Brad Wall was born and raised in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. He continues to live there with his wife, Tami, their daughter Faith and their dog Zeke. Their other children – daughter Megan and son Colter – are enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan. Premier Wall received his post secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan, where he earned an Honours degree in Public Administration.

Prior to entering elected politics, Brad Wall was active in his local business community and involved in service work spanning local events, economic development and health care recruitment. One of his earliest forays into politics was in the late 1980s as a founding member and western co-chair of the Alliance for the Future of Young Canadians. This was an organization dedicated to promoting free trade.

Brad Wall was first elected to the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1999, representing the constituency of Swift Current. In the November 2007 provincial election, he was elected Premier of Saskatchewan. His government was re-elected in the 2011 provincial election with 64 per cent of the popular vote – the highest percentage of any political party in Saskatchewan history.

Premier Wall’s government holds a remarkable list of achievements, including: seven consecutive balanced budgets; the largest tax cuts in the history of Saskatchewan; reducing the province's debt by 44 per cent; Saskatchewan receiving a AAA credit rating from Standard & Poor’s for the first time in the province’s history, the highest level possible for a provincial government; more support for people with disabilities, those suffering from diabetes and being the first province in Canada to fund clinical trials for the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Liberation Treatment; Saskatchewan’s population hitting an all-time high of more than 1.12 million people; the most aggressive youth retention program in the country to ensure Saskatchewan’s young people stay and work in the province; and, record infrastructure spending to improve roads, schools, hospitals and seniors facilities all across Saskatchewan and to provide more affordable housing for those with lower incomes.

During the last few years, Premier Wall has been consistently rated as Canada’s most popular premier in public opinion polls. He has earned a national reputation as a forceful and articulate defender of Saskatchewan’s and Canada’s trade interests, particularly in the areas of energy and agriculture. He is an advocate of health care reform and, along with Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Ghiz, he served as co-chair of the Council of Federation’s Health Care Innovation Working Group.

In his spare time, Premier Wall enjoys spending his time with family, reading, cooking, golfing, cheering for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and tinkering with his 1967 Dodge Coronet.

Edward Lysyk was one of five children of Edward Raymond Lysyk and Marion (née Bettschen) of Richmond, British Columbia. Edward, known to most as Ed, received his Bachelors of Arts in 1973 and Bachelors of Law degree in 1976 from the University of Saskatchewan.

Ed’s professional career spanned 28 years. Specializing in corporation law, he focused his practice on real estate. Ed made partner at Peterson Norman in 1981 where he worked until retirement in 2005.

Ed dedicated his volunteer time to various community organizations, most notably the Regina & Region Home Builders Association Inc. as president. Ed had also been a director of the Regina Affordable New Home Foundation and the New Home Warranty Program of Saskatchewan and a member of the City of Regina Planning Commission.

As Ed enjoyed working with youth and partaking in the outdoors, he volunteered with Scouts Canada as a cub and scout leader and as treasurer. His volunteerism extended to his Ukrainian Canadian community as president of the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Association of Regina, and as an active member of the Ukrainian National Federation in Regina, where he notably worked to reverse the declining financial trend of the organization.

Ed’s other involvements included: the Advisory Committee on Saskatchewan Ukraine Relations to the Government of Saskatchewan; the planning committee for the Adult Ukrainian Language Immersion Course; the University of Regina Canada Ukraine Student Internship Program; and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Regina’s Kyiv Pavilion. He also enjoyed sharing the role of host of the weekly program Muzyka Ukraine on Regina’s community radio station CJTR for about a decade.

Ed’s most significant contribution to the Ukrainian Canadian community in Saskatchewan, Canada and internationally has been through his work on the executives of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Saskatchewan Provincial Council and the UCC Regina Branch in the areas of immigration and recognition of Holodomor as genocide. One of the major contributors to having Canada being the first country to declare Holodomor as a genocide, Ed was proud to have collaborated in having a statue, commemorating the Holodomor, located on the grounds near the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.

Ed’s generosity was evident in the countless hours he assisted new immigrants with their documents, settling them in Regina and with other help as needed. He helped establish the initial agreement with the provincial Government for financial assistance for immigration settlement support coordination in Regina.

Ed has been recognized for his dedicated service and leadership in 2002, with the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and in 2012, with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

In 1978 Ed married Janet Gallagher. They have been blessed with three children, Crystal, Kathy and Brian.

Motivated by a desire to preserve and document the contributions and traditions of Ukrainian Canadians, Natalie Ostryzniuk has made significant contributions in the publishing world and as a leader in the Ukrainian community.

Natalie Shewchuk was born in Gardenton, Manitoba in 1943 to first-generation Canadians of Ukrainian descent, who laid the foundation for a lifetime of educational pursuits, leadership roles and raising awareness of the many contributions of Ukrainian Canadians through presentations and publications. Her many contributions have been recognized by the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League of Canada, Canada 125 Medal and the City of Regina, just to name a few.

Within the Ukrainian community and broader community, Natalie has a solid track record of leadership within the following organizations: Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Regina Branch; Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada – Regina Branch; Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Descent of the Holy Spirit in Regina; Canadian Federation of University Women – Regina Branch, Regina Plains Museum, Mosaic Festival, Regina Multicultural Council and the City of Regina Arts Commission.

In her professional career, Natalie is the Administrator of Droycon Bioconcepts Inc., a research development and manufacturer of biotechnological products in Regina. She has obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Fine Arts and a Master of Arts degree in Canadian History. The Honour’s paper she wrote examined the artwork of ten Saskatchewan women of Ukrainian descent and her Master’s thesis explored the involvement of Savella Stechishin and the first Ukrainian-Canadian women’s movement. This then led to the publishing and book launch of Blossoming of a Ukrainian Canadian in 2010.

Natalie has two sons: Evan and his wife Inna, who live in Kyiv, Ukraine; and, Vincent and his wife Linda and their children Anya and Timothy, who live in Regina.

Natalie’s hobbies include reading, writing, gardening and yoga.

Norbert Wasylenko was born near Wishart, Saskatchewan to parents of homesteaded Ukrainian immigrants. The Wasylenko family was very active in the Ukrainian Catholic community, which helped develop a solid foundation for Norbert’s future, a future that encompassed a genuine understanding of community needs.

As a young man he gained experience while working in the insurance business. This experience fuelled his desire to operate his own business. By 1970 he made the decision to be a broker. His company expanded and today Rayner Agencies is recognized as one of the long-serving, family-owned businesses in Saskatoon and the sponsor of many community events.

Norbert has a strong sense of community volunteerism and a keen understanding of the needs of community. He is usually the “first to arrive and the last to leave” and is very willing to work behind the scenes. He was charter president of the Sutherland Business Association, chair of the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Association and he has been inducted as an Honorary Life Member of the Knights of Columbus. He serves on the board of Insurance Brokers of Saskatchewan.

Norbert is a staunch advocate for the preservation and development of the Ukrainian community and, to that end, he and wife Natalia have devoted much of their personal lives. Norbert has close ties with many Ukrainian organizations in Saskatoon, in particular, St. Volodymyr Villa, where he assisted in securing the land where the villa is now located. He also continues his involvement in the planning and development of activities in the Dormition of the Blessed Mother of God Parish. Norbert was on the St. Joseph’s Nursing Home board of directors and was the energy that helped the facility grow and expand. More recently, Norbert was instrumental in acquiring financial support for the present site of the Musee Ukraina Museum.

More often than not, Norbert does whatever he can to be of assistance. He usually chooses to work behind the scenes to ensure projects are completed according to plan. He has often been recognized for the contributions and the business acumen that he brings to each organization. He has received the Thacker Award (1994) and the Byers Award (1996) for his contribution to the greater community in Saskatchewan.

Norbert and his company, Rayners Agencies, continue to operate as a family business by the Wasylenko children.

Norbert married Natalia Mizinski and they were blessed with four children: Sheldon, Shawn, Charlene and †Corinne.

Cultural Preservation & Development and Volunteerism

William was born in 1929, the eldest of four children on a farm in Sheho, Saskatchewan. He attended a farm school south of Sheho and concluded his high school education in the town of Sheho. William had the pleasure of receiving his elementary education from William Fedak, who later became the Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.

After graduating from high school William attended normal school for teacher training, a profession which he pursued until 1985. He also worked with the Government Correspondence School and even spent one summer teaching in Ukraine. William’s first assignment was to teach at a one-room school in Ladstock, Saskatchewan. This was a non-Ukrainian district and a cultural shock to his being. During his teaching career William also attended the University of Saskatchewan from 1950 to 1962 where he earned his B.A. and B.Ed.

During his College of Education terms he returned to teach at Sheho. It was at this stage that William became very involved with a variety of Ukrainian organizations. With the help of the local parish priest, he organized the first local chapter of the Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association and became heavily involved with carolling, square dance, choral, drama and sports.

His teaching assignments took him to Foam Lake, Saskatchewan, where he supervised a dormitory for boys on a full-time basis. Shortly after this assignment William was transferred to teach at Foam Lake High School as Pilot Officer for air cadets. During this period he organized and taught Ukrainian school. He served as parish president for the local Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox church.

In 1961 William moved to Regina, where he taught high school and some time later was assigned the position of Elementary School Administrator. He became heavily involved with the Orthodox church, Ukrainian Orthodox men’s club, Ukrainian Society of Prosvita and the Ukrainian National Federation; he held various executive positions including president and secretary for many years. During his tenure he was instrumental in the establishment of Selo Gardens, promoting the traditional activities of the church such as puschenia, carolling, and Ukrainian school.

William has been recognized for his volunteer work through the awarding of Life Time Honorary membership of the church. In 2014 he was awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal.

William married Marjorie Berezowski in 1955. They were blessed with two children, Mark and Leslie, and grandchildren Michael, Larissa, Nicholas and Nathan.

The Veselka Ukrainian Spring Festival in Foam Lake has been the beneficiary of Sylvia Myall’s vision and time since its beginnings. For the first ten years of her 18-year involvement as chairperson, she found talented dancers, soloists, choirs, musicians (including bands) at home and from across Canada. Other entertainers included dance groups such as Pavlychenko, Yevshan, and the Wishart Dancers as well as Viter, Vohon, and Cheremosh from Alberta.

Hoosli, Theresa Sokyrka and Yanina Bilyk are vocalists she wooed to Foam Lake. Bands such as Oldtimers, Half Na Piv and the Zuchkans provided dance music.

Born to Ukrainian parents at Preeceville, Saskatchewan, she is very fluent in the Ukrainian language and knowledgeable of the Ukrainian culture. Sylvia worked at the Ukrainian Museum of Canada during the summers when she attended the University of Saskatchewan, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts & Science and a Bachelor of Education with a major in Ukrainian. Her teaching career began in Endeavour, Margo and, lastly, in Foam Lake, where she taught high school Ukrainian. She also taught Ukrainian summer school classes at Mohyla Institute.

Sylvia’s immersion in the Ukrainian language and culture qualified her to translate documents for the archival department of the Redemptorist Fathers in Yorkton and translations for UCC Saskatchewan of Ukrainian documents into English for newly arrived immigrants to Canada.

For the past eight years she has worked with a committee to improve the Veselka Festival. Sylvia’s knowledge and experience have helped her bring new displays of Ukrainian arts and crafts, costumes, embroidery, clothing, ritual breads and old, home-made tools representing different regions of Ukraine. She also added a Vasyl Avramenko dance display, and was instrumental in setting up pysanka-writing workshops. The festival is entertaining, educational, and creates opportunities to discover wonderful treasures and make lasting memories.

Sylvia is a strong supporter of the organization Nashi. An important part of her support for Veselka, the library and the local community hall is the time-consuming task of completing grant applications.

As a member of the Foam Lake Library board, Sylvia sets up displays to inform visitors about Taras Shevchenko, Holodomor, Ukraine’s history under Soviet rule and the Ukrainian people – their life in the homeland and in their new land – Canada.

Sylvia and husband David are retired and live in Foam Lake. They have two daughters, Alicia and Tanya.

Volunteerism

An accomplished woman in many areas, Sonia contributes her talents and skills to the advancement and service to her community and to the promotion of her Ukrainian heritage.

Her love of the Ukrainian culture and traditions led her to be active in many ventures. She was involved in the Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association, church choir, Ukrainian dancing, Ukrainian school, Canadian Girls in Training, and Green Grove church camp. Sonia attended the University of Saskatchewan’s Nursing College and graduated with a B.S.N. in 1970. Her first job was with the Penticton Hospital and then a teaching position in Winnipeg General Hospital. After Dave and Sonia were married in 1971, they moved to Vancouver and Sonia taught at the Royal Columbian Hospital and then with the B.C. Institute of Technology. Following a transfer to Saskatoon, Sonia joined SIAST and stayed for 33 years first as a nursing instructor and then as Program Head for HC/SCA (Home Care/Special Care Aide). She taught ethics, curriculum development and clinical supervision. As Program Head, she initiated standards and benefits to the program including provincial standards, conference organization and consultation with governments to facilitate change.

Committed to lifetime learning, she completed her Masters of Nursing in 1997 – a special time because two of her children were also attending university at the same time. Sonia is credited with two publications, Strategies in Promoting Ethical Decision Making and Assessment of Competency to Complete Advance Care Directives: Guidelines for Health Care Professionals. After more than 40 years in nursing, Sonia retired and became involved in her community.

Currently, Sonia is heading the Ukrainian Museum of Canada’s fundraising campaign. Her leadership, innovation, and creativity have been key in structuring a successful campaign. She was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee medal for her service to the Museum and for her role in creating the Spadshchyna Honour Roll. Sonia is active with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of All Saints, and the Ukrainian Women’s Association. She has been a longtime member of the Tryzub Society, Folkfest, Vesna Festival, Saskatoon Friends of the Shevchenko Foundation, and the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Association. She has volunteered for Jeux Canada Games, Century Saskatoon, Diabetes, Heart and Stroke, Cancer associations, the Yevshan Ukrainian Folk Ballet Ensemble and the Tryzub Church camp held at Crystal Lake near Canora.

Sonia and Dave have three children, Tania, Michael and Kristen, and four grandchildren. Sonia enjoys travel, baking, reading, making wine and their cottage at Crystal Beach.

Anna was born in Hafford, Saskatchewan to Joseph and Maria (Demyon) Klimchuk, and attended Alberton Public School on the farm. She graduated from senior matriculation at Hafford High School. After marrying Edward Prystupa, they moved to North Battleford and started their life together.

Having completed a variety of post secondary programs, Anna worked in a variety of roles, including as a teacher’s aide, business-manager accountant, and finally settling into the role of Director of Human Resources for the Battleford Health District.

Anna has always been involved with the church, and has been an active member of the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada since 1956. She has held a variety of positions within the League, locally and nationally, including that of branch president for North Battleford. Anna was instrumental in bringing the All Saints Branch, North Battleford under the auspices of the national UCWLC. Her work within the League has been extensive and varied. Her dedicated work resulted in the preparation and compilation of a Hymnal book for the 50th Anniversary of the church, and as a talented cross-stitch artisan, she embroidered a five-piece altar cloth and donated it to All Saints Catholic Church in honour of her late parents.

Also active in the Ukrainian Canadian community, Anna participated with the Ukrainian Canadian Committee, worked as a youth co-ordinator and was conductor of choirs, carols, dramas, Ukrainian dancing, community concerts, taught pysanka classes to children and adults, taught mandolin classes, as well as Ukrainian cross-stitch and ceramics.

In addition to preservation of her cultural heritage, Anna also made time to volunteer in her broader community with organizations such as the Christian Women’s Organization, Battleford Horticultural Society, Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, Battlefords Union Hospital Retirees Club, and with various nursing homes.

Along with her husband, Anna enjoyed extensive travel around the world. This experience exposed her to the great need for humanitarian aid. She sponsored two missionary priests and has helped children in Ukraine. She has also journeyed on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Lourdes, Fatima, Israel and Rome where she also had the honour of two audiences with His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

Anna strives to use her leadership in the UCWLC and in all of her other work to bring success to each organization. Her commitment to church and prayer guides her as she balances both sun and rain in all of her endeavours.

Eunice was born on April 7, 1927 in Ukraine in the village of Bihnary, Yavoriw. She is the second child of Harry and Agnes Warnyca. At the age of one Eunice with her parents and older brother immigrated to Canada. They moved to the Candiac district where they farmed.

When Eunice first started school, all the other children spoke Polish; she learned to speak with them. She found it very difficult to speak English. Her brother and she walked to school a distance of two miles, barefoot in summer. They were required to take their own drinking water with them.

At a very early age of 14 years Eunice became an active member of the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada, Candiac branch. She was their treasurer, vice-president and president for five years.

In 1948 Eunice married John Shiplack; they were blessed with four children. The Shiplacks farmed in the Candiac district until they moved to Regina in 1959. Eunice was employed at the Hotel Saskatchewan and later worked at the Wascana Rehabilitation Hospital.

Eunice quickly became active in the local UWAC, the church by teaching Sunday school, Ukrainian school including sewing, and embroidery for the local dance group.

In addition to her family activities, Eunice served as food convenor for the Kyiv Pavilion at Mosaic Festival. She served as board member for the Regina Ukrainian Orthodox Housing Corporation, UWAC Provincial Executive and currently is chair of the sisterhood at Selo Chapel.

Eunice instructed pysanka-writing, embroidery and fancy traditional bread-making at the public schools in Regina. Her knowledge of Ukrainian culture has been seen on radio, television and newspapers. In particular, many Christmas and Easter dinners have been televised from her home.

One of Eunice’s major contributions is serving as convenor and co-authoring the Ukrainian Daughters’ Cookbook, first published in 1984. To date it has sold over 80,000 copies.

Through the enormous success of the cookbook, major funds were directed to another project chaired by Eunice which resulted in the building of the Selo Gardens Chapel.

Eunice resides at Selo Gardens and enjoys it very much; often you will find her showing off her children as well as eight grandchildren and her four great-grandchildren.

Josephine Marie Pobihushchy (Josie) can lay claim to being a true prairie product: Saskatchewan where her grandparents settled, Manitoba where she was born, Alberta where she grew up, and Saskatchewan that is now her home.

For Josie and her family, volunteering was a way of life: at the school, the church, or community events. And that family tradition is evident in Josie’s community and career endeavours.

With the move to Regina, Josie enriched the community with a variety of knowledge and experiences that she willingly shared and imparted through her work with visitors, newcomers and parishioners.

For 30 years she has been teaching newcomers, helping them learn about and adapt to their new country, and learn the English language. She brought knowledge and experience from four different immigrant-serving agencies in Alberta to work as an English as a Second Language instructor and as an ESL program coordinator in the LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) program at the University of Regina where she developed programming which enabled learners to become better citizens of Saskatchewan.

Knowledge and experience from living and working overseas or visiting five continents gave Josie insights into what it takes to be successful in a new country. Gaining proficiency in a new language and understanding what it is that employers look for in an employee helped her succeed in her work as an employment instructor/counsellor for over five years at the Regina Open Door Society.

Josie has spent a great deal of her life learning about and appreciating the heritage of others. She appreciates the hardships faced by newcomers. Presently she is a literacy programmer at the Regina Public Library where she trains and supports volunteer tutors who help learners improve their English language skills.

Josie is a proud promoter of her Ukrainian heritage and has been an active member of the Ukrainian community everywhere she has lived. She has helped organize Ukrainian language classes, cultural workshops and displays at multicultural events, and represented her community.

The Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League of Canada (UCWLC) works with the church and the community to promote and retain all aspects of the Ukrainian culture and to support social and financial efforts which can make Canada a better place to live. The organization has lobbied the government on social and ethical issues. A UCWLC member for more than 25 years, Josie has taken on leadership responsibilities at the local, eparchial/provincial and national levels.

Josie married Mike Vantour in Edmonton in 1996.

Zennia Yuzik came from humble beginnings, born eldest of four, in North Battleford and raised on the farm near Whitkow, Saskatchewan. Her parents, Michaylo and Anelia (Kowalsky) Nychyk provided a solid foundation of Christian devotion that later played an important role in her future. Great importance was placed on education and Zennia worked diligently at Proswita School, and later at Nutana Collegiate in Saskatoon. While residing at Mohyla Institute, she involved herself with Mohylianky and the Kameniari societies. Zennia pursued her education at the university level and was awarded her Teacher’s Certificate.

The majority of Zennia’s teaching career was in Cudworth, where she specialized in elementary education and also taught Ukrainian language. During her teaching career, which spanned thirty-three years, she piloted, tested and implemented various types of language programs and learning tools in the subjects she taught. Students benefited greatly from her guidance in various school projects and her life-learning coaching skills.

In addition to the school setting, Zennia was, and still is, very involved within our communities. She has profound interest in the fine arts at the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, where she has served ten years as director. Zennia serves in leadership roles within numerous organizations at the national, provincial, and local levels. Her devoted involvement finds Zennia at the helm of many vibrant organizations where she advocates high standards even within today’s changing environment. Her concerns are centred on the interests of young people, be it in diplomacy, music, or certain aspects of the arts.

Zennia shares her talents with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church: teaching, cantoring, or delegating at the board level. Her service to the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada (UWAC) is extensive. Involved in national conventions (2005, 2013), she steered many committees. As chair of the national UWAC executive, she wrote A Historical Summary of the UWAC. Zennia has been the recipient of numerous awards of which the highest was the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal which she received in 2013.

Her motto is to provide youth with the opportunity to grow in their lives. Her interpersonal skills rally people together to work on common goals through culture, language and leadership in the province or nation.

Zennia married Peter Yuzik in 1955. They were blessed with five children: †Darrell, Doreen, Patricia, Anna-Marie, and Dean. They have six grandchildren.

Zennia’s leadership skills and her dedication to cultural preservation and development continue to be her beacons as she offers herself for the betterment of our Ukrainian community.