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News and Updates

2019 Maksymetz Family Reunion

Another five years have come and gone and it's time again for another fabulous Maksymetz Family Reunion. We are very fortunate indeed to be part of a family that gets together every five years and has a wonderful reunion. Your committee has already met several times and has laid the ground work for this our eighth reunion which began in 1982.

The reunion will take place on July 26-27-28, 2019. The Knights of Columbus Hall on Eleventh Avenue in Dauphin, Mb has been booked and a band has been chosen. I am not too sure what Ann Ratuski has up her sleeve as far as the Saturday evening's entertainment is concerned but I know that it will be very worthwhile to watch.

A golf tournament will take place on Friday, July 26th, at 10:00 am at the beautiful and challenging Gilbert Plains Golf and Country Club. Following the golf tournament a wiener roast will be held on Friday evening at Bruce and Terri Rampton's farm near Dauphin. This has always been a great event!

Registration will take place at the wiener roast on Friday evening.

On Saturday we will have a reception at Mink Creek Hall between 10:30 and noon followed by a church service at 12:30 at the Holy Trinity Church in Mink Creek. Blessing of the graves will take place at the Mink Creek and Venlaw cemeteries immediately after the church service.

On Saturday evening is our banquet dinner followed by dancing to the Partytime Orchestra.

On Sunday we are again planning a barbeque at Burnat's park near Keld.

We will have the entire weekend's activities listed on our web site as well as directions to the various events. This will most likely be our final reunion in the Dauphin area so come one come all to this fantastic zabava event.

A block of rooms has been set aside at the Super 8 Motel (204-638-0800) and the Canway Inn (204-638-5102) under the Maksymetz Family Reunion name. These rooms will be held until May 31st, 2019 so book early. Please mention that you are booking for the Maksymetz Family Reunion.

For your convenience, you will be able to access the registration forms for the golf tournament and the family reunion through this website.

Please submit registration forms and payment to:

Jacob Family
Leslie Allard
138 Manasan Dr
Thompson, Mb R8N1Y1
204-677-2766
lkallard4@gmail.com

Peter and Panko Family
Lawrence Maksymetz
63 Hennessey Dr
Winnipeg, Mb R3P1P6
204-981-1106
lmaksymetz@shaw.ca

Posted: January 10, 2019 by Lawrence Maksymetz

Maksymetz Ukraine Tour 2011 - Update

Many family members have expressed an interest in the Maksymetz Ukraine Tour scheduled for May 28 - June 12, 2011. To date we have around 30 people who are going to experience this trip of a life time!

This message is to update those family members who may still be interested but who have not yet decided.

The Maksymetz Ukraine Tour Committee recently held an information meeting where we reviewed the preliminary quotations and submissions for the tour and airfare costs. Although we are anxious to proceed with finalizing the program...including the cost, the tour company in Ukraine cannot give us the guaranteed price as the hotels will not be setting prices for 2011 until December/January...as with the airfares.

However, we are very pleased with the proposed itinerary. It is basically as presented on this web site.....except, we reviewed the exact details of the daily program...everyone found them to be excellent.

The price we believe, will be in the $4500 - $5000 per person, sharing. It will be all-inclusive of:

airfare,
hotel accommodations
tours and transfers
museum visits
a one-hour private boat trip on the Dnieper River
all meals
including the Reunion Picnic and Dinner...
plus a farewell dinner in Lviv with music and folk show
as well as tips to guides, drivers, waiters etc.

The only additional cost will be cancellation and travel medical insurance...which will be different for each individual ...depending on one's age, etc....or an air add-on for those coming from the West.

We suggest a $500 deposit be sent to Kerry Maskiew or Dennis Maksymetz by November 30th. At that time, we will open up reservations to other friends who have indicated an interest in joining us on this tour.

Remember that the number of participants also affects the price to a great extent, so we must know how many are actually considering the trip.

The deposit will be REFUNDABLE at that point, so don't consider that you are committed without knowing the cost. As soon as we have exact price (early January 2011), those interested will be advised so that you can make your decision. At that time the deposit will be non-refundable and we will invite other friends to fill any empty seats. We are expecting to have the final figures in January.

The new headstone for our great-great-grandfather has already been purchased and is awaiting the arrival of our tour for the final blessing when we visit the village on Day 14 of our tour.

REMINDER:
by NOVEMBER 30th, 2010

Please send deposit cheque of $500.00 per person to either:

Kerry Maskiew
21 Acorn Place, Winnipeg, MB R3R 1Y5
(204) 895-9248

OR

Dennis Maksymetz
327 Country Club Blvd.,Winnipeg, MB R3K 1X4
(204)-885-3106

Our email addresses are noted on this web site


Posted: October 25, 2010 by Kerry Maskiew

Last Minute 2009 Reunion Updates!!

Friday Evening Bon-Fire
The Bon-Fire scheduled for 7:00 PM Friday, July 24, 2009 will be located at Terri and Bruce Rampton's farm. Their farm is located in the south-west portion of Dauphin. If you are arriving from the south along Hwy 10 (from Winnipeg/Riding Mountain) take the #10 Dauphin By-Pass, turning west. The farm is located just around the bend and can be seen from south of Dauphin and will be posted.

The Reunion Committee will be providing a non-alcholic beverage, weiners, buns and condiments.

For those who wish alcholic beverages the event is BYOB.

You should also bring insect repellant and your own lawn chair (or blanket) for those who can.


Harvest of Memories -Maksyemetz Book
The book cost is $40.00 for all those who pre-ordered and will be sold at the same price during the weekend reunion. After the reunion the book cost will be $50.00 plus shipping. 250 books were odered, they will be going fast!

DVD
As mentioned in the registration letter, the Reunion Committee will be handing out a double DVD set for those who paid the adult ($60.00) reunion fee. The DVD has over 1400 family images and 80 minutes of video from past reunions. For those wishing an additional copy, they will be sold at $15.00 per copy, only during the reunion weekend.

After the reunion the price will be $20.00 per copy, plus shipping. The DVD is nearly 200 minutes long, every family is represented and many photos from all reunions have also been included!

Posted: July 21, 2009 by Kerry Maskiew

Pre-order Maksymetz Memoirs

The NEW "Maksymetz Memoirs" family book is now available for pre-order! Download the order form and send in your order today.

Maksymetz Memoirs: Pre-order Form



Posted: April 23, 2009 by The Maksymetz 2009 Reunion Committee

Ivan Maksymetz Memorial Upgrade Project

Family members who have visited the ancestral village of Perviatychi have noted that the headstone of Ivan Maksymetz, our great grandfather, due to age has badly deteriorated and is in need of replacement.

The committee has decided that this would be a worthy project for us to undertake. We invite contributions from all descendants so that we can proceed with this memorial. We are suggesting a donation of $25.00, but all contributions would be welcome.

Please send it with your registration, payable to “Maksymetz Memorial Fund”. Those who are unable to attend are encouraged to participate as well.

Click here for more information.

Posted: April 5, 2009 by The Maksymetz 2009 Reunion Committee

New Maksymetz Book Going to the Publisher!

Thanks to all family members who have submitted their stories for the new Maksymetz family book. We have received a terrific response, although there are a few stories still missing. We are attempting to gather these. The first draft has been printed and is currently being reviewed and edited. We are also preparing other articles and documents for the book, such as original ship manifests, census records, and land title records. We will be going to the publisher on April 30, 2009. We are very excited about this book and believe it will become a cherished memory for many years to come.

Family members may pre-order the book by clicking on the appropriate banner to the right. The book will be ready for pick-up at the reunion, or mailed at a cost, out for those who are unable to attend.

2009 Book Committee
Kerry Maskiew & Dennis Maksymetz


Posted: April 5, 2009 by Kerry Maskiew

2009 Family Reunion!

Well folks, it’s time to start thinking about the next Maksymetz Family Reunion!
Several meetings have already been held with members of both the Jacob and Peter Maksymetz family members, with a new twist. This time we also have members of the Panko Maksymetz family helping us plan the next reunion. Iryna and Vladimir Shtoyko and their two children Halyna and Roman, have resided in Winnipeg for several years now. Iryna is a fifth generation descendant of Panko Maksymetz, brother to Jacob and Peter.

We have decided to keep the reunion basically the same as in the past with a few minor changes. The next reunion will be held in Dauphin on July 25, 2009. A golf tournament will be held in Gilbert Plains on Friday and a barbeque or bonfire event will be held on Friday night. The Saturday church service and registration will be held in Mink Creek followed by graveside services at Mink Creek and Venlaw cemeteries. Dinner and dance will follow at the Eleventh Avenue hall. The Sunday picnic will be held at the Selo Ukraina. Please keep on checking our website, as updates will be made available.

Our main project for this reunion will be an updated, hard cover, memoirs book. We would like everyone to forward current information on their respective families to the book committee (refer to the link on the main page of this web site for more information). The book is a huge undertaking for us and it is imperative for everyone submit their information as soon as possible so that we can publish the book well in time for of the reunion. This book will serve as a lasting legacy of the Maksymetz family and will be cherished for generations to come. In addition to the book project, we are gathering pictures and movies of previous reunions in order to provide a keepsake CD/DVD for those attending the reunion. The CD/DVD will include the photographs shown during the presentation at the 2004 Reunion banquet.

Iryna has suggested that we have a reunion in the Ukraine someday in the future. We are contemplating a tour of Ukraine in 2011 that will include a family reunion in the town of Sokal, which is near our ancestral village of Perviatyche. At that time we are planning to have a new headstone installed for John (Ivan) Maksymetz (Jacob’s and Peter’s father) who is buried in the village. The present headstone has deteriorated badly and needs replacing. We felt that this would coincide nicely with a reunion in Ukraine. Monetary donations for this project would be greatly appreciated.

Lawrence Maksymetz
Chairman


Posted: May 27, 2008 by Lawrence Maksymetz

Another Successful Reunion!

To all those fortunate Maksymetz family members who attended the superb reunion and to those poor souls who were unable to attend.

Another very successful Maksymetz Family Reunion is behind us. I would again like to thank our committee members: Kerry and Ann Maskiew, Ann Ratuski, Veronica Slota-McCorriston, Glenn Paskaruk, Eileen Kuzenko, Alice and Chantelle Maksymetz, for the excellent job they did in making this reunion so great and memorable.

The golf tournament at Gilbert Plains was held under perfect weather conditions- sunny, a slightbreeze and 23 degrees. Thanks to Tim Pulak for coordinating this event.

Thanks to Veronica Slota for being our liason with Mink Creek and to Victoria Paskaruk and Walter M. Maksymetz for organizing the registration luncheon and the church service and for paying for same. This was a great opportunity for everyone to reacquaint and mingle and to take some great pictures. It became an even greater opportunity when the priest arrived a little later than expected.

The dedication ceremony at the Mink Creek cemetery was beautiful. The messages and letters of congratulations presented by Art Potoroka, Reeve of the Ethelbert Municipality, from the municipality, from MP Inky Mark, the Premier's Office and the Prime Minister's Office signed by the Honourable Paul Martin himself were an unexpected surprise.

To celebrate the Centenary of Peter's arrival to Canada, two bronze plaques placed on two grey granite slabs were unveiled by Brian and Darren Maksymetz and Victor and Morris Maksymetz. All of Peter and Nastazia's children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren are inscribed in the bronze plaques.Our flag bearers were Devin Maskiew and Alexander Pulak.

The Saturday night reception was a thrilling success. The dinner meal was out of this world. I loved those cabbage rolls and the marble sized meatballs in gravy. Thanks to Marlene Dudar and the Dauphin UCWL for this excellent meal.The powerpoint presentation put on by Kerry Maskiew and Glenn Paskaruk was a terrific idea. The musical and poetic entertainment provided by Ann Ratuski, Andrea Ratuski, and Jim Hiscott was awesome and something that will always bring touching memories of this reunion.

A special dedication was made in memory of Walter J. Maksymetz for the legacy he has left for all of us in his leadership in organizing previous reunions.

The dancing music provided by High Profile was well received and fun was had by everyone.

The Sunday picnic and pig roast at Selo Ukraina was enjoyed by everyone especially the younger members of the family.

The reunion concluded unofficially on the parking lot of the Tween Lakes Motel. Right after the Sunday picnic a tailgate (Ford King Ranch) party was held on the parking lot. There are many members of the family who now know how to dance the Heel & Toe Polka, the Seven Step, and of course the Butterfly. Again thanks to all those who participated in this great event and to all those that made this reunion such a great success!

Humbly submitted by Lawrence Maksymetz, Chair, Winnipeg, Mb


Posted: July 27, 2004 by Lawrence Maksymetz

MARIA BUCHKO’S SPEECH, JULY 1998

After a chance meeting in the tiny village of Perviatyche, Ukraine, in 1993, our entourage of Walter J. and Irene Maksymetz, Lawrence Maksymetz, and Anne Ratuski, discovered that Maria Buchko is a family member who still lives in our ancestral village. Maria is a great granddaughter of Panko Maksymetz who was an older brother of Jacob's. Maria was invited and sponsored by the reunion committee to attend the Maksymetz family reunion in 1988. She presented the following speech which was translated to English by Andrea Ratuski. Maria has proved to have much knowledge of the Maksymetz family history in the Ukraine. The 2004 committee is in contact with Maria and attempting to learn and document more information of the Maksymetz history in the Ukraine. The following is her speech:

Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, dear family.
Heartfelt and sincere greetings from far and near, from a loving and a dear heart, from a land of our fathers and forefathers from Ukraine.

Many miles separate us, and separate you from your native land, such a magnificent land, our motherhood. They will remain in our memories forever through the generations. We remember the beautiful springs, gardens blossoming, and the yellow and white houses. No matter where we look, we see endless fields and on the banks of the rivers the green woods.

In our hearts, in all of us, it seems like a beautiful Ukraine. However, it tells a sad story about the soul of a nation. Ukraine brings us memories of very difficult times which made for a very sad history for our family. To add to this sad story, members of our family had to give up their homeland. Young able people, those who dearly loved their homeland, were forced to give up their homes in search of a better life. Some returned, some remained forever in foreign lands.

We, who remained, suffered. We were brutally expelled to Siberia in the early 1950’s. We were shipped to Siberia with absolutely no regard for us. For thirteen years we endured hard labour in bush camps. They did not care for us at all. We received no respect , only severe beatings. We endured these very difficult thirteen years with the belief and hope in our hearts that someday we would return to our homes. And how difficult it was when we finally did return to our village in Ukraine. We were not allowed back into our home. It was confiscated and used as a hospital. All meetings and communications of any kind were strictly forbidden.

Years have passed and times have changed. We are now living in our original home which is 108 years old. Displayed on the wall is an old hallowed photograph, a vestige of the people who once lived in this house. In our house we possess many articles that we cherish such as embroidered cloths and icons.

Today, my dear family, allow me to thank you for your invitation to visit with you and your hospitality. I wanted very much to meet all of you, to become better acquainted, to discover our shared roots and to carry on the family tree despite the fact that we have been separated by many years and many miles.

Allow me to wish all of you good health, wisdom and great success in your work. From the bottom of my heart I believe that our customs and traditions will be carried on by you here in Canada. Please accept my most heartfelt words of thanks from that verdant and abundant land of Ukraine and my family. Remember to preserve and respect our mother tongue. Honour and treasure our family tree so that it will continue to blossom from year to year.

I wish you peace and calm. I wish you only wonderful memories of your family, good fortune, and good health in your life.

May God bless you.
Mnohya lyeet.


Posted: April 1, 2004 by L. Maksymetz