ATHABASCA — When Russia invaded Ukraine in February it affected many around the world outside of Eastern Europe, but none as much as those of Ukrainian descent, of which the Athabasca area has many.
In the Atmore-Grassland-Prosvita areas of Athabasca County, there are over 75 families of Ukrainian heritage, so caring neighbours are organizing a fundraiser supper May 28 with the money raised to go toward relief efforts in Ukraine.
“There's still 77 families from Ukraine in Grassland and surrounding area,” said organizer Jenny Heatherington in a recent interview. “We had just gone through a history book and there's still quite a few here. Lots of the parents are gone already, but the kids are still here so we just felt like we wanted to do something.”
There will be a limit of 300 tickets sold for the supper, silent auction and 50/50 and the meal will be all the Ukrainian favourites, and some you may not have heard of.
“We got some of the old Babas who are still alive, and we got a menu from them, with the old molashki and perishke and suvinetske and all that,” Heatherington said.
Volunteers have already been pinching perogies for weeks and some will be available for sale at the event.
“Cocktails are at 5:30, supper is at 6,” she said. “We have the Athabasca Ukrainian dancers coming and then there's a group of ladies from Boyle and they're going to do Ukrainian singing.”
To donate items to the silent auction or to the relief efforts, contact Heatherington at [email protected].
Tickets are available at the Atmore General Store, Grassland Trailer Sales, Green Leaf Fuel, and Boyle Central Sales for $25 for adults and children 12 and under for $10.
