Lorrie William is doing her part to stand with Ukraine – one flag at a time.
The longtime New West resident and former city councillor has teamed up with friends to raise money by selling small flags of the Ukraine. People can make a donation and pick up a flag at Greens and Beans Deli in Sapperton.
“The money is going to be passed on to the Ukrainian military to help them,” Williams said. “My brother knows how to do it; he already sent his money in, so I’m going to find out how he did it and send it directly to support the Ukrainian military.”
Williams hopes the donation will help bolster the morale of Ukrainians who are defending their country against Russian invaders.
“This is a human tragedy,” she said. “Ukrainians are hanging on. I think it’s amazing and it’s upsetting. Listen, to be quite honest, I feel for the young men, mostly young men, who are dying on both sides. This is a ridiculous, ridiculous war started by a ridiculous man. I think it should just stop. It’s hard to believe that it’s actually happening.”
The war is personal for Williams, whose grandparents came to Canada from Ukraine in the early 1900s. She has visited Ukraine several times.
“It’s breaking my heart to see the destruction that’s going on,” she told the Record. “Kyiv is a beautiful city with lots of old buildings, old churches, old architecture. I can’t imagine what it’s like now. It’s very upsetting.”
In the 1980s, Williams founded the Canadian Harambee Education Society, which raises money to send girls in Kenya and Tanzania to high school. During her first trip to Kenya, she met Dr.Ruby Sokwala.
“She’s a medical doctor. I met her when I first went to Kenya. She and her family kind of took me under their wing,” Williams said. “She was the head of the hospital near where I was. She would treat my girls for free and just look after us. She saved me a couple of time when I was really sick.”
Sokwala, who lives in Australia but is currently visiting Canada, has been busy sewing Ukraine flags while staying in New West.
“She is a sewer. She said, ‘I’ll make flags,’ because nobody could find them to buy,” Williams said. “So we made a bunch of them and put up a sign saying, make a donation, take a flag, help Ukraine.”
Leona Green, co-owner of Greens and Beans Deli, said flag sales had raised more than $645 by the morning of March 22.
The homemade blue and yellow Ukraine flags are attached to a wooden skewer. Lapel pins made of blue and yellow ribbons were also sold as part of the fundraiser.
“Those sold like hotcakes,” Williams said.
Flags are available at Greens and Beans, 143 East Columbia St. It’s open Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Follow Theresa McManus on Twitter @TheresaMcManus
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