62nd National ACRY Convention
September 4, 2006
LIBERTY, OH - The 62nd Annual Convention of the
National Senior and Junior ACRY (American Carpatho Russian Youth) which began on
Friday September 1, 2006 concluded today. This year's convention was seen as a
great success by its participants, as the fruits of its deliberations were many
new initiatives designed to re-invigorate and strengthen the family of the
ACRY.
The Junior ACRY under the leadership of President, Rachel Pribish, Senior
Advisor, Amy Oblinsky and Spiritual Advisor, Very Rev. Miles Zdinak, initiated
several outreach programs, to the youth of the diocese and other charitable
causes.
First, to encourage more youth to attend the Summer Camping Program at Camp
Nazareth, they decided to open their annual essay contest, which was previously
limited to JR ACRY members, to all diocesan Youth. This year there will be two
prizes: a full week's tuition to Camp for Jr. ACRY members, and a 50% discount
for non-member Orthodox. The essay contest application and rules will be
included in the Camp registration packages sent to all diocesan parishes and
posted on the camp website.
Second, the members of the Jr. ACRY also voted to sponsor a special youth
outreach project, to benefit our diocesan St. John The Compassionate Mission to
the poor of Toronto, Ontario (Canada). St. John's Mission presently serves more
than 2000 meals a month to the hungry and provides job training and mentoring
programs. Youth Project 2007, while sponsored by the Jr. ACRY, is open to all
the youth of the diocese. Further information will be posted on the Diocesan and
JR. ACRY websites and mailed to all diocesan parishes in the near
future.
At the convention, the members of the Jr. ACRY also began making plans for
their 25th Anniversary celebration to be held in 2009, and they conducted their
"pass the hat" collection for the victims of the June flooding in the
Binghamton, NY area. This flood left several members of our diocesan St.
Michael's parish with devastating damage to their homes and catastrophic
losses.
Philanthrophy, outreach and evangelism characterized the deliberations and
accomplishments of the Senior ACRY component of the national convention. Most
notably, due to the hard work and diligence of Donna Yarina and her fellow
members of the Johnstown Chapter, through their successful Lots of Luck Calendar
fundraiser, $10,000 was raised during the past year for the benefit of the ACRY.
It was through the efforts of the Johnstown Chapter that this fundraising
program began in the early 1990's. The proceeds of this fundraiser were
distributed in the following manner, $5,000 to the Diocesan Mission Fund, $2,500
to Camp Nazareth and $2,500 to the Scholarship Fund. It was decided that the
proceeds of the coming year's fundraiser would be split among the Mission Fund,
the victims of the Binghamton Flood and the ACRY Publication Fund.
Other charitable donations approved at the Convention include, $4,500 to the
Diocesan Apostolate for Youth, $2,000 towards the construction of a permanent
Church for the Holy Transfiguration Mission in Crawfordsville, IN, and $900 from
a "pass the hat" collection to the St. John The Compassionate Mission in
Toronto, Ontario (Canada).
Another significant item of discussion was a report given by Mrs. Caroline
Kushner, which analyzed the recent surveys conducted by the ACRY regarding its
overall mission, vision and programming. Mrs. Kushner, who works as a strategic
planner for not for profit organizations, concluded in her report that the ACRY
needs to develop a strategic plan which redefines and clearly articulates the
mission and vision of the ACRY. A committee has been formed which will operate
with the participation and Blessing of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas and
with Mrs. Kushner as chairperson . The remaining members will be comprised of
both ACRY and non ACRY members and clergy.
Recognizing that the ACRY is not only a youth but a family organization, and
desiring that there be greater attendance and interest in National ACRY events,
a historic decision was made to invite and encourage all members of our diocese,
both ACRY members and non-ACRY members to take part in the annual bowling
tournament. This new policy would begin with the upcoming tournament to be held
this coming Memorial Day Weekend in Stratford, Connecticut. Plans in progress
for this event, promise that this weekend will be an enjoyable weekend with many
family activities besides bowling being offered.
As has been the tradition from the very beginning, the convention took place
within the context of the liturgical life of the Church, opening with Liturgy on
Saturday morning co-celebrated by the Very Rev. Peter Paproski, National Senior
ACRY Spiritual Advisor, Very Rev. Fr. Miles Zdinak, National JR ACRY Spiritual
Advisor, and the Rev. Fr. Andrew Fetchina, the Director of the Diocesan
Apostolate For Youth. Vespers later in the day were celebrated by Very Rev. Fr.
Miles Zdinak and the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday was celebrated by His
Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas and the assembled Clergy with the Plain Chant
responses being led by host pastor, the Very Rev. Protopresbyter Kenneth
Bachofsky and assisted by Rachel Pribish, National Jr. ACRY President, Nathan
Bachofsky, Danielle Fecso and Natasha Kaputa.
Other highlights included a presentation on Marital Fidelity and Cohabitation
by Fr. Michael Ellis, the director of Camp Nazareth on Saturday afternoon, a
barbershop quartet concert following dinner on Saturday evening and the Grand
banquet on Sunday evening, which featured the Very Rev. Jonathan Tobias as the
keynote speaker.
Newly elected SR ACRY officers include: Matthew Pfiffer, President; Amy
Oblinsky, Vice President; Maryann Hudak, Secretary; Adam Zak, Treasurer; Deborah
Samilenko, Financial Secretary; Barbara Coe, Aaron Zak and Christina Dutko,
Auditors; Danielle Fesco, Sergeant at Arms; Gregory Kushner, Publicity Director;
and Elizabeth Fedornock, Athletic Director. Junior ACRY officers include: Rachel
Pribish, President; Katherine Stienstra, Vice-President; Katie Verbitsky,
Corresponding Secretary, Alex Righetti Treasurer; Stacey Carlisle, Financial
Secretary; Nathaniel Choma and Samantha. Fitzgerald, Auditors; Alison Tusick,
Publicity Director; John Stienstra, Sergeant at Arms; Adam Coffman, Mr. ACRY;
Katie Verbitsky Miss ACRY.
