UKRAINIAN HERITAGE RESORT HOLDS 58TH ANNUAL MISS SOYUZIVKA PAGEANT
by Roman Hirniak
KERHONKSON, N.Y. -‐ Near the stroke of midnight on a warm August 9th evening, guests at the UNA’s Soyuzivka resort took a short break from dancing to music of the celebrated Tempo Orchestra and watched the continuation of a decades-‐long tradition … the crowning ceremony for this year’s Miss Soyuzivka. After briefly detailing the names and very high qualifications of all four beautiful candidates, it was announced that Solomia Pylypiw had been selected as the pageant winner for 2014. From Randolph, New Jersey, Miss Pylypiw is a member of UNA Branch 269 and a graduate of Rutgers University’s Business School. The daughter of Bohdan and Oksana Pylypiw, she is a member of Chornomorska Sitch, CYM, the Ukrainian-‐American Cultural Center of New Jersey and Phi Chi Theta, a professional business and economics fraternity. Solomia enjoys playing volleyball, dancing, skiing, swimming and reading. With two candidates having received identical scores, a tie for first runner up was declared – sisters Nadiya and Nataliya Pavlishyn from Astoria, New York and daughters of Ihor and Vira Pavlishyn. Nadiya attends Stony Brook University, while Nataliya is a student at Hunter College. Both sisters were born in Sambir, Ukraine and immigrated to the United States at early ages. They are very active in their respective schools and the greater Ukrainian community, having performed as the Pavlishyn Sisters at many festivals and concerts in the United States and Canada over the past fourteen years. The evening’s second runner up was Natalia Kudryk of Livingston, New Jersey. A member of CYM and the Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Natalia enjoys dancing, singing and digital photography/videography. She attends Penn State University and is a member of UNA Branch 42. The daughter of Dr. Alexander and Mrs. Natalia Kudryk, Miss Kudryk maintains her dynamic membership in both the New Jersey Ukrainian community and many school organizations, while pursuing a major in Advertising and Public Relations. This year’s panel of judges was chaired by Ukrainian National Association General Assembly Advisor Bohdanka Puzyk and included Dr. Theresa Kuritza, Treasurer of the Ukrainian Medical
Association of North America’s Illinois Branch and Roman Hirniak, a Pedagogical Advisor with the Educational Council of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Following her crowning ceremony, Miss Pylypiw took to the dance floor for the traditional waltz with the UNA’s President, Mr. Stefan Kaczaraj, after which the celebration continued on into the early morning, with dancing, laughter and the always eagerly-‐anticipated Kolomyika – all the ingredients to ensure great memories of another wonderful Ukrainian summer tradition.
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