Members of the Ukrainian Canadian Volunteer Association (UCVA) in the Central Okanagan have been busy cooking traditional Ukrainian food for frontline crews fighting the McDougall Creek wildfire.

Svitlana Shkyn of the UCVA, and Westside Salvation Army Coordinator Jennifer Henson, put a plan in place to cook and deliver 160 authentic Ukrainian meals that include borscht, nalysnyky (crepes) and fried stuffed buns to frontline first responders.

Eight Ukrainian families helped prepare the meals.

鈥淭he UCVA is assisting Canadians in West 琉璃神社 during a disaster by arranging and offering delightful Ukrainian lunches, including Ukrainian borscht and other delectable treats,鈥� said Shkyn.

She has worked with Bonnie Penner of 琉璃神社鈥檚 Bravery Foundation, a Canadian CRA-registered charity, over the past year and a half to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and to support displaced Ukrainians relocating to the Okanagan.

Penner and Shkyn connected to expand the movement of Ukrainians giving back to the community that has supported them.

鈥淲e greatly appreciate all the support Ukrainian people get from the Canadian citizens,鈥� added Shkyn. It is our time to pay back for all the great support we have received and continue to receive.鈥�

Penner is also coordinating 鈥楿krainian Work Bees鈥� to help with property clean-up for the McDougall Creek, Walroy Lake and Clarke Creek fires.

She is also spearheading other initiatives with local organizations to help wildfire evacuees.

鈥淢y family and I were evacuated in the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Fire, and keenly understand what our community is going through,鈥� said Penner.

According to a news release from the United Way, the event was spurred by a request from the Salvation Army, which is coordinating response efforts.

鈥淎mong those who prepared these nourishing meals are Ukrainian volunteers, some of whom are refugees themselves,鈥� the release said. 鈥淭heir journey has come full circle, having previously benefited from the United for Ukraine initiative spearheaded by United Way BC earlier this year.鈥�

Donations to help pay for the ingredients for future meal preparation and other fire-related initiatives can be made to UCVA by e-transfer to ucva.ua@gmail.com.

READ MORE: Structural damage assessment from McDougall Creek wildfire in West 琉璃神社 complete

READ MORE: More than 3,000 homes saved from McDougall Creek wildfire in West 琉璃神社

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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