Remembering Mrs. Fuga

Olga Fuga was a very special person in my life. My heart is full of sadness at the news of her passing, and at the same time, full of pride for her long list of achievements. Olga Fuga was a force of nature who helped shape Winnipeg. She was also a force who helped shape me.

I knew Olga all of my life. Truly. She and her husband, Tony Fuga, had known me and all of my siblings, Margaret, Chris, Joey and Kathy since we were born. Our parents, Carl and Mary Krawchenko were close friends of Tony and Olga.

We grew up in a house with lots of parties, and lots of people dropping by. Tony was the first “showman” I had ever seen in person. Smart and funny, he could whistle through his teeth, and was one of the best storytellers in the circle of my parents’ friends and associates. And could he sing. I have vivid memories of Tony belting out his own version of Englebert Humperdinck’s “Please Release Me.” Another favorite was a boisterous rendition of “Delilah” as he danced Olga around the room.

Then there was Olga. Here was a woman of substance and unusual energy, who always greeted us with a smile and a hug. Whip smart, well-informed, and always full of the joy of living, she made a very large impression on me from the very beginning.

Olga Fuga was devoted to her family and dedicated to serving her community. She had already entered politics by the time I was born, actively fighting for better education policies as a school board trustee.

Olga Fuga New Chair of School Board

https://newspaperarchive.com/winnipeg-free-press-jan-03-1969-p-3/

She was the first woman to sit as the chair of the Winnipeg School Board, and later went on to serve on Winnipeg City Council where she chaired the Executive Policy Committee.

Olga’s daughter, Lesley Anne Fuga, recently talked about her mother with CBC radio host, Faith Fundal. You can listen to the interview here.

The Winnipeg Tribune published this picture of Olga in May, 1974. We see her standing with fellow members of City Council. From the left they are: Adam Klym, John Karasevich Jr., Ken Galanchuk, and Slaw Rebchuk.

*Photo: Winnipeg Tribune Fonds https://digitalcollections.lib.umanitoba.ca/islandora/object/uofm:1896144/print_object*

In between those two posts, Olga ran for a seat in the provincial legislature in 1966.

My family was living on Gallagher Avenue in Weston at that time. It was a Saturday in spring. I was at the kitchen table doing homework when my dad came in and grabbed his jacket off the hook at the kitchen door. “I’m going for a ride, Sand. You comin' with?” he asked and I scrambled to not get left behind. I was ten years old.

We drove over to Olga’s campaign office for the North End seat she was hoping to win. She was running in Inkster against Sid Green. I stuffed envelopes and was introduced to the fascinating world of politics, and the importance of public service. How exciting it was to watch Mrs. Fuga take on challenges from people who couldn’t understand why a woman, and a Ukrainian woman at that, would bother running for election. “And why not?” she demanded in return.

Why not? It became a silent battle cry and one that I watched her take into each of the many causes that were lucky enough to gain her time and to be touched by her unwavering dedication to build a better community. Her mission was simple: to alleviate suffering, shine a light on that which was clearly unfair, and open the doors of opportunity to all.

My mother, Mary Krawchenko, who founded Mrs. K's Food Products, and her friend, Olga Fuga, who led fundraising and advocacy campaigns for such causes as building the Seven Oaks General Hospital, were the two strongest influences in showing me 'how to be' as a woman. By their example and tenacity, I grew up knowing there was no reason a woman should not have a voice, or an opportunity. And Mrs. Fuga was very clear on the fact that anyone from the North End was just as good as anyone from the South End.

My life has been enriched by these many experiences where, even as a child, I was able to listen to adults express their opinions, debate policies, and fight for their opportunities and their causes. My path was informed by these impressive influences where I learned that it was always best to read widely, and to listen to divergent points of view, think for yourself, and speak up when you had something important on your mind.

Olga Fuga was greatly loved and will be deeply missed. I am ever grateful that she touched my life in the profound way that she did.

Olga Fuga C.M., O.M.

In 2013, Olga Fuga was inducted into the Order of Manitoba. It was my privilege to have been involved in helping to gather the information and make the case for her nomination. I include this excerpt from the submission so that those who don’t know all that she accomplished will have a record of it here.

Nomination Submission: Olga Fuga for the Order of Manitoba, 2013

Olga Fuga is an outstanding volunteer, citizen and leader, and is most deserving of recognition for her dedication to her community.

She is a woman who seems to see no barriers that cannot be overcome. She served as a city councillor, was the first woman to chair the Winnipeg School Board, and she has continuously fought for human rights, improvements in education, and compassion for those in need. For fourteen years she served as the Executive Director of the Manitoba Region of the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews. In recent years she shined the light of public attention on the horrifying story known in Ukraine as the Holodomor, which saw over seven million Ukrainian citizens starve to death in 1932-33 in an act of genocide during the dark years under Stalin. Mrs. Fuga spearheaded a committee to film the testimonies of Winnipeg survivors of the Holodomor and has been internationally recognized for raising public awareness of this tragedy.

Mrs. Fuga’s accomplishments are many, but perhaps the greatest is her role in increasing access to health care. As a city councillor in the early 70s, she was appalled that the city was almost a hundred years old and still did not have a single hospital in the North End. Councillor Fuga, together with activists Joe Zuken, Abe Yanofsky, and Saul Miller, began lobbying the governments of Winnipeg and Manitoba. It took many years, but finally, in 1981, the dream was realized with the official opening of the Seven Oaks General Hospital. Mrs. Fuga was also instrumental in the creation of the Wellness Institute, constructed adjacent to the hospital, which opened its doors in 1996. To this day, Mrs. Fuga continues to play an important role in fundraising activities for the hospital.

As may be seen in the list below, Mrs. Fuga’s interests have been many and varied. In addition to her commitment to SOGH, she has been involved with local and youth politics (Winnipeg School Board, Winnipeg City Council, Manitoba Youth Parliament), has served the arts and cultural communities (Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg Symphony, Royal Winnipeg Ballet), and has served the Ukrainian community (Oseredok – Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre, Holy Family Nursing Home and the recent Holodomor memorial project).

In summary, Mrs. Fuga is a fundraiser, a visionary and inspiring volunteer whose devotion to Manitoba has been internationally and nationally praised. She has consistently demonstrated excellence and achievement in a variety of fields.

Honours and Awards

• Member, Order of Manitoba (2013)

• Member, Order of Canada (1987)

• Recipient, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)

• City of Winnipeg Community Service Award

• Alpha Omega Ukrainian Woman of the Year Award

• Canadian Ukrainian Committee Women’s Association Award

• Osvita Foundation, Annual Dinner Honouree (1987)

• North Winnipeg Rotary Club Community Service Award

• Honourary Life Member, Seven Oaks General Hospital Board

Record of recent and past Community Service and Positions held:

• Trustee, Winnipeg School Board Division #1 (1963-1971)

o Chair, Winnipeg School Board (3 years)

o Vice-Chair, Winnipeg School Board (2 years)

o Member, Children’s Heritage Fund Committee, Winnipeg School Division

• Councillor, City of Winnipeg (1971-1974)

o Member, Mayor’s Race Relations Committee

o Member, City of Winnipeg Executive Policy and Finance Committee

• Lieutenant-Governor, Manitoba Youth Parliament (1982)

• Member, Seven Oaks General Hospital Board of Directors (Founding Member - 1972)

o Chair, Seven Oaks General Hospital Board (1990-1997)

o Fundraising Chair, Seven Oaks General Hospital Emergency Ward (2008/09)

• Executive Director, Canadian Council of Christians and Jews, Manitoba Region

• Member, Parole Board of Canada

• Executive Committee, Winnipeg Economic Development Board

• Executive Committee, Children’s Aid Society

• Executive Committee, Social Planning Council of Winnipeg

• Member, Holy Family Nursing Home Board of Directors

• Staff Management Committee, St. Boniface General Hospital

• Employee Relations Committee, Manitoba Health Organizations, Inc.

• Member, Royal Winnipeg Ballet Board of Directors

• Member, Winnipeg Art Gallery Board of Directors

• Member, Winnipeg Symphony Board of Directors

• Member, United Way Allocations Committee

o Selection Chair, Agencies and Organizations, 1982 United Way

• Member, Manitoba Government Educational and Cultural Development Task Force

• Member, Junior Red Cross Advisory Council

• President, Citizenship Council of Manitoba

• Vice-President, International Centre

• Member, Metropolitan Ilarion Committee, to recognize 1932-33 genocide in Ukraine – the Holodomor - (2007)

Other present and past affiliations include:

• Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre

• Winnipeg Housing Authority

• United Nations Association of Manitoba

• Total Community Involvement

• Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties

• Political commentator

• Committee member promoting French language rights in Manitoba, 1983-84