St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Ladies Auxiliary was established in September 1961. The Auxiliary formulated its constitution in 1966 with the following aims and objectives:
- promote Christian fellowship among members of the Auxiliary, St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Sobor Parish and members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
- conduct benevolent, charitable, social, educational, artistic and cultural activities
- preserve and promote the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage: religion, language, customs and traditions
- work in conjunction with the St. Andrew’s Church Board and various Church Committees in furthering all phases of work of the parish and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
- provide an opportunity for personal development through involvement and sharing of talents within the Ukrainian community
St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Ladies Auxiliary is a branch of the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada (UWAC) and supports the goals and objectives of UWAC, Article II, published in 1991. The link to the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada is www.uwac-national.ca.
Ladies Auxiliary Executive 2015/16
President: Kathy Buchanan
Secretary: Diane Pysyk
Treasurer: Gloria Gilyshyn
For information about the Ladies Auxiliary please contact the church office at 780.469.1463. Your questions will be forwarded to the executive or appropriate committee chairperson.
Membership
Any adult female that is a member of St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Sobor Parish or a member of any other Ukrainian Orthodox Church is eligible for Ladies Auxiliary membership. The annual membership fee is $20.00. We extend a warm welcome to all!
Meetings
Business meetings are held on the third Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. (excluding July and August). If the third Monday falls on a long weekend, the meeting is scheduled for the following day. The Annual General Meeting is held on the third Monday of September.
Education
Adult Ukrainian Language Classes are offered at St. Andrew’s to the general public once a week from September to March for approximately twenty-four, two-hour sessions. Separate classes are geared to different levels of language proficiency. To register for the new fall term, call the church office at 780.469.1463.
The Ladies Auxiliary hosts various educational sessions throughout the year. Guest presenters are invited to share their experiences and expertise on current topics of interest.
Workshops are held to learn and produce various culinary and cultural crafts for personal development, parish functions, as well as for fundraising endeavors.
Kolachi for the Feast of Jordan
Butter Lamb
Annual Events
Pre-Christmas Tea, Bazaar & Bake Sale (November)
Pre-Easter Tea & Bake Sale (March or April)
Fundraising
Funds are raised primarily through teas, bazaars and bake sales, sale of frozen holubtsi and pyrohy, and in catering to the Ukrainian Orthodox Community.
Charitable Works
St. Andrew’s Ladies Auxiliary supports all the religious and cultural activities of St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Sobor Parish and makes annual monetary contributions to the following local charities: Hope Mission, WIN House, Christmas Bureau, Edmonton Food Bank, Ukrainian Canadian Social Services and others, and also creates hygiene packages for distribution by the Local Council of Women. The ladies contribute to student activities in the Ukrainian International Bilingual Program and offer bursaries to youth attending Ukrainian summer camps and immersion programs. The Ladies Auxiliary financially supports the National and Provincial branches of the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Promin, the UWAC magazine, and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Holodomor Awareness Fund. Donations to Ukraine have been made to the ‘Safe House’ in Stoyaniv through Maple Leaf Alberta Projects, to flood and H1N1 pandemic relief funds, and for ongoing aid to orphans through Chalice International.