Sudbury Ukrainian Centre raising money for homeland through flag, food sales

Volunteers are hard at work at the Ukrainian Centre in Sudbury preparing fresh pyrohy, cabbage rolls and flags to raise money to support the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the sovereign country.

The centre is known for its food sales, so officials said it was an obvious choice to donate the proceeds from the month of March to the Ukraine Humanitarian Effort through the Canada Ukraine Foundation.

It will also be matching the donations.

"I’m not a proponent of any anger. I never want that emotion, but this has angered me as it has angered many people and also saddened me. And it's not just because we’re Ukrainian and there’s a war on Ukraine right now. It has got to do with our entire population. No one has any right to walk in and take someone’s home, kill their children, take their country in this day and age," said Sandra Sharko, the Ukrainian Centre president.

"And that’s why we’re doing it, it's supportive for mankind."

Barbra Smatlanek is a resident at the Ukrainian Centre.

She decided to spearhead flag-making efforts and since Friday, the group has already made 60 Ukrainian flags.

"We’re doing the best we can. We cannot make Molotov cocktails but we can make flags, and what we’ve done is we’ve draped the building in Ukrainian flags. Not being Christo, the artist that draped things, but we’re trying real hard."

She said they will continue making flags as long as they can get material.

Flags can also be purchased by the community for $20 each. There are two sizes: a standard flag or a smaller car version.

The centre also plans to have leather bracelets for sale as well.

If you are looking to place an order officials ask that you call the centre at 705-673-7404 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.