"Do you know
who made you?" "Nobody,
as I knows on," said the child, with a short laugh. The idea appeared to amuse her considerably; for her eyes twinkled, and
she added — "I 'spect
I grow'd. Don't think nobody never made me." — quote from Uncle Tom's Cabin
Well, one thing's for sure, you and
I were enchantingly made. We are shaped by our upbringing, our parents, our siblings
and delightfully from the stories we heard about the family most of us never met, Anton and Parinka Hrapchak.
Sometimes I thought like that little
girl from Uncle Tom's Cabin. It's nobody but me.
However, I changed my mind since then. You see our family knowingly and unknowingly arranged our blessings, through the joy
and courage passed down from over a century of tradition. And yes, with the good was also bad. But that's life, isn't it?
We, the Hrapchak Families really do
come from adventure and courage, and that is why we today reflect strong mindsets and loving hearts.
How do I know? You shared your story with me. I am a better and larger person
for this. I am grateful for having met you, heard your adventures, and feel blessed I could share a part of me with you too.
Since the 2003 Hrapchak Family Reunion,
there is a new sense of pride for many of our relatives. A legacy of family, laughter, celebration, traditions, food and of
course the Hrapchak spirit was cemented in the minds and hearts of all who attended.
We got to know some of you, intimately,
for the first time.
One such heart was Judy. (P.59, Hrapchak
Family History)
Judy lived in foster homes until age
12, quit school, and virtually raised herself. Not until she joined us at the recent reunion did she realize just how huge
her real family was. She was thrilled that she was not alone in this world - that she truly had roots. She was honestly surprised
she had such a family!
The Family History book continues to
remind her of the incredible journey her descendants had taken and hit hard the realization she was part of such a grand family
like you.
I know life has twists and turns. But
don't let any of your children ever forget they were made. They came from someone.
One way to ensure no one is ever forgotten
like Judy was, is give this book to everyone you know. Give it especially to
the families who are now raising the next generation. The babies need to know from where they were made and loved.
For those of you who were unable to
make the family reunion, I wish you the opportunity of meeting your relations and experiencing this Hrapchak spirit. How?
It fills each page of the “Hrapchak
Family History Book”. This book brought us closer together and gave us
the gift of knowing our past, ancestry and those who live along with us today. The
histories and stories have left a priceless mark on everyone and as Sandy Hrapchak said, “This is our Family bible”!
My God, it's bigger than the Bible! 672 Pages!
The pictures alone will fill your heart
with laughter and grace. P.287 shows 4 generations of Melnyk's. The guys no less, Barry, William, Garnet and Kia.
Check out Tony and Joe Woychyshyn's
studly suits out of the 30's! P.219
Then there was the group (P.439) picking
mushrooms. In shorts no less! Which bushes did you gals find with no thorns or pokey twigs?
But there's something else. I need your
help. I have many copies left over and unfortunately have not yet recovered the total costs from publishing this book.
You see, the originally ordered copies
have not been purchased. Now is your chance to get yours.
What does this mean for you? The
truth is, your copy is waiting for you. Please call me at (306) 862-3557 to purchase your book today.
Here's some good news. Call me this
month and I will include a picture of Anton and Parinka’s homestead in Rosthern, SK as a special thank-you for helping
to get the books into the hands where they belong. In fact, if you call me this month, I will toss in a surprise.
(Nope… can't tell you. It's a
surprise.)
Let’s bless our family with the
amazing knowledge of knowing who we are. Let's get these books out. It's magical who might read it and realize they too are
connected.
I thank you in advance for your
promptness in this matter and if you have any thoughts, or would like to talk to me about anything, please give me a call
or email me.
Love,
Frances Schoenfelder
(306) 862-3557
fschoenfelder@sasktel.net
P.S. One thing's for sure. This book is a treasure of stories, pictures and a huge opportunity to meet this incredible
family you still don't know.
Please feel free to buy for others in
your family. Especially the babies. They can't decide for themselves yet. Don't wait until it's too late to give them their
special copies. And I really stress don't wait because when these are gone, they're gone forever!
Call me at (306) 862-3557. Remember;
know just how special you really are.
