As the bad reality TV show that has become the U.S. government continued last week, islanders were asking how its impacts could be countered.
Despair, frustration and anger were expressed by many at local events following the Feb. 28 meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy broadcast live.
Those are the kind of emotions you’d expect to find at the Social Justice Bazaar table dedicated to helping Ukraine at the weekend’s film festival at Gulf Islands Secondary School. But Igor Darmokhid, who moved to Salt Spring from Ukraine in 2019 and still has family and friends there, was not despondent. He told the Driftwood what occurred in the White House has just made Ukraine and its supporters stronger and more determined.
He then explained in exquisite detail how funds collected on Salt Spring are helping soldiers on the front lines by augmenting their first aid kits with exactly what they need to survive and keep fighting. Samples of the purchased supplies were on the table and Darmokhid outlined how the groups they work with are getting the best bang for their buck and aid delivered quickly.
So far Salt Spring Island has sent more than $120,000 to Ukraine with a focus on providing medical assistance. That’s pretty good for a community situated so far from the front lines.
Islanders have another chance to support Ukraine through a fundraising dinner event set for March 15 at Meaden Hall. It’s bound to be a fun evening full of camaraderie and heart. Friends of Ukraine members never fail to express gratitude, whether for financial contributions, items that can be sold or auctioned off for the cause, or words of support and solidarity, so expect to feel valued and connected at the same time.
Last Friday’s spectacle in Washington, D.C. revealed only one adult in the room, and made the choice faced by the entire world more clear than ever. Salt Spring has joined the federal government in providing tangible support for Ukraine, and can continue to do so in many ways.