As 2022 draws to a close, we’re looking back at the top 10 New Westminster news stories of the year.
Yesterday, we brought you memories of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, as the Royal City paid tribute to the long-reigning monarch.
The journey through the year’s biggest headlines continues today with number 9: the war in Ukraine.
War in Ukraine hits close to home in New Westminster
“As Russia invades Ukraine, New Westminster watches and prays.”
That was the first headline to hit the Record about the war that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Rev. Mykhailo Ozorovych and his congregation at New Westminster’s Holy Eucharist Cathedral were watching, praying and reaching out for word of what was happening to their family members overseas.
For most of the church’s 100 families, the war hit close to home; most members of the congregation are recent or brand-new arrivals to Canada.
As the war unfolded over the weeks and months to follow, Holy Eucharist became a hub for efforts to help both those fleeing Ukraine and those staying behind to fight.
Folks flocked to buy Ukrainian food as part of Perogies for Peace fundraisers, and local artists joined forces for art sales to raise money for the cause.
Volunteers rallied to create a central Help Us Help Ukraine website, offering a central resource for those in need of assistance and a platform for those seeking to lend their help — in the form of money, volunteer time or temporary accommodations for refugees.
The church became a practical hub for newly arrived Ukrainian refugees, hosting a pop-up clinic where newcomers could access all the services they needed to get their B.C. documents: driver’s licences, social insurance numbers, MSP applications.
It also became a spiritual centre for both parishioners and members of the wider community, hosting prayer services for peace and a vigil to pay tribute to the victims of the bombing of the Mariupol Theatre, where women and children were taking refuge.
Events abounded throughout the city to help raise money for and awareness of the cause: a Ring Out for Ukraine benefit concert at Queens Avenue United Church in June; a Sunflowers for Ukraine rock-painting project by local artist Kristy Kassie.
The New Westminster school district welcomed Ukrainian students into its classrooms and held summer programs to help them get settled.
Across the city, folks rallied to the cause — and continue to do so.
The Help Us Help Ukraine website remains an active resource for response to the drawn-out war.
“This war is not over,” it says today. “Every day, bombs kill more civilians, and every day, more Ukrainians seek refuge. They leave their country with only what they can carry, searching for a safe place to stay and an opportunity to get a job. Some families have found refuge and resettlement in Europe. Some are coming to Canada, including British Columbia. With your support, we, too, can help.”
Want to know more? Find the Help Us Help Ukraine website.
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
Email Julie, [email protected]
