Novyi Sokil, the first Plast campground in the USA, has been hosting various Plast activities, including their popular summer camps, for over 65 years. Situated on 40+ acres of beautiful parkland, Novyi Sokil is known for its intimate, friendly, warm and personalized atmosphere. This is truly a camp where EVERYBODY knows your name and cares about you.

Wooded forests, ravines, hills and valleys create a beautiful natural backdrop for summer activities. A large, in-ground pool offers the opportunity for swim lessons in the mornings and recreational swimming in the afternoons. Yunatstvo (ages 12-18) camp in tents, while novatstvo (ages 7-11) sleep in barracks. The camp kitchen prepares meals from scratch, and serves delicious food, four times a day. Sometimes we’re even lucky enough to get borscht and varenyky!

If you’re joining us at camp again this summer, welcome back! If you’re looking for a new camping experience for your children, we invite you to try us this year. We promise you a summer full of wonderful memories.

Our History

Novyi Sokil is a name that evokes joyful and strong feelings not only among those who purchased, maintained, and developed this Plast campsite and those who spent joyful and future days of Plast camping there, but also among those who hold dear the Plast experience associated with the past.

With the arrival of Plast members in the United States, the need to continue their scouting work arose, and with it the need for a Plast "oselia" (roughly, "center") where its members could camp. In 1950, members of the Buffalo Plast group, Severyn Levytskiy (known as “Grey Lion”, he was the Chief Scout of Plast at the time) and Marian Borachok found an abandoned 25-acre farm with no facilities, but suitable for camping.

A committee of Scout leaders was formed to acquire funds to purchase the property: Severyn Levytskiy, Bohdanna Salaban, Mariyan Borachok, Oleksandr Berezhnytskiy and Bohdan Pashkovskiy. In a short time, the farm was purchased on April 29, 1951, for $2500.

The Rochester and Cleveland groups also joined the purchase of the farm. Additionally, “Grey Lion” donated his adjacent property, and an additional small tract was purchased, which together gave 40 acres of land.

In June 1951, the first Svyato Vesny (literally, “Spring Festival”, also known as the “Festival of St. George” [the patron of Plast]) was held at the abandoned farm, without drinking water, buildings, electricity, or roads. It was necessary to carry water in buckets and cook it on tripods. Already in July (6/31/51 – 7/15/51), camps of all levels were held with 76 participants from Buffalo, Cleveland, and Rochester. The commandants were Malyna Dziuba and Volodymyr Pryimak. The camp lasted 2 weeks and the fee was $20.

The dedication of the oselia took place on August 19, 1951, with great participation of Plast members and friends of Plast. The oselia was named “Novyi Sokil” (literally, "New Falcon"). Just as Sokil in the Carpathian Mountains used to be a symbol of Plast training, so today Novyi Sokil has become a symbol of Plast zeal, sacrifice and the continuation of the Plast tradition. Novyi Sokil was the first Plast oselia to rise on the territory of the USA, became a point of pride in the development of the Plast movement in the diaspora, and gave rise to further growth and the acquisition of other Plast oselias.

The voluntary and hard work of the Plast members of Buffalo, Rochester, Cleveland and Syracuse, as well as Plast friends, created a well-equipped Plast oselia. A number of barracks were built, and a beautiful, large swimming pool was arranged, designed by engineer O. Krynytskyi. The first master builder was Mr. Yaroslav Hulyk, who built the first barrack, chapel, and gazebo. Subsequently, there were built: a large dining room (by Marian Stasiuk), a comfortable basement designed by Orest Iskal, and numerous technical and hygienic facilities needed to run good Plast camps. Novyi Sokil had become inhabited and pleasant.

Over time, the individual contributions are forgotten, but the image of a united Plast youth, newcomers and young people trained in national-patriotic traditions and practical Plast knowledge emerges. The number of participants in the camps increased year by year. As far as we can calculate, the number of campers in Novyi Sokil over the past 60 years has reached more than 7,500. Not only Scouts from Buffalo, Cleveland, Rochester, Syracuse, and Chicago, but also from all corners of America, Canada, Ukraine, and further — Sweden, Kenya, South Africa, to name a few! — have camped at Novyi Sokil.

In the past, the oselia hosted Plast meetings of the mean organizing bodies in the USA, the regional Plast leadership, the scout and youth council, and scout and youth trainings for educators. In addition to educational and training camps, Novyi Sokil also organized specialty camps, such as equestrian, water safety, golf, and others.

Throughout its existence, Novyi Sokil has undergone many changes and growth. However, there were also losses. As a result of vandalism, the first administrative building, the Novak hut, and the chapel were damaged and partially burned. Thanks to the efforts of the Plast members and friends of Novyi Sokil, they were repaired and rebuilt. In 2006, a new spacious novice hut was built by architect Volodymyr Butenko from Syracuse. This project was implemented by: Andrii Chuchula, Taras Popovych, and Taras Tiutiunyk, with the help of older Plast members and friends of the oselia.

Novyi Sokil has fully fulfilled its purpose, becoming a starting point for raising new people in love and loyalty to God and Ukraine.