A crowd gathered Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 216 in Petrolia for a vigil for Ukraine.
It came more than a week after the Eastern European country was invaded by Russia and as reports grow of destruction, fatalities and a flood of refugees fleeing the fighting.
Petrolia legion member Alex Billings said he was thinking of his fellow veterans, in part, when he helped to organize the vigil.
“We have a lot of veterans here who have seen the horrors of war and the horrors of natural disaster and what that does to the human mind,” he said.
They may be struggling to cope because of the images from the war they’re seeing and the legion wanted to reach out and show support, Billings said.
“If you’re hurting, we’re here for you,” he said.
The vigil began with the crowd singing O Canada and listened as Leslie Skolly of Camlachie sang the Ukrainian national anthem.
Legion padre, Deacon Rudy Terpstra, led prayers and hymns and spoke during the vigil.
Among those attending was Cassandra Taylor, a family physician who helped organize a prayer vigil last weekend in the parking lot at St. George’s Ukrainian Church in Sarnia.
She said plans have firmed for a fundraiser at the church to assist humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
“We have the date set for April 2,” she said.
It’s being called the Pysanky and Perogy Fundraiser and is offering three sessions beginning at 10 am of instruction in pysanky – the art of decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs – with artist Cat Cabajar of The Painted Cat for a minimum donation of $20.
“What better way to bring everybody in the community together to learn about Ukrainian heritage and support a good cause,” Taylor said.
Times can be booked online at https://calendly.com/saveukrainesarnia/fundraiser?month=2022-04.
Taylor said the church is also holding a raffle that day and church members have been making perogies to sell.
“All of that money will then be raised to go to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress which is helping with the humanitarian aid – supplying care packages, food, medications,” and other medical supplies, she said.