Zachary Fitzgerald and Alexandra Benc
            2015-2016 Mr./ Miss Jr. ACRY            

On Miss and Mr. Junior ACRY: A Message from Anastasia Koss (Miss Jr. ACRY 2011-2012)

To all of my fellow Orthodox Christian youth- Glory be to Jesus Christ!

I hope you all had an enjoyable summer and a wonderful camping session at Camp Nazareth. Along with attending Camp Nazareth, I wish that all of you are continuing to be active within your local A.C.R.Y chapters and parishes. Getting involved within your religion is the most rewarding and exciting experience one can do. From my perspective, as being heavily involved in the A.C.R.Y. since a young age- locally and nationally, attending Camp Nazareth, diocesan retreats, and having the pleasure of being this past year’s Miss Jr. A.C.R.Y., I have realized that Orthodoxy is the true religion, and the fellowship that we as Orthodox and A.C.R.Y. members share together is not only memorable, but something special. I am hoping that all of us youth continue to attend Camp Nazareth, and take in all of its greatness it has to offer. I also wish that you visit your Orthodox friends, other parishes in our dioceses, take part in the Jr. A.C.R.Y.’s events and mission trip, and plan to come to the annual conventions and bowling tournaments. All of us should also keep up the wonderful traditions of the ethnic dancing and songs that we have all learned from camp and our own parishes. It is something that is starting to become lost in this world, and surely these are the wonderful things we have to hold on to within our ethnicity and cultural practices. I know from my experience, it is always so uplifting and enjoyable to see all of our youth, and the older generation joining in the Korosbushka or a polka. It is our job as the next generation to keep the bowling tournaments and conventions, the Mr. and Miss Jr. A.C.R.Y. reign as well as the ethnic traditions and Camp Nazareth attendance happening for years to come. Orthodoxy, is not only the most holy and fulfilling religion, but as one can see, its customs and folklore are also very important. Without us passing these down to the next generation, these practices will not exist anymore, and we will lose where our ethnicity has originated from. I find all of us blessed that we get to be on this Earth and take part in such an admirable cultural experience such as this. As my term as Miss Jr. A.C.R.Y. now comes to a close, I pray that we keep these fabulous dances, fellowship, activity in the A.C.R.Y., and above all- religion, with us from the Carpathian mountains, to wherever out lives may lead us as Christians. You bet your dupa, we are Rusyn. Let us not lose it! Therefore, I cannot wait to see all of you at the 68th Annual Senior and 29th Junior Convention that is being held in a few weeks in Johnstown, PA, and hopefully more to come after.

Yours in Christ,

Anastasia Koss
Former Miss Jr. ACRY (2011-2012)

For more information, please visit the diocesan website, http://www.acrod.org/organizations/senioracry/jracry or our Facebook page, Jr. ACRY. To find out more about the A.C.R.Y., to apply for Mr. or Miss Jr. A.C.R.Y., or if you wish to activate your local chapter, please contact the Jr. President, Joe Samilenko, at joesami98@gmail.com.