The Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood was organized in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in December, 1932. A lay organization, it consisted of men, women and young people. After several years, the idea began to spread across Canada, and eventually, the Saskatchewan-based organization took on the national character -- now known as The Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada (UCBC).
By 1944, the UCBC became an organization of Ukrainian Catholic men only, as the women became organized nationally as the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League of Canada (UCWLC), and the young people became an organization known as The Ukrainian Catholic Youth of Canada (UCYC).
Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood of Canada is the only organization of Ukrainian Catholic men who are members of the Ukrainian Catholic Church of Canada. The membership is open to all Ukrainian Catholic men who are willing to commit themselves to work for the good of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Ukrainian people and for Canada. The UCBC acts in co-ordination with the Ukrainian Catholic Council on many projects. The UCBC is a founding and active member of the Ukrainian Canadian Committee (UCC) and World Congress of Free Canadians (WCFU). The UCBC has an Eparchial Executive as well as local branches in all five Ukrainian Catholic Eparchies. The UCBC since its inception has been an active and vital element in the life of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Ukrainian people in Canada. The UCBC aims as set out in the constitution are (Item VII) -- "to educate on the principles of Christian morality and ethics, its members and the Ukrainian community in the religious, national and civil sphere of life, in order to make them conscious, dignified, strong and active members of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and of the Ukrainian people, as well as loyal citizens of Canada."
Patricia Pelech Carrow lived her childhood years in Bellis, Alberta. Pat was 11 when her father died, and her mother, Fiona Pelech, moved the family to Edmonton where Pat attended high school and university. During those years, Pat was very involved in the Ukrainian community. She was a founding member and President of the Shumka Ukrainian Dance Group which over the years has gone on to achieve national and international recognition.
She graduated from the University of Alberta in 1965 with a B.Sc. degree and went on to work as a Research Technician in microbiology with the Canadian Forest Service in Victoria. During these years Pat developed her creative skills in pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs), painting and Ukrainian weaving, which she taught at the Banff Centre for several summers. In 1978, Pat changed careers in 1978 and attended the Ontario College of Art, graduating in 1981 with a Diploma in Textile Design. She focused for several years on the use of colour and experimental design in ethnic weaving; many of her pieces are in the Ukrainian Museum in Saskatoon. Eventually Pat found the medium too restrictive, and while she was teaching at the New Brunswick Craft School from 1982 to 1985, she moved into a new medium – collage. For the next 20 years, Pat developed her creative abilities in collage, using a surprising range of materials and becoming renowned for her use of colour. Her choice of collage materials astounded many of her friends – porcupine quills, tree bark, fungus, rust and anything else that one might find in a recycling container. Pat's works were exhibited in galleries across Canada, from Fredericton to Victoria.
Pat's other creative outlet was the kitchen. She was famous for being able to come up with a tasty meal when there didn't appear to be anything in the fridge, and her 'diagonally through the fridge' soups, though delicious, were never reproducible. For almost 30 years Pat and Rod lived in Dufferin County, looking west over the beautiful Hockley Valley. She enjoyed the drama provided by the seasons and the landscape as they provided inspiration for her art. When not in the studio, Pat was an avid gardener, and a ruthless weeder and pruner, as some of her friends discovered when they let her free on their properties. Rod and Pat enjoyed travelling. In 1995 they bought an RV and did an 18,000 km trip through less travelled parts of Canada to Alaska, followed by a trip to the US Southwest. In 2001, Pat and Rod purchased a cabin on Hornby Island in B.C.'s Strait of Georgia, where they spent many relaxing summer vacations with their children and grandchildren. In 2007, they took a cruise through the Baltic Sea – the best and the last they would do together. In 2008, they moved to the Victoria area to retire in a beautiful part of the world and be close to their family.
Nicholas Kostyniuk was born December 9, 1921 in Plain Lake, AB. His parents were Joseph and Annie Kostyniuk (Predyk). They married in 1917 in the old Plain Lake church and settled on a farm. They had four children: Mary, Nick, John and Tillie. Joseph died in 1938 at the age 44. Nick's older sister Mary married Peter Stepushyn in the fall of 1938. In 1946 Tillie married Alex Werbitsky of Innisfree. In 1949 John married Mary Chmilar of Two Hills and moved to farm in that area.
Nick contributed a great deal to running the household. He hurt his hip in an accident as a young man, causing a permanent limp. For this reason, he did not participate in the war. Nicholas taught at Plain Lake school for one year. He wrote and published poetry. He was active in the youth activities of his parish and was active in the Ukrainian Catholic church his whole life. In 1950, Annie and Nick moved to Edmonton. Two years later in 1952, Nick married Olga Soldan of Two Hills and settled in Edmonton. For a little while he owned a hat store on Whyte Ave close to 99 St. He worked at "Inland Cement" for over 25 years. Nick and Olga had two sons: Brent and Alan.
Annie lived in her home and kept boarders until early 1981, at which time she moved to the St. Basil's Senior Citizens' Residence in Edmonton. She passed away in March of 1975.