Sewing up tactical first aid kits for Ukraine

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This article was published 09/03/2022 (925 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Yevgeniya Tatarenko knew she had to help.

The Ukrainian-Canadian Red River College Polytech marketing instructor, who moved to Morden in 2016, has been worried about her mother back home since Russia invaded two weeks ago.

Tatarenko’s not alone in her concern. She and others from the southern Manitoba community banded together just over a week ago to form Help Ukraine—Morden and Pembina Valley to raise support and cash for civilians and the military in their home country.

First, the group sewed Ukrainian flags to raise donation money, and began accepting humanitarian aid (such as medical supplies) and cash last week. The group’s latest project is more ambitious: sewing thousands of tactical first aid bags to send to the Ukrainian army reserve’s paramedic teams, with the support of Morden’s Deasil Custom Sewing Inc., which is offering free labour.

“It can save a lot of lives,” Tatarenko told the Free Press on Thursday.

“We launched this project because all of us Ukrainians here in the Morden area all have families in Ukraine, so it’s been pretty tough for us… Hard to go through all of the news and not be able to help.”

Tatarenko runs a Ukrainian school in Morden, where she and others teach the language, history and culture on Saturdays. That location turned into a drop-off point for the newly formed aid group.

“We got so many different items — baby food, diapers, clothing for babies, sleeping bags, travel mats,” she said, noting the local hospital donated medical supplies, which were quickly sent to Ukraine via Poland with a friend.

Tatarenko spoke with people in Ukraine’s army reserve and paramedic volunteers, who told her medical bags and first aid kits are sorely needed. Deasil’s owner said the business could help, making a prototype Monday.

“We’re raising money each day, each week,” Tatarenko said of the cash needed to buy the material needed. “It’s really hard in Ukraine to find a facility that can make those bags quickly.”

It’s been difficult for Tatarenko, recently, as she works full-time and organizes dozens of volunteers all while absorbing news from the front.

“I decided to keep myself busy… That helps, being organized and helping Ukraine, but I try to communicate with my mom, she’s alone there… It’s pretty tough, but I try to do my best,” she said.

Tatarenko said initially she tried to get her mom to flee, but conditions became to difficult; instead, she’ll stay until “victory.”

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera