Manitoba gets creative for Ukraine aid

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This article was published 30/03/2022 (1001 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Local support for humanitarian and military efforts in Ukraine continues to rally as the Russian invasion rolls into its sixth week.

In Winnipeg’s Transcona neighbourhood, Sevala’s Ukrainian Deli serves up borscht, perogies and cabbage rolls — but now, with a side of support for the war-torn eastern European nation patrons can wear on their wrist.

Bernie Demchuk, who co-owns the deli with husband Del, said customers have been coming in hungry to help since the war began.

“We have a young Ukrainian girl that works for us, and her family — she has her brother and sister-in-law and two nieces, among other family and lots of friends — it was really hard for her working the first few weeks,” said Demchuk, who married into her husband’s Ukrainian culture.

“We were hearing her side, too. It’s terrible to watch and we really just thought, we’re sitting comfortable in our own homes, eating, fresh water, everything, freedom. We definitely had to do something.”

The restaurant has partnered with Hilary C. Maxim law office’s Yvonne Maxim to sell “Glory to Ukraine” wristbands for a minimum $5 donation. The cash goes to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba council’s efforts to help refugees.

The Demchuks handed over $5,953 on Wednesday, with the promise of more to come.

The first 1,000 wristbands sold out in less than a week, and the second 1,000 are already spoken for, Demchuk said, adding she expects the next 1,000 will sell quick, too.

Zoloto Ukrainian Dance Ensemble & Company knew it had to help, too, said board member Scott Gordon, who also married into a Ukrainian family. One of its efforts came with the assistance of Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman, who reached out to the group to express condolences and gauge how the community was handling the overseas crisis.

“We wanted to see what the city might have that could be practical in a (military) situation, so we pleaded and implored on him to have an audit of the emergency services department to see what items could be declared surplus and be donated. Our initial intent was focused on medical supplies,” Gordon said.

City staff instead found some Winnipeg Police Service officers were rotating out body armour. Now, 126 law enforcement-grade vests are set to be shipped to Ukraine’s defence forces from local licensed body armour retailer Urban Tactical, via Svitoch Ukraine Import and Export of Winnipeg.

“The protection it could offer could be tremendous, especially when you’re looking at residential areas that are being indiscriminately targeted with missile and artillery strikes. You’re seeing first responders, fire paramedics rushing in not knowing when the next bomb might go off,” Gordon said.

“Even if one life is saved, it’s worth the effort.”

Charlie Johnston is also among those aiming to help the Ukrainian people. Working with the Interlake Art Board, Johnston and Brad Lent painted a 2.5-metre by five-m mural of the world’s nations as a pysanka (Ukrainian Easter egg).

The piece will be unveiled Friday on Selkirk’s downtown Main Street.

“Like so many other creatives in the world, my thoughts are with Ukraine and the assault upon their culture, which is actually not a new phenomenon, it’s a centuries-old struggle,” Johnston said.

“Part of my core philosophy is the power of creativity… At the heart of it is that creativity is the greatest force, creativity trumps destruction, the forces that destroy.”

Johnston, 59, is not Ukrainian but grew up in the Interlake with many Ukrainian friends. He has painted murals across Canada and the United States.

“The practice of inscribing — pysanka literally means to inscribe upon… it told of an old legend… about the eggs being representative of the rebirth of life and the spring,” he said.

“The old legend goes there’s an evil serpent that’s chained to the rocks, and the serpent sends out his minions to see how many eggs have been painted, and if there aren’t enough Easter eggs painted… the serpent breaks free from his chains to wreak havoc on the earth… Isn’t that, in a way, exactly what’s happening? An evil serpent in the form of greed.”

The pysanka globe mural is just one of five pieces he’s planning, one of which Johnston will auction for cash to send to Ukrainian relief efforts.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera