From March 31 to April1, 2001, CYM members from throughout the United States gathered for discussions at the Plenary Sessions being held at the Dmytro Vitovskyj Branch in Palatine, Illinois. Attendees included 57 representatives from 11 Oseredky as well as members of the National Executive.
The approach taken to this year's Plenum differed from past Plenums in several ways. The first difference was that the sessions were held in the Midwest for the first time in many years. "I was able to make several new contacts from other branches of CYM, and also obtained a number of new ideas regarding weekly children's activities", said Andrij Kosowsky from Chicago. Holding the Plenum in Palatine gave CYM members from the west a chance to meet more people from the east, something that for many reasons has been difficult over the years. It also gave members from the east an opportunity to visit an oseredok outside of their region.
Another difference was seen at the organizational structure of the sessions. The Plenum was divided into two different tracks, or themes. The first was the educational (vykhovnyj) track, where members discussed issues regarding yunatstvo and educational. The sessions included: Training Counselors (Vykhovnyky) and Junior Counselors (Vporyadnyky), The Educational Library, Preparing the Work Plan for the New Season, and Topics for Camps. The other track concentrated on issues dealing with administrative problems. The organizational track consisted of the following sessions: Communication, Finances and Fundraising, Public Relations, and Integration of the East and West. Although many delegates attended sessions from both tracks throughout the weekend, most delegates focused in on their areas of interest and attended all sessions within their field of interest. It was interesting to note that the audience was split almost evenly among the two tracks throughout the Plenum.
The sessions provided the delegates with information they can utilize in their work in CYM, and also provided a forum for them to voice their ideas and opinions on how the National Executive can better address their problems and concerns. In return, the National Executive also had the opportunity to make requests of the oseredky that would help the National Executive be more effective. The discussions were open and were seen as very productive. The moderators for these sessions, from both the east and west, did a wonderful job leading the discussions and kept the sessions timely and organized.
Amid the many hours of discussions, the delegates had enough time to socialize and enjoy their time with their new colleagues. The Friday night before the Plenum officially began, delegates had the opportunity to meet one another at a "Zustrich" at the Palatine Oseredok. Saturday afternoon provided a treat for everyone by showing the new film "Neskorenyj" about UPA General Taras Chuprynka - Roman Shukhevytch.
On Sunday morning, delegates attended a Mass before resuming the sessions. Sunday's sessions included a presentation by Zirka Kobasniuk and Roman Dashawetz on CYM's "Emergency Medical Aid to Ukraine" project and ended with a general discussion and a summary of all the previous day's sessions.
The Plenum was considered a large success from many perspectives:
It provided a place to "network" and meet others who share an interest in similar areas of work within CYM.
It provided broad areas of discussion in addition to the traditional topics of working with Yunatstvo.
It provided a forum for the exchange of ideas that everyone can apply to their work at their oseredky.
It gave the National Executive a better understanding of the local issues within oseredky, as well as of the oseredoks' expectations of the National Executive.
It helped bring the east and west closer together by providing new perspectives and a better understanding of each oseredok's educational methods and administrative processes.
With the weekend coming quickly to an end, the Plenum closed with a short speech of thanks by Druh Oles Strilchuk, President of the Dmytro Vitovskyj Branch in Palatine, and with the singing of the Ukrainian National Anthem.
