Alexandra Chyczyj receives the award. From left Andrey Genyk-Berezowsky, Alexandra Chyczyj, Bohdan Kolos, Daria Horbay. Photo: Yulia Metelitsa
Bohdan Kolos
For NP-UN
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for Plast Canada in February 2023 was unique in many ways.
It was the first in-person national meeting since the pandemic and the first since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Putin’s Russia a year ago. Although the invasion of the eastern oblasts dates to 2014, on February 24th, 2022, the Russian army moved to attack other regions, including Ukraine’s capital Kyiv.
Both events have had a tremendous impact on the Plast Scouting Organization in Canada: the isolation and programming adjustments during Covid, and the shift in priorities during the invasion, in order to “Stand With Ukraine.” Most of the AGM participants had an opportunity to participate in the Friday night “Mega March in Solidarity” event held in communities right across Canada, including the one culminating at Toronto City Hall.
The sombre tone at the beginning of the AGM was set with a minute of silence, as names of the latest deceased Plast Canada members were read along with the names of 25 Plast Ukraine members killed in action defending their country since the beginning of this invasion. Sadly, there are no means to measure the growing number of maimed, wounded, orphaned, or displaced persons. (https://100krokiv.info/ne-zradyly-svojikh-prysiah)
Plast AGM participants. Photo: Lev Piaseckyj
Plast delegates and members from across Canada were presented with numerous facts and reports. Most interesting were the reports of the humanitarian aid projects, initiated by the National Executive, and supported by local chapters, collecting 220 thousand dollars worth of aid to Ukraine. Also, with financing from the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, Plast Canada helped Plast Ukraine deliver millions of dollars in humanitarian assistance to towns and villages close to the front lines. The aid came as food boxes, hygiene kits, wood stoves, medical supplies, and clothing.
In addition, Plast Canada and the Edmonton chapter were able to work with the “Firefighters Aid Ukraine” group in Alberta, raising another 200 thousand dollars with the help of Edmonton companies that assisted with logistical costs. Plast Canada also cooperated with Plast USA on some humanitarian projects.
It came to light that, with the influx of refugees and displaced people into Canada, there are new community individuals and groups interested in starting up Plast chapters in various cities outside the current seven. Such regions as Newfoundland, Halifax, Moncton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Saskatoon, and Vancouver are being considered.
Kathy Haras, a long-time Plast member and now an educator and consultant with “Adventureworks Associates Inc.” held the delegates’ attention with her expert analysis of the need for further training of counsellors, especially in water sports, canoeing and swimming. The counsellors were brought up to date on the newest standards relating to experience, qualifications, and water safety.
In the evening session, Alexandra Chyczij, National President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), reported on the work being done by the Congress to represent Ukrainians at the national, provincial, and local levels. The UCC staff coordinates and represents the interests of Ukrainian communities and organizations. They have been successful in convincing the federal government to receive and accommodate the recently displaced citizens and refugees from Ukraine.
The President of Plast Canada, Daria Horbay, took this opportunity to present long-time member Alexandra Chyczij with the international Plast award “The Order of the Eternal Flame in Gold” for her outstanding leadership as President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in representing Ukrainians on the national level to local, Canadian, and international government organizations. The accomplishments belong to her, and the team she has put together.
The award emphasized Alexandra as an activist leader, a volunteer spoke-person of the community, and a visible example to the young people in Plast and elsewhere.
Plast Canada AGM members realized the value of successfully shifting their priorities from primarily looking after their local interests to including the demands and best interests of Plast communities in Ukraine and worldwide.
Share on Social Media
