The forced deportation of the Ukrainian people from the Lemko region in 1947, which left many people affected by the deportation in great need of help, led Ukrainian immigrants from this region who were living in Watervliet, Troy, and Cohoes, near Albany, NY, to form Branch 11 of the Organization for the Defense of Lemko Western Ukraine. On April 20, 1958, with forty-six members, the branch was established with Michael Spiak as its President.
Aware of the many difficulties being encountered in their homeland, Branch 11 members held fund-raising activities for the Lemko region, such as picnics, dances (zabavas), Christmas caroling (koliady), and Lemko festivals (Lemkivsky Vatry). Proceeds from these events were sent to those in need, including the sick and students. Branch 11 helped OOL to support Ukrainian schools and churches in the Lemko region, as well as to give financial aid to the well-known choir “Zhuravli,” the ensembles “Lemkovyna” and “Osloviany,” and the Lemko Cultural Center in Zdynia, Poland.
In addition to assisting the people from the Lemko region, the OOL’s Branch 11 also supported other events: the fallout of the Chernobyl disaster; the building of the Taras Shevchenko monuments in Washington, D.C. and Troy, N.Y.; the creating of an academic chair for Ukrainian Studies at Harvard University; the publishing of a Ukrainian encyclopedia; and the building of a Lemko-style chapel at SUMA (Association of Ukrainian Youth in America) in Ellenville, NY.
From its inception, Branch 11 has had eight presidents: Michael Spiak, Aksenty Urban, John Rotko, Michael Berezansky, Dmytro Chorwat, John Romanation, John Fil, and John Suchowacki. Presently, there are approximately 36 members. In 2008, the branch celebrated its 50-th anniversary.
