Your news this week: Forgotten graveyard remembered - 3 Babas & Borshch weekend - 9 CAO surprised by recognition - 12 OPINION: Appreciating the unappreciated - 4
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Vol. 14, No. 40, Wednesday, August 28, 2019 www.LamontLeader.com
CELEBRATING ALL THINGS UKRAINIAN Lamont hosts 7th Babas & Borshch Ukrainian Festival
The Vohon Dance Group from Edmonton perform at the Zabava.
Carol Scukynski’s borshch declared the winner by Edmonton judges MAUREEN SULLIVAN The 7th annual Babas & Borshch invited everyone to come to Lamont and celebrate all things Ukrainian on August 24 and 25. The Borshch Cookoff had seven entrants this year, all making very different borshch by using different ingredients, but all with the base of beets. The funny, popular, 3 Amigos were back as Cook Off judges. AwardWinning Executive Chef Serge Belair, Edmonton Convention Centre (ECC), ECC Chef Myles Fedun, and improv comedian & actor Donovan Workun had a great time judging the beet borshch during the strictly for fun compe-
tition. The judges picked Carol Scukynski's borshch as the winner saying that it was most flavourful, and the most traditional with a stock that had body. She said the secret to her borshch was simmering it for four days to let all the flavors meld together. Judy Wolowych-Negry won second place and Phyllis Scukynski came in third. The three winners were awarded custom made borshch bowls from potter Susan Ferbey. It was another year of great guest speakers at the event. Jarvis Kosowan, of Jarvis Group Travel, Calgary, was passionate about why a trip to Ukraine
should be on everyone’s bucket list as he spoke on “Everything you ever wanted to know about travel to the Ukraine but were afraid to ask.” Sandra Semchuk, a photographer and Andrea Malysh of CFWWIRF (Canada First World War Internment Recognition Find) and an internet descendant explored Canada’s WWI internment camps. Semchuk describes it as an act of legislated discrimination and used photography, cultural theory, and personal testimony from internees and their descendants as both a remembrance and a step towards healing and reconciliation. “Write your Family History with the
Malysh Family,” gave great advice on how to write your own family history. While audience members sang Christmas carols along with the film “The Carollers,” by filmmaker Theresa Wynnyk. Lamont County Regional Fire Chief David Zayonce spoke about his recent trip to the Ukraine, where he had a chance to assess fire services, offer advice and lay groundwork for future projects. Since his visit he has donated classic fire gear (not able to pass Canadian regulations) to Ukraine fire departments who often fight fires without any protective equipment. Continued on Page 9