Sault man delivers humanitarian aid for fleeing Ukrainian refugees

A Sault Ste. Marie man has been providing humanitarian effort in Ukraine. He is calling his time in the country, one of the most "moving" experiences of his life.

Robert Peace left to join up with a Spanish non-government organization known as ADE in mid-April, landing in Romania on the Ukrainian border.

"One of the things I'd really hoped to do was to take the donations, get things for refugees and personally deliver and we've been able to do that on a regular basis," Peace said.

Peace initially went, thinking he'd get very little time in Ukraine. But since being there, he and the group have been taking daily trips into the country.

"Wars are always sad and in this case, the amount of civilian casualties is really what's gotten to me," Peace said. "We met an old woman who was a mother and her son died last week in a bombing and as she was desperate to tell her story, some of the young teenage kids were just in tears, running up, embracing her."

Peace has also connected with another Saultite, Jackson Taylor, who started a fundraising run for Ukraine, from the city to Toronto almost two months ago.

Since connecting, Taylor said he decided to switch his donations to go directly to Peace's efforts.

"Oh it was extra inspiring, considering I had run that much of the run before even speaking with him," he added. "The war doesn't take a break so that in the back of my head is just recurring, the recurring words, knowing that the fight is going on over there."

Peace and Taylor have respective gofundme pages that people can make donations through.

Peace added that he's looking to get businesses in the Sault to help with donations.