Parma Supports Euromaidan Protests In Ukraine

January 4, 2014December 13, 2015Leave a comment

Euromaidan comes to Parma:

“Parma is with the Ukrainians!” So said Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter, who, on a cold, snowy day in December, enthusiastically offered words of inspiration and support at the most recent Euromaidan demonstration in Ohio’s seventh largest city and heart of the Cleveland area’s growing Ukrainian community. At Parma’s City Hall and Ukrainian Heritage Park in Ukrainian Village, hundreds have turned out for several organized demonstrations in a show of solidarity with the ongoing Euromaidan protests in Ukraine – a Texas-size country of 45 million located east of Poland and west of Russia in what some have referred to as the geographic center of Europe.

Read on: http://www.parmaobserver.com/read/2014/01/04/parma-supports-euromaidan-protests-in-ukraine

Shopping small is easy in Parma’s Ukrainian Village

November 30, 2013October 10, 2016Leave a comment

Parma is ready for Small Business Saturday.

“Shopping small at local independent businesses is easy to do in a place like Parma,” Mayor DeGeeter said. “Parma has Polish Village and Ukrainian Village and other business districts that cater to people looking for unique items to purchase. I look forward to seeing lots of folks out shopping that day.”

Small Business Saturday, a national campaign started in 2010 by American Express, was started to encourage consumers to include small and independent businesses in their holiday shopping, even if they shop national chains on Black Friday.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/parma/index.ssf/2013/11/parma_is_ready_for_small_busin.html

Parma’s Ukrainian Independence Day Parade A Success

October 1, 2013December 13, 2015Leave a comment

On August 24th, the Ukrainian Village Committee held its fourth annual Ukrainian Independence Day in Parma’s Ukrainian Village. As in previous years, the weather and the turnout were incredible! The parade procession began on Grantwood Drive, continued north along State Rd, and ended at the site of the Ukrainian Heritage Park. Thousands of onlookers came out to watch the parade and take part in the after-parade festivities at St. Josaphat’s astrodome!

This year’s parade also featured two new parade coordinators from the Ukrainian Village Committee – Andrea Jakubowycz and Lisa Shyjka-Shrubowich. Together, these two dedicated young women managed to organize a wonderful parade event showcasing a total of 56 marching units. The Ukrainian-American Veterans Post 24 were honored as the parade’s first Grand Marshals.

Parade participants included Ukrainian church communities, Parma area social clubs, local businesses, the mayor and city council representatives from all nine wards, city school officials, police honor guards, dog park activists, floats, and more! Spirited musical numbers were performed by the Parma, Normandy, and Holy Name high school marching bands. Atlas Transmission also decorated a flatbed that recognized the newly established sister city relationship between Parma, Ohio and Lviv, Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Village Committee thanks everyone who made this year’s parade a huge success: to each participant and everyone in the crowd; to all parade marshals; to the city of Parma and the Parma Police Department; and many other friends and volunteers whose help and support made this year’s parade such an amazing event. The Ukrainian Village Committee looks forward to an even bigger parade and celebration next year on Saturday, August 23rd, 2014 with their fifth annual Ukrainian Independence Day parade. Stay tuned!

To keep up with the latest updates and developments taking place in Parma’s Ukrainian Village, follow “Ukrainian Village In Parma Ohio” on Facebook at facebook.com/UkrainianVillage.

Source: http://www.parmaobserver.com/read/2013/10/01/parmas-ukrainian-independence-day-parade-a-success

Parma Resident Produces Local Film

July 1, 2013August 29, 2017Leave a comment

Parma resident of Ukrainian descent, Mark Pengryn, produces new film – Made In Cleveland.

“It is not every day that the world-premier of a locally made film sells out, but one long-time Parma resident and local film producer, Mark Pengryn, is looking to put the Greater Cleveland area on the map in a very big way. He, along with fellow film director [Swinderman]…head up the locally based film production company known as 1031 Films, LLC and have been hard at work since 2011 putting together a new masterpiece featuring an incredible cast and crew with deep Cleveland-area roots. The masterpiece I’m talking about is called Made in Cleveland.“

Click here to purchase a DVD copy of Made In Cleveland.

Click here to watch Made In Cleveland on Amazon Prime Video.

Source: http://parmaobserver.com/read/2013/07/01/parma-resident-produces-local-hit-made-in-cleveland

Kolos Bakery celebrates first year in business in Ukrainian Village

December 24, 2012October 10, 2016Leave a comment

About a year ago, Andro Dokhoian and his wife Nataliya opened a tiny bakery on State Road in Parma’s Ukrainian Village.

Kolos already smells like a nice bakery. It specializes in bread — white, wheat, various kinds of rye and sweet egg bread with raisins.

Dokhoian said his bread contains few ingredients. There are no shortenings, oleos or dough conditioners.

“There is nothing artificial in our bread,” Dokhoian said. “It’s baked the way my grandfather used to bake it. At that time, bakeries didn’t use any chemicals.

“If you go to a regular store and grab a loaf of bread from the shelf, read the ingredients,” Dokhoian said. “You will find there are at least 20 ingredients in the bread.”

Kolos also carries nut, poppy-seed, cinnamon, sweet-butter and plumb rolls, along with apple strudels, turnovers and 35 different types of cakes.

In addition, Kolos sells miniature pizzas. Dokhoian makes his own cheese for his cheese Danishes.

Kolos adds one or two products every month, based on customer demand, and the bakery takes special orders.

“Because we are a small bakery, we are very flexible,” Dokhoian said.

Kolos Bakery is located at 5346 State Rd in Parma’s Ukrainian Village.

Immigrant musician took a chance opening International Food & Deli

December 20, 2012October 10, 2016Leave a comment

International Food & Deli, opened with the slimmest of resources.

Sozanski, a violinist who once played for the philharmonic orchestra of Lviv, Ukraine, runs one of the busiest enterprises in the Ukrainian Village section of Parma. His grocery store and adjacent party center attract a multilingual crowd to offerings of Ukrainian pastas, German sausages, Polish polkas and, occasionally, rousing Cossack dances.

Regulars come in for the sausages and kielbasa draped from racks behind the counter, for the rich European-style cakes and tortes in the bakery case and for the mineral waters that spring from cherished fonts back home in eastern Europe.

Most members of the staff speak several languages, certainly Ukrainian. But English is common, too. Many of the customers are first- and second-generation Americans rediscovering the foods of their childhood.

International Food & Deli is located at 5850 State Road in Parma’s Ukrainian Village.

Read on at: http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2012/12/risk_takers_immigrants_took_a.html

Garden club and Boy Scouts plant flowers in Ukrainian Heritage Park in Parma

November 11, 2012October 10, 2016Leave a comment

Beautification underway in Parma’s Ukrainian Village.

The Ridgewood Garden Club of Parma and Boy Scouts Troop 221 planted 250 daffodil bulbs in Ukrainian Heritage Park on Oct. 22.

The park is on State Road in Parma.

Petitti Garden Centers and Royal Victorian Garden Center donated 150 bulbs and the garden club bought the rest.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/parma/index.ssf/2012/11/garden_club_and_boy_scouts_pla.html

George and Maria Salo bring taste of Ukraine and France to Northeast Ohio at State Meats

December 18, 2011October 10, 2016Leave a comment

Today, State Meats is a smokehouse shop.

“We process and smoke our own items right at our facility,” said George. “We’re primarily doing pork. We are known for our smoked kielbasa, homemade luncheon meats, cottage hams, Canadian bacon, kishka or blood sausage, hurka or rice sausage, head cheese, goose liver, smokies, and more.”

Some of the more popular items are ham krakow, which is a very garlicky Eastern European ham, and State Meat’s own bacon. All salads and sides are prepared next door at Mama Maria’s kitchen. One of the most popular is Olivia’, a homemade ethnic potato salad.

State Meats also wholesales out to a few grocery stores such as Bassett’s Market in Port Clinton, West Point Market in Akron, and Miles Farmer’s Market. Babushka’s Kitchen in Northfield and Independence is one of its best customers.

“I’m so happy I took on this challenge,” said George. “The people are great and I like making sure that my customers are happy.” Although he says that he loves being his own boss, he fondly says that Mom has really been the boss for the last 25 years.

State Meats is located at 5338 State Rd in Parma’s Ukrainian Village.

Groundbreaking Ceremony Held For Ukrainian Heritage Park

September 1, 2010December 13, 2015Leave a comment

One Parma resident’s observation at the park groundbreaking ceremony:

“On Sunday, August 22, a Groundbreaking Ceremony was held in Ukrainian Village at the future site of what will be Ukrainian Heritage Park…Like all events in Ukrainian Village which I have had the pleasure to attend, this one was as meticulously planned as any other. Any group planning any event anywhere can learn a lot from the folks in Ukrainian Village – they really know how to celebrate the moment; nothing ever seems to be left to chance, and their hallmark is clock-like efficiency. Even the weather seemed to cooperate, as what seemed to be imminent rain subsided just in time, and the sun actually started to show itself as the ceremony began.”

New Park In Ukrainian Village

August 3, 2010December 13, 2015Leave a comment

park-sign On Sunday, August 22nd at 2:00 p.m., a groundbreaking ceremony will take place to bless a plot of land across from St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. This 40’ by 120’ lot has been allocated by the city of Parma to be the future home of Ukrainian Village’s new “Heritage Park.” Mayor DePiero, Eric Tollerup, Parma’s Director of Community Development, members of Council, and of course the Ukrainian community will gather together for a formal dedication of the land for the future park. The mayor and Ukrainian community leaders will speak at the dedication. The Ukrainian clergy, including the bishops will bless the park sight. This is just the beginning of this wonderful project. Currently plans are being reviewed for the landscape design and the sculpture that will adorn the center of the park. The park will be a place for relaxation and reflection for walkers by and visitors. The City of Parma continues to recognize the economic impact that Ukrainian residents, including the new wave of immigrants, have made on the City of Parma. Ukrainians are Parma’s largest new immigrant demographic.

After the ceremony, the Ukrainian community will proceed and walk to St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral to celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day which is August 24th. This anniversary marks the 19th anniversary of Ukrainian independence from the former Soviet Union.

The celebration will culminate the following Saturday, August 28th, with a Ukrainian Village Festival which will be held at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Cathedral from 12:00 noon till 11:00 PM. Featured will be Ukrainian foods, dancers, arts and crafts, a polka band and a tour of the cathedral. All are welcome.

Source: http://www.parmaobserver.com/read/2010/08/03/new-park-in-ukrainian-village