Nation Builders & Community Recognition Awards

Honouring the Legacy – Fostering Pride – Inspiring to Serve

About Nation Builders

Overview

In 1991, Ukrainian Canadians marked 100 years of Ukrainian settlement in Canada. At that time, the national Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Winnipeg recognized 100 Ukrainian Canadians who had made an outstanding contribution to the development of Canada. The Saskatchewan Provincial Council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress resolved to similarly honour Ukrainians in this province. The Nation Builders Awards, initially titled Community Appreciation Awards, were initiated in 1995 and have been held annually since then. In 2014 the Recognitions Committee inaugurated a new award, titled Newsmaker of the Year.

The UCC-SPC Nation Builders Awards were established as an official recognition event of the UCC-SPC. The object is to recognize individuals:

• who have provided, without reward or gain, outstanding service or exceptional community involvement in an area that is beyond the performance of the individual's normal duties or the exercise of the responsibilities of a profession to which that individual belongs; and/or
• who have made a lasting impact on Saskatchewan and/or Canada through their contribution to Canadian or Ukrainian-Canadian community development, goals and ideals.

Each year about 10 individuals are so recognized. Candidates for recognition can be nominated by member organizations of the UCC-SPC as well as by individual members of the Ukrainian-Canadian community. The Recognition Committee reviews the submissions as well as the names of persons held in its database. Each group of honourees is chosen so as to represent a cross-section of the Ukrainian-Canadian community as well as Canadian society. Candidates for recognition must have spent a significant part of their lives in Saskatchewan or have made a significant part of their contribution while in Saskatchewan.

From its inception to the end of March 2023, the Nation Builders Awards project has honoured 302 individuals and 3 organizations (169 NBA, 134 CRA) plus two Newsmaker of the Year Awards. Honourees hail from all parts of the province and represent a wide range of activities from the arts, to community advocacy, to community and/or political leadership, to accomplished professionals.

Dinner Venue

As part of UCC Saskatchewan’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2023, the awards presentation event has been moved to coincide with our Annual General Meeting. An in-person dinner-and-awards-presentation event now takes place annually during the first weekend of March; the dinner is semi-formal and the venue is decorated accordingly.

Up until and including the 2019 event, luncheons were held, commencing at noon on the first Sunday in November, at which time the honourees were recognized.

From 1995-2000 the luncheon was held at the Hotel Bessborough in Saskatoon, in 2001 & 2002 it was held in Regina at the Hotel Saskatchewan, in 2003 & 2004 it was held in Yorkton at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Parish Cultural Centre, 2005 & 2006 in Saskatoon, 2007 & 2008 in Regina, 2009 & 2010 in Saskatoon, 2011 & 2012 in Yorkton, 2013 & 2014 in Regina, 2015 & 2016 in Saskatoon, 2017 & 2018 in Prince Albert on Treaty 6 Territory, and on October 20, 2019 in Regina on Treaty 4 Territory.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UCC Saskatchewan announced changes to the 2020 Nation Builders & Community Recognition Awards program. The luncheon was originally scheduled to take place November 1, 2020 at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Parish Cultural Centre in Yorkton.

Instead of in-person luncheons and awards presentations, online honouree announcement events took place November 1, 2020 and November 7, 2021 to formally present the honourees for each year.

The 2022 event was postponed to March 4, 2023 for an in-person dinner and ceremony at TCU Place, where the honourees from 2020 and 2021 were recognized and the honourees from 2022 received their awards.

During the event the honourees receive a ‘Nation Builders Awards’ trophy. The attendees receive, as a souvenir of the event, a commemorative booklet containing the biographical sketches of the year’s honourees.

About Community Recognition

In 2005, as part of UCC-SPC’s Saskatchewan Centenary celebration, the prestigious Nation Builders recognition program was enhanced by the establishment of a second award -- the Community Recognition Award. The Community Recognition Award joins the Nation Builders Award as an annual presentation. Community Recognition Awards will be bestowed upon persons who have made meritorious contributions to the Ukrainian community and/or Saskatchewan-Canada in one or more of these areas:

• Youth Achievement;
• Leadership;
• Volunteerism;
• Cultural Preservation & Development;
• Creativity & Innovation.

Recognitions Committee

The Recognition Committee consists of a chairperson and up to four additional members appointed by the UCC Saskatchewan Board for a term of three years. Mary Cherneskey (Saskatoon) was the first chairperson, heading the committee for two terms (1995-97 and 1998-2000) and Dr. Tony Harras (Regina) followed as chair for three terms 2001-2008. Eugene Krenosky (Regina) was chair 2009-2010. John Rozdilsky (Saskatoon) was chair 2011-2012 (committee member 2005-2012). Jayne Paluck (Regina) was chair 2013-2014 (committee member 2011-Mar 2017). John Denysek (Yorkton) was chair 2015-2017.

Lissa Gruza (Saskatoon) is the current chair; Martin Hryniuk (Saskatoon), Jerry Corbett (Melfort), Ken Mazur (Regina) and Zennovia Duch (Veregin) are the other current members.

Previous committee members include: Alex Balych (1996-2005), Pearl Balych (2000-2003), Sonia Bremner (2018), Angeline Chrusch (2002-2004), Christine Devrome (2011-2012), Judge Andrew Kindred (1994), Marie Kishchuk (2007-2010), Andrea Kopylech (2013-2015), Shawna Kozun (2016-2019), Vera Labach (1995-2000), Pat Marchinko (2011-Mar 2017), Ollie Marciniuk (2009-2010), Merle Maximiuk (2004-2007), Janis Olesko (2013-2015), Paul Ortynsky (2001-2006), Steve Pillipow (2013-2018), Rev. Fr. Patrick Powalinsky (2013-2018), Stephen Senyk (2006-2012), and Mary Ann Trischuk (2009-2012).

Nominating Candidates

To nominate a candidate, contact UCC Saskatchewan. Or, view and print the Nomination Guide and Form.