19-year-old Oakville student raises $15,000 from dinner to help Ukraine

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The Canadian Young Leaders Coalition (CYLC), led by 19-year-old National President Elijah Nikiforuk, hosted a gala dinner in Oakville on Thursday, June 16, 2022, to raise money for supporting Ukraine while it's brave people continue to fight for freedom, rallying the GTA community. The event raised $15,000.

The Consul General of Ukraine expressed gratitude to Canadians who are compassionate with Ukrainians and provide "support to those who are in urgent and desperate need."

"That is why today’s event is so important," said Consul Shevchenko from the stage during the dinner, "for it's nature of kindness and goodness of hearts."

"The heart that you extend from Oakville to Ukraine today can change the lives of many Ukrainians affected by the war: the children in a refugee camp with nowhere to go, orphans who lost parents in the Bucha and Irpin massacres, wounded soldiers defending their homes, civilians with limited access to food and water on the frontlines."

Guests of the gala enjoyed delicious dishes of Ukrainian cuisine, listened to heart-warming speeches of the VIPs, and listened also to the anthem of Ukraine performed by the 19-year-old refugee Anastasiia Chornomorets. The young woman received a medal from Rick Hillier, the former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces.

"I did not expect that, but I am extremely thankful for the respect shown towards my talent," shared Chornomorets who arrived in Oakville a month ago. "I sang the anthem with strength and passion knowing that it has become one of the symbols of freedom and unity in the world. I felt blessed to perform at the fundraiser for the good cause."

"I was living in Kyiv and fled in May," she continued. "In Canada, I feel safe and am beyond grateful to my host family, the whole Oakville community as well as my family that supports me from a distance."

National President of CYLC Elijah Nikiforuk who is of Ukrainian heritage confessed that the most memorable part of the evening for him, despite getting the medal along with Chornomorets, was meeting the refugees who have fled for their lives.

"Many have come with just a bag pack or carry-on luggage: they are here with nothing. People may not even speak English and that’s hard."

"So what can we do to welcome them?", asks Nikiforuk. "For this purpose, we decided to put our program together, bring in over 50 refugees here, and pay for the meal. That way, they get to meet other people who came to Canada like them as well as people from the community."

He continued, "Yes, they have a host family and generosity that comes with them, but they also need to have friends and social network to lean on and to talk to."

There was no goal set for the fundraising. However, the CYLC already reached $15,000 that will be contributed to Ukraine in full, and donations are still coming in. The CYLC is going to continue the funding. Young leaders would like to help to rebuild a school in Ukraine when the war is subsided.

Meanwhile, Ukrainians keep on coming to Canada fleeing the war. An estimated 40,000 refugees plan to settle in the GTA area. Mayor of Oakville Rob Burton is sure that the city can welcome more newcomers.

"I haven’t heard of any difficulties yet, and the council has taken measures to make sure that there are supports in place to help people, to smooth their way," said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton.

We have a really vibrant and resilient Ukrainian community, so we are very confident of a good result. Many families have been sponsored here, and I think we have room for more."