To Our Members, Ukrainian Organizations and the American Nation:
On September 11, 2001, the world as we knew it, ceased to exist. A
horrific Tragedy, a series of incomprehensible events taking the lives of
innocent civilians in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania, unfolded
before our very eyes on television. We witnessed symbols of New York and
the United States crumble. We stared in disbelief.
In the aftermath of the Tragedy, emotions expanded to encompass and
underscore love, compassion, and patriotism. Strength was found in God's
guidance and in the belief in Freedom and the virtues of America.
Nonetheless, sadness and sorrow remained in the hearts of the Ukrainian
community.
As members of an international youth organization, we pray for all those
innocent victims who perished in this Tragedy or those who are still
missing. We salute the heroes who risked their lives to save the lives of
strangers. We pray for our own Sumivets, Ivan Skala, who was such a hero
and selflessly raced to the World Center to save thousands of innocent
lives. Ivan, a Port Authority police officer, was one of the first heroes
on the scene of the Tragedy and he is still missing. Our hearts are heavy
with grief and prayer for you.
This Tragedy brings us to a crossroad. How do we explain these atrocities
to our children, to our members? We have yet to find the words. However,
we turn to our children, our members and members of other sister
organizations. Let's contribute to the recovery effort. We may not be
able to do it through physically moving debris at the site of WTC. Our
blood donations may not be necessary at the current time. Nonetheless, we
can be a force in the recovery. Let's teach our children about
volunteerism, about making a difference in this world, and about turning to
God for guidance and inspiration. Our members can contribute to the
American Red Cross, Sept. 11th Fund, New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster
Relief Fund, Catholic Charities, etc. Our teenagers can volunteer their
time and effort to organizations such as the Habitat for Humanity, American
Red Cross and United Way. Our children can visit local Firefighter and
Police stations to display respect and appreciation for their efforts in
protecting us. Let's contribute and make a difference.
On Sunday, Sept 16th, in St. George Church, Patriarch Husar addressed the
grieving Ukrainian community of the Greater New York area. He provided
spiritual guidance and inspiration. Patriarch Husar turned to SUM and
Plast and reminded us that we need to continue our work with the Ukrainian
youth to mold them to become loving, moral human beings. We will step up
to this task and continue our mission.
With Deepest Sympathy and Respect
National Board of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (CYM)