The Lemko Association's monumental book-keeping chore

The Lemko Association is trying to get a handle on how many of nearly 1,000 addresses it has on file for it and  a half-dozen related organizations are still the correct contact information for people with an interest in the culture and history of the Carpathian region.

A March 31 deadline has been set to collect the contact information.


In a letter this week sent to the people on the mailing list, "The Lemko Renaissance Committee" writes "At the sudden death of the treasurer of the Lemko Association last year, we acquired 80 years of membership records of the above seven organizations. We are now trying to ascertain how many of the some 1,000 addresses are true addresses of people who still maintain interest in Carpathian history and culture."


The seven groups are the Lemko Association of the United States and Canada; Carpatho-Russian American Center, Lemko Hall; Carpatho-Russian American Congress; The Lemko Resort; Thalerhof Chapel Fund; Lemko Relief, Inc.; and the First Carpathian Group, Inc.


In a separate letter, Lemko Association acting president Paul J. Best and secretary Mary Baker say that the group has "very poor records on simple 3x5 cards.


"As you may be aware, members have not been contacted for maybe 10 years and our newspaper, Karpatska Rus' hasn't appeared for 24 months. Our treasurer recently passed away and our president has been incapacitated for well over two years now.


"If we do not move soon, what little our Association owns will disappear. First, however, we must find out who is actually a member."


The effort is sponsored by the Carpathian Institute of the not-for-profit, tax-exempt educational corporation, Inter.Ed.Inc, 184 Old County Road, Higganum, Connecticut, 06441-4446.


If you haven't received the Carpathian Institute's mailing and want to be on their mailing list, you can write to the organization at the above address.