Moose Jaw Rotary Clubs to host Ukraine fundraising dinner

Moose Jaw’s Rotary Clubs will host a special, homemade Ukrainian supper on Friday, April 29 to raise money for Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

The meal will have deluxe handmade cabbage rolls, loaded handmade perogies, Ukrainian sausage, potato pancakes – and honey babka for dessert.

The Rotary Club of Moose Jaw and the Rotary Club of Moose Jaw Wakamow are teaming up to give Moose Javians a way to contribute to humanitarian aid relief for the crisis caused by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Wakamow Rotarian Glenn Hagel said that the clubs teaming up is “not the common thing. We’re two separate clubs, we meet at different times… This is something that both clubs see as extremely important.”

Glen Blager, representing the Rotary Club of Moose Jaw, said the clubs are determined to put on a delicious meal and send much-needed funds to Rotary in Poland. Polish Rotary Clubs have mobilized to care for Ukrainian refugees, many of whom fled the war with only the clothes they were wearing.

“We strongly feel that in Moose Jaw there is a sentiment that people just wish they could do something,” Hagel said. “All the profits from this meal will go to Rotary in Poland, to provide humanitarian aid most needed by Ukrainian refugees. It could be used for things like food, shelter, medical services, or transportation.”

A secondary goal of the meal is to celebrate the cultural influence that Ukraine has had on life in Saskatchewan. Nearly 15% of Saskatchewanians have Ukrainian heritage.

Hagel said that a Ukrainian meal is, to many people, a Saskatchewan meal because of how well-known Ukrainian culture is here.

“When I was a kid growing up,” Blager said. “If you lived up on South Hill, you were probably Ukrainian. That was just a known fact.”

“For me,” Blager continued, “this whole thing, you know, I can’t go to Ukraine… I can’t lob bombs or shoot bullets or help with building, but I can do this. That’s where I’m at with this thing. It’s a way I can help those Ukrainian people.”

Hagel and Blager said that some of the volunteers who will be helping to cook the meal have Ukrainian heritage and relatives living in Ukraine – who are, even now, in harm’s way.

The meal begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Church of Our Lady hall at 566 Vaughan Street on April 29. Takeout meal times are from 4:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

The hall has a capacity of 150 – the Rotarians anticipate they can also handle about 100 takeout orders. They’re hopeful that they’ll get an outpouring of support.

Tickets are available from Sasktix or in person at the Mosaic Place box office. They are $28 per person for both dinner and takeout options.

Go to Sasktix.ca and select Rotary Clubs of Moose Jaw to find ticket options.