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THE UKRAINIAN MUSEUM | News |
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Spring Gala Close to 200 of the Museum's members and friends turned out on Saturday evening, March 21, for its first-ever Gala Celebration of Spring – a cocktail party and fine-art auction designed to bring together its supporters, and introduce it to more members of the community and to art lovers in general. The Gala succeeded in attracting young professionals, in keeping with the Museum's efforts to reach out to a new generation and develop a base of support going into the future.
The evening's festivities were guided by Master of Ceremonies Marc Chuma, who welcomed all of the guests, singling out representatives of various organizations and dignitaries from the Government of Ukraine. Among the government representatives were Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, accompanied by his wife Dr. Natalia Sergeyeva; former Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, Ambassador Valeriy Kuchinsky, and his wife Alla Kuchinsky; and Consul Bohdan Movchan from the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York. With the art-covered walls of the Museum's galleries as a backdrop, and the jazz instrumentals of the Askold Buk Trio filling the air, guests sipped wine and champagne, enjoyed the hors d'oeuvres of chef Andrij Sonevytsky, and feasted on tortes at a sumptuous Viennese table prepared by Museum volunteers. Many of the guests also took part in the spirited art auction, bidding on works generously donated by the artists themselves or by their families or friends. A pair of round-trip tickets to Kyiv provided by Aerosvit Airlines were also sold. The proceeds from the auction and from entrance-ticket sales were supplemented by a number of generous donations from Museum supporters. All told, the event raised almost $50,000 for the Museum. The Gala was organized by a committee of Museum Trustees and volunteers, chaired by Oksana Trytjak and Olga Stawnychy. The committee worked with the entire Board and with Museum director Maria Shust and her staff, donating many hours of their time to ensure the event's success. Individuals whose efforts made this an especially memorable event: Members of the Spring Gala Committee: Oksana Trytjak and Olga Stawnychy (Committee Chairs); Adam Hapij, Motria Kuzycz, Yaroslava Luchechko, Maria Tomorug (members of the Board): Anastazia Hirniak, Daria Mehrle, Olha Lewycky, Oksana Lopatynsky Bohdanna Slyz, Anna Safian, and Maria Tershakovec (volunteers) Sofika Zielyk, whose design graced the invitations to the Gala Nestor Paslawsky, the general manager of Soyuzivka, who expertly managed the flow of the Gala Maria Tershakovec, Bohdanna Slyz, Anna Safian, Anastazia Hirniak, and Oksana Lopatynsky, who worked with Yaroslava Luchechko to prepare the Viennese table Daria Mehrle and Olha Lewycky, who procured and arranged the flowers for the guest tables Maria Tershakovec and Daria Mehrle who created the dramatic flower arrangements that greeted guests as they entered the Museum. This arrangement was generously donated by Roman Hawrylak and his wife Maria Tershakovec Christine Melnyk, Zirka Voronka, Ulana Kobzar, Rostislaw Milanytch, Zorianna Haftkovych, Mark Bach, and Sophia Hewryk who welcomed guests to the Gala and/or assisted with the auction The Museum is exceedingly grateful to the following individuals who provided works of fine art for the auction:
Frances Archipenko Gray donated Alexander Archipenko's lithograph Encounter
…and to Aerosvit Ukrainian Airlines for donating two round-trip tickets to Ukraine. |
