Anastasia & Sophia

Hello, my friends, my wonderful friend Willy Van Dolder, myself and my husband Dave are helping this lovely, young family get on their feet after fleeing Ukraine in November. They are staying in our chalet in Collingwood until I find them a home to lease. They live in Kharkiv which is very close to the Russian Border and fled just after the war began to Poland where they applied to come to Canada. They arrived in Canada in November and needed to stay in Red Cross Support facilities in Toronto. Fortunately, Yevhen works for an international company and can continue working remotely, however, Olena has been working as a Personal Homecare Worker since they arrived and will be starting a new full-time job in Collingwood this week. Sophia (13) and Anastasia (7) have not been able to resume school yet, but hope to this week! Luckily they will be able to go to the same school as Sophia is not yet in high school. We can't imagine how terrifying it must have been to leave your whole life, everything you own behind and leave your home in the middle of the night. They have lost dear friends and have been pitted against neighbours.

Olena is an obstetric doctor and was working in the maternity hospital which was deliberated attacked by Russian forces in April 2022. They watched bombs destroy their beloved city from the window of their flat. Anastasiia lost her friend and his family as they were caught in the Russian Offensive on their way home from the swimming pool. If you are able to assist, please do. Let's band together to help give them a wonderful life in Canada as they make it their home. Hopefully, time will erase the horrifying memories and experiences that they endured. Thank you and God Bless.