(See also September 24 Honourees selected announcement.)

13th Annual Nation Builders and Community Recognitions Awards luncheon in Regina this Sunday

October 30, 2007 -- The UCC-SPC is pleased to announce that this year’s Nation Builders and Community Recognitions Awards Luncheon will be held in Regina at the Radisson Plaza Hotel Saskatchewan on Sunday, November 4, 2007, commencing at 12:00 p.m. in the Regency Ballroom.

This prestigious annual event, initially launched in 1995, recognizes and pays tribute to Ukrainian Canadians chosen by the Awards Committee for their meritorious service.

The Nation Builders Award is bestowed to persons who have, without personal gain or reward, made meritorious contributions of significant impact; left a legacy; and/or served as exemplary role models to the Ukrainian community at the local, provincial or national level.

The individuals who will be honoured as Nation Builders at the Awards Luncheon this year are:

Eugene Joseph Krenosky (Vanguard-Regina): educator, church & community leader, dedicated volunteer; served in many leadership roles including: President - Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada; National Ukrainian Canadian Congress Vice President; President - Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Saskatchewan Provincial Council and UCC Regina branch; Chair - Regina Mosaic Festival; Regina Multicultural Council - Vice-Chair; Chair - Cable Regina Cooperative.

Sonia Violet Morris (d) (Windsor, ON-Saskatoon-Burnaby): educator; visionary; author; educational consultant; translator; recognized authority in multiculturalism; promoter of Fine Arts in Education; exponent of Ukrainian culture, language and education; served in many leadership roles including: Vice-Chair - Saskatchewan Arts Board; Chair - Saskatchewan Multicultural Advisory Board; President - Saskatchewan Association for Multicultural Education and Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural Education, Member - Government of Saskatchewan Minister's Committee on Fine Arts in Education.

The Community Recognitions Award is presented to persons who have made meritorious contributions in one or more areas of youth achievement; leadership; volunteerism; cultural preservation and development; and/or creativity and innovation impacting the Ukrainian community at the local, provincial or national level.

Recipients of the 2007 Community Recognition Awards are:

William 'Bill' Dudar (d) (Garland, MB/Porcupine Plain/Saskatoon): volunteer, civic and church leader with Ukrainian Catholic Church, educator, business person, former Mayor of Porcupine Plain; past-President - Ukrainian Catholic Council of Saskatchewan; past-Chair - St Joseph’s Home.

Sylvia Gryba (Aberdeen-Cudworth-Saskatoon): church and community activist, teacher, volunteer, leader, role model, active in preserving and developing Ukrainian culture through dance.

Norman Harris (Endeavour): local pioneer history buff and ethnographer; collector of early settler artefacts; documented architecturally 11 pioneer homes and churches dating back to 1902; community-church activist; dedicated volunteer and enthusiast; one of the founder of Crystal Lake Trident Youth Camp; promoter of Ukrainian-Canadian culture, history, and traditions.

Ann Ogenchuk (Krydor-Hafford): church and community activist, dedicated volunteer and community leader in her home community of Hafford, promoter of Ukrainian language, culture and traditions; business person; founder of Hafford Ukrainian Dancing Association and Ukrainian Music Festival; long-time Chair Hafford Housing Authority and volunteer with Hafford Hospital; coordinated fundraising effort to purchase Crooked Trees Tourist Site.

Sonja Pawliw (Whitesand-Yorkton): writer, educator; dedicated volunteer with the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada; respected community resource in Ukrainian language and folk-arts; church activist; recognized master gardener; cultivated a nationally recognized Meditation and Healing Garden in her backyard.

Edward P. Werbicki (Wakaw-Saskatoon): educator; principal; played important role in development of Ukrainian bilingual program in Saskatoon; long-time member of Knights of Columbus and 25-year Chair of Carol Festival; tireless volunteer; promoter of Ukrainian language, culture and traditions; church leader.

Katerina Oleski (Melville-Regina): elementary school teacher; dedicated volunteer; youth ambassador; dancer; Sunday school, Ukrainian dance and ESL teacher; promoter of multiculturalism as a Board member of the Regina Multicultural Council; involved with community development work in Ukraine.

Brett Strutynski (Yorkton): community/school activist and tireless volunteer; Honours student; youth leader in local church; Ukrainian dancer; student representative council member; organized 4-part choir at school; Altar boy leader; involved with humanitarian work in Ukraine; promoter of Ukrainian language, culture and traditions.

The public is invited to attend this prestigious event to congratulate, recognize, and to help celebrate the achievement of the above noted honourees. Tickets are $39.00 for adults (includes a $20 tax receipt) and $20 for youth.

Tickets are available by calling 1-888-652-5850 (652-5850 in Saskatoon).

For more information please contact either Danylo Puderak, Executive Director of UCC-SPC at 1-888-652-5850 or Dr. Tony Harras, Chair of the UCC-SPC Recognitions Committee at 306-586-6805.