Saskatchewan Ukrainian Historical Society
980-606 Spadina Cres E Saskatoon SK S7K 3H1
306-664-0045

Ss Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church - Borschiw near Prud'homme. Photo: Karen Pidskalny

My name is Karen Pidskalny and I am the project coordinator for the Saskatchewan Ukrainian Historical Society.

The historical society got its start last year and made its public debut in May of 2004 with the founding conference “In Baba’s Trunk” in Saskatoon. We went on to organize a second presentation of “In Baba’s Trunk” in Regina. During this organizing time, some promotion of the SUHS began as well as some future planning with the steering committee.

I am announcing our Centennial project, a travel guide brochure of Saskatchewan’s Ukrainian Eco-tourism Communities. The province has been divided into six regions of the first Ukrainian ethnic bloc settlements. The six communities are

• Regina-Montmartre-Grenfell settlement (1896)
• Yorkton-Canora-Melville bloc settlement (1897-1911)
• Saskatoon-Wakaw-Fish Creek bloc settlement (1987-1898)
• Melfort-Gronlid-Nipawin bloc settlement (1906- )
• Prince Albert-Meath Park-Garden River settlement (1906-1907), and
• Battleford-Red Berry Lake bloc settlement (1904-1914).

Ozerako school house near Prud'homme. Photo: Karen Pidskalny

The brochure will highlight Saskatchewan’s Ukrainian communities as they are in the Centennial year. A visitor will have the opportunity to explore each of the six communities using the travel guide -- an opportunity to discover and experience a culture rich in traditions still found throughout our province.

My committee and I are in the process of collecting names of places, events, celebrations and contact people in your community. Please take the time to help us with our research. There are so many wonderful places to visit in our province that we would not want to miss including it in our brochure. I am asking you to act as a tour guide to your community and answer the list of questions (PDF). Gather a group of fellow community members to fill out the questionnaire.

Homestead near Prud'homme. Photo: Karen Pidskalny

Once the data has been collected, I will be travelling out to your community to photograph and visit these wonderful places. My visit will take place in May or June. Exact dates and locations will follow at a later time.

Please return the information by April 10th, 2005 via my email: kbpidskalny@sasktel.net or by mail to the above address. I invite you to check out our website at http://www.ucc.sk.ca/programs/SUHS.htm for what SUHS has been doing this past year. More information about the travel brochure is also on the website.

I look forward to reading about your community and all the wonderful places to see, events to celebrate and people to visit.

Sunfully Yours,
Karen Pidskalny