The Ed Stelmach Community Foundation was formed in 2007 to support smaller and highly motivated charities across Alberta that foster programs with a focus on family values. The mandate of the charity fit in well with the need for humanitarian aid for Ukraine, especially women and children that were left homeless after the invasion.
Following discussions with Thomas Lukaszuk, the Foundation decided to sponsor a plane to bring Ukrainian nationals to Edmonton and take back necessary supplies that were urgently needed in Ukraine. Thomas and Helen Facsko, President of the Canadian Polish Historical Society, offered the Polish Hall to receive donations over two days in March. The response from Albertans was overwhelming. The donations not only filled the plane but another 8 sea containers. The Foundation covered the cost of the plane which was $188,000 and the shipping costs of the containers which averaged over $11,000 a container.
The biggest challenge was to sort, package, and palletise the donations for shipping. Dennis and Maureen Scraba provided the expertise and the leadership to plan and organize the logistics of shipping, having had years of experience through their charity, Amigos Relief Missions. Donations continued to arrive in the warehouse from March to June. Many volunteers worked many weeks sorting donations.
The Foundation would like to send a very special thank you to the following people:
For the countless hours volunteering at the warehouse – Pat Larkin, Marlene and Ben Borys, Ray Luchyshyn, and Marilyn Sonnenberg, lead nurse assessing all the medication and medical supplies.
Organizations that helped in numerous capacities – John Liston and members of Alberta Enterprise Group, Myron Keehn and the Edmonton International Airport for waiving landing fees, and Alberta Treasury Branch and CIBC for waiving all transaction fees. Greg Sokil, Sokil Transportation, transported all the sea containers to and from the warehouse to the rail depot no charge.
Wilde Advisory Group, Vegreville based accounting firm, are the auditors for the Foundation. They have provided accounting services free of charge since the beginning of the Foundation
The Foundation is very appreciative of all the monetary donations. There were some unique fundraising ideas: Bilsky Contracting from Athabasca donated a crawler dozer for auction with all the proceeds to the Foundation. Athabasca Quilting ladies group donated more than 130 patchwork quilts. All these individual efforts contributed to the support of Ukrainian evacuees in Alberta and the displaced families in Ukraine.
The need for humanitarian aid will continue to grow as the unprovoked Russian invasion continues. The Foundation invites Albertans to support the fundraising efforts in alleviating the pain, hunger, and suffering of all those families that were displaced by the constant shelling and bombing in Ukraine and also to support Ukrainian evacuees in Alberta.
Thank you for your support!
God Bless!
