and a long-serving member of the board of directors of Musйe Ukraina Museum, the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Saskatchewan – Bishop Roborecki Branch, and St. Joseph's Home Auxiliary, Stan is a ready volunteer who continues his active involvement in the life of his church and community.

Stan is married to Elaine (Shwed), and they have two sons living in Calgary, James (Joanne) and Terry, and grandson Daniel.

Mary (Bodnarchuk) Cherneskey
b. July 27, 1929 (Winnipeg, MB)

Mary Cherneskey has made significant contributions to her community and church as a professional educator, an administrator, a leader and a writer. The eldest daughter of Peter Bodnarchuk and Eva Kajda of Lviv Oblast, Ukraine and Winnipeg, Canada, she was influenced by their devotion to family and church, and their unconditional support.

A graduate from the University of Manitoba with bachelor degrees in Science and Education, and the University of Saskatchewan with a Master of Education, she taught in Winnipeg and Saskatoon and at the University of Saskatchewan. She spent 11 years with the Saskatchewan Department of Justice as Deputy Rentalsman.

Mary was instrumental in developing educational initiatives that had far-reaching influences. She assisted with establishing teaching standards; was successful in effecting changes to university admission requirements for mature students through a survey on continuing education; organized the first Sadochok Program at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Saskatoon; and as Chairman, for seven years, of the Millennium Planning Committee for the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy, she initiated workshops on history, music and traditions. These have continued as Study Days programs and a lecture series on Eastern Christianity. At the university, she developed a field experience component for student teachers, study guides for psychology texts and a distance-education program.

Mary's community work consisted of involvements with major events and projects through service on assorted boards and in committee executive positions. She was involved with awards programs honouring outstanding Ukrainian Canadians for their contributions to development of Saskatchewan as a province and in the 100-year settlement of Canada. The only woman member of the UCC national committee for the 1992 selection of 100 Ukrainian Canadians of distinction, Mary was invited to initiate, also, a Saskatchewan recognition event. She remained Chairman of the Nation Builders program to 2000. She prepared the Multicultural Policy for the Saskatchewan Conservative Party and an acclaimed UCC presentation to the National Commission on Multiculturalism. Her work earned her a position on the Multiculturalism Council in Ottawa.

She was a long-term member of assorted boards, including the Sheptytsky Institute for Eastern Christian Studies in Ottawa and, in Toronto, the Canadian Foundation for Ukrainian Studies (CFUS), the publishers of The Encyclopedia of Ukraine. Together with her husband, Morris, they obtained government endorsement of the second volume which has a fly-leaf dedication to the Saskatchewan Ukrainian contribution. She directed the Saskatoon launch of this volume.

Mary's writing skills were recognized yet in high school by a Winnipeg journalists memorial award. She provided articles to newspapers, professional journals, publications such as Nasha Doroha, and, as well, prepared submissions to government. For the new Millennium she wrote three histories including that of the Friends of the Saskatoon Library.

Mary and Morris had a devoted family life with their three daughters and grandchildren.

Taras Gabora
b. April 23, 1932 (Yellow Creek, SK)

Taras Gabora was raised in Mikado and attended high school in Canora. He received his early violin training in Canora and Winnipeg. At fourteen he was the youngest member of the Winnipeg Symphony. At nineteen he was accepted at the Paris Conservatoire and a year later at the Vienna Academy of Music. In 1956 he married the celebrated soprano Gaelyne Craig, originally from Regina.

Taras Gabora enjoys a worldwide reputation as a violinist and teacher of great distinction. As an active soloist and chamber musician throughout his career, he performs in major cities in Canada, USA, Italy, France, England, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Greece, Japan and China. He is a founding member of "Trio Tre Musici" (Milan), Chamber Music Chicago, Le Groupe Baroque de Montrйal, Vienna Academy String Quartet and the Gabora String Quartet. His teaching career included posts at McGill University, Conservatoire de Montrйal, St. Louis Conservatory of Music plus professor of violin at Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Vancouver Academy of Music. He is Associate Director of the popular summer program in Italy "Casalmaggiore International Music Festival, Summer Music in Italy." He is a graduate of the Vienna Academy of Music where he studied with Ernst Morawec. Other teachers were Juri Jankelevich (Salzburg, Moscow), Szymon Goldberg (Amsterdam) and Henryk Szeryng (Chicago). Prizes and awards include the "Austrian State Prize" and the "Immagini Vive Delia Musica da Camera" international prize (Milan).

He has frequently represented USA and Canada as juror at national and international competitions including the Tchaikovsky International Competition (Moscow), Paganini International Violin Competition (Genova), 1989, 1996, 2001, the Sarasate International Competition (Bilbao, Spain), the Ifrah Neaman International Violin Competition (Mainz), the Whitaker International Competition (St. Louis, USA) and others.

His students have won numerous prizes at national and international competitions including the Paganini Competition, the Montreal International Competition, the Scheveningen (Netherlands) International Competition, and have performed at the Tchaikovsky Competition, the Jacques Thibaud Competition (Paris) and others. Several are members of international string quartets while others are professional orchestral players in various parts of the world including the First Concertmaster Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Others hold national and international teaching posts such as the Manhattan School of Music, New York, Conservatoire de Montrйal, and the University of Manitoba.

Taras Gabora resides in Vancouver. He plays a Giacomo Testore violin made in 1708.

Marie (Maduke) Kishchuk
b. December 2, 1935 (Wilkie, SK)

Marie attended elementary and high school in Saskatoon as well as obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics and Masters degrees in Continuing Education and in Modern Languages.

Marie has an extensive career of over 25 years in heritage management and consulting including conducting feasibility studies, long-range planning, administration, fund-raising and management of specialized curatorial, documentation and publication projects. Specifically she served as director and curator of the Ukrainian Museum of Canada and accessed funding and managed the on-line cataloguing database for the Ukrainian Museum of Canada and its four branches. Marie's other feasibility and planning studies/projects range from feasibility studies for the Biggar and Windthorst museums, promotional brochures for Ukrainian historic sites in Saskatchewan, Interpretive Centres for Arborfield and Duck Lake, heritage planning study for the L'Association Fransaskoise of Zenon Park, museum and archives planning for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, terms of reference for the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, plus others.

Marie has worked extensively in the areas of distance education, training and community development including: identifying and addressing needs of seniors for the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Saskatchewan Provincial Council, training needs assessment and cross-cultural training for immigrants, curriculum design for the YWCA, about half a dozen SIAST programs, a number of programs for the Museums Association and training programs for volunteers of the Jeux Canada Games.

In addition to an extremely broad and successful professional career, Marie has been able to dedicate considerable time to community boards and committees. She currently is serving on seven boards/committees including the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada — locally and provincially, Ukrainian Self-Reliance League of Canada — provincially, and Saskatoon's Women's Network. In the past she served on such diverse groups as the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, Vesna Festival, Canadian Association of Slavists, and Saskatoon Council on Aging. She is a Life Member of the Museums Association of Saskatchewan and the Ukrainian Museum of Canada.

Marie has in excess of 40 publications/projects to her credit, many of which are broad in scope. Among them are numerous ones that deal with Ukrainian and multicultural themes and projects.

Marie married Boris Kishchuk in 1956. They have five children: Natalie, Daniel, Barbara, Thomas, and Paul.

(Peter) Myron Kowalsky
b. July 11, 1941 (North Battleford, SK)

While attending rural North Battleford elementary schools, Myron participated in various sports, music and cultural activities nurtured by the CYMK youth organization. He also belonged to the Yevshan Dancers, under the direction of Lusia Pavlychenko, and to the 4-H club.

When attending the North Battleford Collegiate, Myron joined the Sea Cadets and was selected to spend a summer at Comox Naval Base where he declined a Sea Cadet scholarship. Instead he went to Saskatoon, staying at the Mohyla Institute and attending Nutana Collegiate. He graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Education with Distinction, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Curriculum Studies.

Myron began teaching in 1961 at Quill Lake High School, then at Unity Composite, and later at Riverside Collegiate and Carlton Comprehensive High Schools, both in Prince Albert.

During his teaching career, he was sent to Gambia, Africa, through Project Overseas, which was aimed at strengthening professional skills of teachers. This project was sponsored by the Canadian Teachers' Federation and Canadian International Development Agency. He was also active with the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF), at the local and provincial levels. He served on the boards of the Wapiti Regional Library and the John M. Cuelenaere Library.

Myron was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly in 1986 and re-elected in 1991, 1995 and 1999. In 2001 he was elected Speaker. He has served as co-chair to the Canada-USA Relations Committee of the Mid-West branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, as Government Whip, on the Communications, Rules & Procedures committee, plus various others. Most recently he chaired the Special Committee on Tobacco Control.

Myron was keen on becoming acquainted with the land of his forefathers and availed himself of opportunities presented to him as an educator and a legislator. In 1991 and 1994, he travelled to Ukraine to attend a Conference of Educators organized by the Saskatchewan Teachers of Ukrainian, a special council within the STF. In 2001, he again visited Ukraine, this time as part of the Canada-Ukraine Legislative & Intergovernmental Project, where he still serves as a board member.

A member of the Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Prince Albert, Myron also supports groups such as the Ukrainian Heritage Museum, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and the Shevchenko Foundation. He edited the booklet Ukrainians in the Saskatchewan Legislature, 1934-1993. Currently he serves as the Government representative to the Premier's Advisory Committee on Saskatchewan-Ukrainian Relations.

Myron and Olesia (Kindrachuk) have two daughters and one grandchild.

Dr. Michael Boris Krochak
b. April 7, 1931 (Stornoway, SK)

Saskatchewan's 2001 Family Physician of the Year Dr. Michael Krochak was born in Stornoway, Saskatchewan. He is a 1950 high school graduate of St. Joseph's College in Yorkton, and a University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon) alumnus with a B.A. in 1953 and an M.D. in 1957. Following completion of his internship in Regina's Grey Nuns' Hospital (1957-58), he set up a General and Family Medicine practice in Saskatoon, which continues to thrive under his leadership.

In addition to his personal practice, Dr. Krochak has been on staff of all three Saskatoon hospitals and most of its long-term care facilities, and is a clinical lecturer in Family Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. He has also been elected to the executive of, or served on various committees in: St. Paul's Hospital, the Saskatchewan Medical Association, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (Saskatchewan Chapter and National Office), the Saskatoon and District Medical Society, and St. Joseph's Home, which he helped found, and continues to serve as board member and house doctor. Dr. Krochak is a member of ten medical societies and recipient of nine prestigious awards, citations and honours including a Life Membership in the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Outside of the medical profession, Dr. Michael has served his church and community as: an elected trustee of the Saskatoon Separate School Board (1967 to 1973); a member of the Board of Regents for St. Vladimir's Minor Seminary in Roblin, Manitoba; and, past president of the Fides Club, the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Saskatchewan and Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Parish Council. Currently he is a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Bishop Nikita Budka Council; board member and member of the executive council of the Metropolitan Sheptytsky Society; and, designated physician to the St. Volodomyr's eparchial children's camp — a position he has held ever since the camp's inception in the 1970s.

Dr. Krochak is a proud Canadian of Ukrainian descent and is fluent in English and Ukrainian. His family practice continues to be situated in the heart of ethnic-Saskatoon and he ministers to many of our Ukrainian pioneers and first-nation peoples.

Married in 1954 to Marie (Luzney), a nurse, they have two children, Carla and Michael.

Katherine (Hrynewich) Labiuk
b. October 12, 1915 (Wakaw, SK)

Katherine received her elementary education in a one-room country school, her Grades IX-XI at Wakaw High School and Grade XII as a 'home study' project. In 1935-36 she enrolled at the Saskatoon Normal School. Due to the financial conditions of the 1930s, she worked for her board and room while attending Normal School. She began her teaching career in 1936.

For 16 and 1/2 years, Katherine was a public school teacher in the Kindersley, Prince Albert and Kamsack areas, and 16 years in the Sturgis and Canora High Schools. She taught high school English and Home Economics.

In 1942 she married Nicholas Labiuk. In 1952 Nicholas assumed the position of rector of the P. Mohyla Institute while Katherine became the dean of women. While in Saskatoon, she was the custodian and secretary of the newly established Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada (UWAC) museum. As a member of the museum committee (1952-56), her outstanding contribution was perhaps the transferring of recorded history and particulars of every artifact recorded in the main and branch museums.

In 1956 the Labiuks became members of the Sturgis Composite High School staff. Katherine taught English in the first year and was then placed in charge of Home Economics. In 1964 they became members of the Canora Composite High School, where Katherine taught Home Economics for eleven years.

In order to attend to the needs of her ailing husband, Katherine retired in 1975.

She was a member of the UWAC since 1936 and served in various capacities with the national, provincial and local organizations.

To realize the goals set with her late husband, she supports the Consistory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada and St. Andrew's College in Winnipeg, and the P. Mohyla Institute and Ukrainian Museum of Canada in Saskatoon. She supports two other Ukrainian Orthodox churches: one in Genk, Belgium, and the other in Parana, Brazil. She also financially supported The Ukrainian Encyclopedia and the Mykhailo Hrushevsky History of Ukraine-Rus translation projects. She is involved in the Ilarion Foundation, as well as other activities.

For several years, she conducted English as a Second Language classes for students of all ages. As a Foster Parent, she supported many children, sometimes up to four children annually. Since 1980 and until recently, she read almost every week at the Canora Gateway Lodge, a home for seniors.

Jayne Paluck
b. January 23, 1936 (Pelly, SK)

Jayne Paluck completed her high school at Pelly, her teacher training at the Saskatchewan Teachers College in Moose Jaw, and received her Bachelor of Education degree from the Universities of Saskatchewan and Regina.

During her 28-year career, Jayne taught all grades, instructed at the University of Regina Ukrainian language lab, helped establish the Regina Catholic School's Ukrainian program and supervised teachers-in-training at the University of Regina. She co-produced approximately ten major musical theatre productions and facilitated numerous workshops for student and teacher in theatre, drama and Ukrainian culture.

Jayne is currently president of Musée Ukraina Museum. She serves, or has been a member of: the Saskatchewan-Ukraine Advisory Committee; the Canadian Foundation of Ukrainian Studies; the Regina Branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Professional & Business Club; the UCC Saskatchewan Centennial Committee; the Centennial of Ukrainian Immigration Celebrations Committee; the Eparchy of Saskatoon's Study Days Team; the Saskatchewan Curriculum Advisory Committee in Ukrainian Language; the Saskatchewan Teachers of Ukrainian Association; the Regina Ukrainian Parents Association; the Regina Catholic Schools Band Parents Association; the Saskatchewan Baton Twirling Association; and, the Saskatchewan Genealogy Society.

A founding member of St. Athanasius Parish in Regina, she has served on its council as its first and only female president (1995). She was the founding vice-president of the parish's first Ladies' Auxiliary. During her president's term in 1983, the Auxiliary affiliated with the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada (UCWLC). In 1986 she was appointed to the eparchial executive of the UCWLC as youth liaison and in 1987 she was elected president, a position she held for five years. In 1998 she was elected as national president of the UCWLC; subsequently she was awarded the organization's highest honour of Honorary Member. While at the local, eparchial and national levels, Jayne was instrumental in enhancing the image of UCWLC. The organization came of age with new administrative policies and computerized record systems. Under her leadership, major humanitarian efforts for Ukraine and Brazil were launched as were cultural and spiritual projects, such as the Historical Costumes of Ukraine and the sponsorship of a book of Eastern Rite prayers. She has been extensively involved with numerous other groups and projects outside of the Ukrainian community.

Daughter of Michael and Mary Dedio, married to Ernest Paluck, she is 'Mom' to four daughters and 'Grandmom' to seven grandchildren.

John Zenchyshyn
b. June 6, 1902 (Ilavche, Ukraine)
d. December 19, 1991 (Regina, SK)

John Zenchyshyn's life was built on dedication and perseverance. Born in Ilavche, a village in western Ukraine, John's diligence rewarded him at a very young age when he became manager of a co-operative store in his community. John brought his knowledge of the co-operative system and Ukrainian organizations with him to Canada. This early involvement with organized Ukrainian community life moulded his vision and commitment to preserving the Ukrainian culture and traditions for future generations.

John immigrated to Canada in 1927. He married Anastazia (Nell) Maduke in 1932. John worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) for 40 years in Grand Coulee, Drake, Grenfell and Regina. John was an entrepreneur. John and Nell owned and operated a hotel/cafй in Drake. John purchased property on 11th Avenue in Regina and rented the building to the Ukrainian Co-operative for some time and then owned and operated a confectionery store at that location.

John was a strong supporter of many Ukrainian organizations. He was also an eloquent speaker. He was president for 9 years of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and founding member and president of the Ukrainian Senior Citizens of Regina for 13 years. He held leadership roles, including president, in many of the following organizations: Society of Prosvita, Ukrainian Co-op, Ukrainian Credit Union, Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Mohyla Institute, Ukrainian National Federation, Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Shevchenko Foundation, CYC Foundation, and Ukrainian Fraternal Life.

John's accomplishments were numerous. He was instrumental in building the current Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the church residence and iconostasis. He was also a strong supporter of a new Orthodox auditorium. At the time of his presidency of the senior citizens, John saw the need to preserve the members' heritage and had them compile their biographies and pictures. A book, From Dreams to Reality, was subsequently published. The seniors also built a library and museum housing books and traditional costumes from Ukraine. Some of the museum items date back 100 years.

John amassed in his residence a huge collection of newspaper clippings and other publications on events in the Regina Ukrainian community. These materials were passed on to the Ukrainian Museum of Canada for preservation.

John and Nell raised three children: Boris, Lesia and Sonia.