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Celebration of garlic in Greater Sudbury

Preparations are underway for the 32nd annual Garlic Festival in Greater Sudbury on Sunday.

The Ukrainian Seniors Centre hosts the event that features food, live local Ukrainian music and garlic vendors. Right now a team of volunteers is busy preparing homemade tastes of Ukraine that sell out every year.

Kay Wowk, 101, carefully pinches handmade perogies. She's part of a team of volunteers preparing 1,400 dozen homemade perogies and cabbage rolls for the annual festival.

"Everybody will tell you she is the fastest, best perogie maker in town,” said event coordinator Linda Russell.

“And most of our volunteers are 80, 90 years old and so we just keep them busy and they keep on coming back and we are going strong."

Proceeds from the Garlic Festival go to supportive services at the non-profit charitable organization and seniors residence.

Other fundraising efforts by the centre have raised $220,000 to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

"The last money that we gave out was to a group actually out of Saskatchewan,” said volunteer Terry Martyn.

"They provide two safe houses in Ukraine and Poland for young girls and young women who have lost families and are out on the street."

New this year at the festival are jars of borscht, fresh sauerkraut and dill pickles in addition to serval unique garlic treats.

Organizers said the event was the first garlic festival in Canada and will celebrate 32 years of garlic and a taste of Ukraine this year.

The festival is happening from 12-4 p.m. Aug. 27 at the Ukrainian Seniors' Centre on Notre Dame Avenue in downtown Sudbury.

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