THERE'S NO POTLUCK LIKE A RUSYN POTLUCK

 

How could anyone pass up a Rusyn New Year feast like this one from 2012?

Due to the chaos of the holidays and today's over abundance of snow on top of that, the deadline for RSVPing for the Lake Michigan Chapter of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society's Rusyn New Year Potluck has been extended to Wednesday, January 8.  Please RSVP to: lakemichiganrusyns@gmail.com or Ken at 708/895-3074. Additional information is below.

For anyone who has been to one of our chapter’s Rusyn New Year potlucks, that title conjures up pictures of tables loaded with ethnic food—kolbassi and kraut, ham, pirohi, pagach, pickled red beets, nutrolls, kolachi---and American dishes, too—casseroles, jello salads, fruit salads. 

But, more importantly than all of that, friendly people who like to share their culture and who are often anxious to meet someone from the same Old Country village as their own ancestors and who might possibly be related and thus help them learn more about their family’s roots. 

 

 

Heather Domanski really got in the spirit of things by creating her own Rusyn outfit.  From the plates in her hands, it looks like she also got into the spirit of sampling all the creations of her fellow Rusyn cooks. 

 

 

Even if that doesn’t happen, it’s a great opportunity to swap stories of growing up Rusyn in the mining towns of Pennsylvania, in the big cities like Chicago or New York or on the farms of Wisconsin.  And who knows--that relative might show up at the spring gathering of the chapter which hasn’t been set yet.

 

 

One of our attendees was very much interested in our collection of old photographs, especially the gubi or carolers who went to the homes of parishioners and told the story of the Christ Child's coming. 

 

 

Unfortunately, this beloved Christmas tradition of bringing the news of Jesus’ birth to church members is rapidly dying out.  The Lake Michigan Chapter has undertaken the project of preserving the history of Rusyns in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. We will also accept artifacts from other areas.

 

If you have old family photographs, documents or artifacts that you would like to share with us, please make copies of them and bring them to the potluck.  If possible, please include the names of the people, the occasion, the place and the photo date (or approximate) in a separate piece of paper. 

 

 

Bethlehemers or angels in white and gubi resting at their feet from SS. Peter and Paul Carpatho-Rusyn Orthodox Church in Central City, Pennsylvania.   Back row: John "Herbie" Pribish, Steve Evano, Ed Fetsko and Mike Strongosky; front row: John Muha and George Smolen.

 

 

Also, if you have old pictures of Rusyns or Bethlehemers or have a robe or hat that they wore or other artifacts of our people that you no longer want, please consider donating it to our chapter's or National's archives. If you were a  caroler "angel" or gubi, we’d love it if you would share any stories about those Christmas treks to parishioners' homes.  And don't skip the antics that gubi were famous for.  Ah, yes, we who grew up with their visiting our homes and filching our food or other items that interested them know about those things and would like to preserve them.  

 

 

John Sutko, choir director and cantor from St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Church in Burr Ridge, Illinois, leads the 66 attendees in singing traditional Rusyn Christmas carols.

  

Other original or copies of photos and/or documents and artifacts from Rusyn culture are also welcome so that we can preserve our customs and traditions for posterity. 

 

You may send your stories, photos or inquires to:  lakemichiganrusyns@gmailcom.  Please include your phone number so that we can call you if we have any questions or need clarification.

 

We look forward to hearing from you! 

 

Now for our potluck details:

  

THE LAKE MICHIGAN CHAPTER

of the CARPATHO-RUSYN SOCIETY

 INVITES YOU TO A

RUSYN NEW YEAR POTLUCK

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2014

12 NOON SOCIALIZING & RUSYN MARKET SHOPPING              

1 P.M.  FEASTING FOLLOWED BY CHRISTMAS CAROLING                        

Please bring your favorite Rusyn or other covered dish, dessert or soft drinks.                          

ST. NICHOLAS BYZANTINE

CATHOLIC CHURCH 

8103 COLUMBIA AVE., MUNSTER, IN

RSVP BY WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8,

WITH THE NUMBER COMING

& WHAT'S IN YOUR POT TO:

lakemichiganrusyns@gmail.com or

Ken at 708/895-3074

                                                       

DIRECTIONS TO ST. NICHOLOS CHURCH:

Via I-80/94:  Take Exit 1/Calumet Ave. South to Broadmoor Ave., turn left on Broadmoor to Columbia Ave.

                        Make a right on Columbia. The church is on the left.

Via Route 30:  From the East, take Indianapolis Blvd/Rt. 41 North to Ridge Rd./Rt. 6.  Turn left   and in 1.5 miles turn right at the light onto Columbia Ave.  Church is a few blocks north on right.  From the West, take Wicker Park/Blvd./Calumet Ave/Rt. 41 North to Ridge Rd.  Make a right onto Ridge Rd.  A few blocks down take a left onto Columbia Ave.  Church will be on right.