Two recent fundraisers will be sending more than $11,000 to the Canadian Red Cross for its efforts to help Ukrainians both in and fleeing their war-torn country.
At the encouragement of Mary Spring, local potter Karen Gray, owner of The Potter’s Studio and Gallery on Brunel Road, created a series of Hearts for Ukraine—blue ceramic hearts etched with yellow sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine—and offered them up in exchange for donations to the Canadian Red Cross.
The first batch of 32 sold out within hours, and Gray quickly agreed to make more based on demand. Those 60 sold out just as quickly. The hearts have raised $5,265 to date, with the final donations still trickling in.
Gray also made a set of mugs featuring the same motif, which were placed in a silent auction at Family Place Restaurant on March 25, the same day that the eatery held a fundraising luncheon. Family Place chefs cooked up traditional Ukrainian meals of Chicken Kyiv and perogies for dine-in or take-out with 100 per cent of the $25 cost per meal to be donated to the Canadian Red Cross. The restaurant sold 250 meals and raised $6,438.14.
“What a town,” said Mary Spring, in response to the fundraising totals.
Another local artist, Pam Carnochan, is holding a Ukraine fundraiser on April 2. Details here.
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To Ross Pease: It is wonderful and admirable indeed, what Family Place and Karen Gray have done.
I agree. Poverty and homelessness in Huntsville is rampant. The state of affordable – and I DO. MEAN. AFFORDABLE. and SAFE. housing is one of paramount concern. It is all very well to continue to build and/or renovate buildings for apartments. It is quite another to rightly call them ‘affordable.’ They are not!
We’re fortunate to have a local Food Bank and Salvation Army and such to provide food for those who are experiencing Food Insecurity. However, these are bandaid solutions (as are, for example, women’s and men’s shelters). Many people in Huntsville need affordable and safe housing, a decent wage, food, medicine…. They need it YESTERDAY!
Isn’t it amazing what one small Ontario town can do when people get behind a humanitarian cause. Just imagine for one minute what all of Ontario could do for the same cause. Together we are strong! Keep up the good work Huntsville and think of the other causes we could get behind if the collective will is there. How about tackling some important issues right here at home such as poverty and homelessness? Just some food for thought (pun intended).
Ross
Congratulations! Thanks to Family Place and Karen Gray for these great initiatives. Thanks also to all who took part. What a great community working together to help our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.