Ukrainian dinner fundraiser to benefit relief effort

The She-NANIGANS’s building is also the former home of the Slava Ukrainian Social Hall, so the site has close ties to the community.

Battlefords resident Natalia Rudenko, who is from Ukraine, is helping make the meal. Her mother and sister are still back in her home country so she is concerned about their safety. Rudenko said she contacts her family as often as she can to make sure they are safe.

“Before I would call once a week, to say: ‘Is everything fine? Ok,'” she said. “Now I call three times a day.”

Rudenko said her family wants to stay in Ukraine, especially her mother who is elderly and dealing with health issues.

She-Nanigans co-manager Kelly Waters said many people here are concerned about the victims of the war in Ukraine, so she hopes the fundraiser will help in some way.

“There’s a strong personal connection I think for a lot of people here,” she said. “So we really are feeling it personally, and would like to do something to help.”

Waters added while there are a myriad of issues in the world people should care about, the reason this one “hits home for so many people in Saskatchewan is we all have Ukrainian friends and neighbours.”

In addition to the dinner fundraiser, a number of other organizations also raised funds for Ukraine. North Battleford Comprehensive High School collected about $2,400 from staff and students.

The Battlefords Barons U13 Team No. 2 in the Battlefords Minor Hockey Association also fundraised to help the people of Ukraine and collected $375.

As well, the North Battleford City Kinsmen Band recently held a benefit concert, Prayer for Ukraine, to benefit the humanitarian appeal. It noted the federal government will match all individual donations to the Canadian Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal. Anyone who still wishes to contribute can do so here.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow

by Angela Brown

Ukrainian dinner fundraiser to benefit relief effort

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