By O. Kondrashov and J. Crego
The small town of Smithers in British Columbia, Canada may seem far removed from the war raging in Ukraine. However, this remote mountain community has rallied behind the people of Ukraine in remarkable ways. Smithers has raised funds, provided settlement support, held awareness events, and welcomed Ukrainian refugees over the past two years since russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. This article explores the myriad ways Smithers continues to stand in solidarity with Ukraine through grassroots community action.
Fundraising Efforts
One major way Smithers has shown support for Ukraine is by raising funds for humanitarian relief. Soon after the invasion began, a Smithers resident named Luba Kasum quickly sprang into action. Originally from Ukraine herself, Kasum helped organize Smithers’ first rally for Ukraine in early March 2022, which around 200 people attended (Barker, 2022). Other residents initiated additional fundraising drives for Ukraine. Scott Clydesdale, a local hiker, created a campaign called “Trail Time for Ukraine” that encouraged outdoor enthusiasts to collect pledges for Ukraine when using local trails (Haasen, 2022b). Smithers also marked the second anniversary by holding another peaceful gathering on February 24, 2024 according to local facebook page: Smithers BC Helps Ukraine on Facebook Through grassroots initiatives like these, Smithers residents have found creative ways to funnel money and supplies to provide direct relief on the ground in Ukraine.
Settlement Assistance
In addition to fundraising, Smithers community members have also assisted the settlement process for Ukrainians fleeing the war who have chosen to resettle in this small mountain town. By summer 2022, Smithers was already hosting 14 Ukrainian refugees, including both adults and children (Flint, 2023a). To ease their transition, local resident Luba Kasum helped organize housing and collected furniture and household goods donations for the new refugee families (Haasen, 2022a). Her family even opened their own home to host some refugees (Haasen, 2022a). Kasum has continued volunteering to help refugees adjust to life in Smithers by connecting them with community members and resources.
Awareness Events
The town of Smithers has also kept Ukraine top of mind through frequent public awareness events about the ongoing war. On the six-month anniversary of the invasion in August 2022, Kasum and several others held a small gathering in downtown Smithers to wave Ukrainian flags (Haasen, 2022a). They spoke with passersby to remind the community that despite fading from international headlines, the war still raged on in Ukraine.
Six months later, Smithers held several events commemorating the one-year mark of the invasion in February 2023. A group called Smithers BC Helps Ukraine organized a rally in Goat Park urging motorists along Highway 16 to remember the Ukrainian people’s ongoing struggle (Flint, 2023b). These small but mighty public demonstrations have allowed Smithers to continually voice support for Ukraine despite its distant locale.
Business Community Support
Finally, even Smithers’ small business community has backed initiatives to assist Ukraine. When the war first started, a downtown restaurant called UFO on Main held a weekend fundraiser (Barker, 2022). The event ended up raising over $12,000 for humanitarian relief efforts (Newman, 2022). This restaurant, owned by local resident Pavlo Anokhin who immigrated from Ukraine, also helped spotlight the war through its very name; UFO stands for “Ukrainian Food Owesome” (Restaurant Guru, n.d.). The town’s business community may be small, but it has leveraged this tight-knit quality to support fellow resident Anokhin’s home country.
Conclusion
In many ways, the remote northern British Columbia community of Smithers seems an unlikely champion of Ukraine. Yet through grassroots fundraising, refugee resettlement assistance, public awareness events, and small business backing, this tiny mountain town has stood steadfastly behind Ukraine since russia invaded in February 2022. Smithers residents with personal Ukrainian ties like Luba Kasum have helped catalyze much of the community solidarity movement. But support for Ukraine runs wide and deep as the town continual finds creative ways to back the embattled country from half a world away. With the second-year anniversary of the invasion just marked, Smithers’ commitment to supporting Ukraine through its ongoing war remains strong. This remote community has demonstrated that even from a distant corner of the world, small places can make an outsized impact when they stand united behind a common cause.
References
Barker, T. (2022, March 2). Video: Ukraine supporters rally in Smithers. Terrace Standard. https://www.terracestandard.com/news/video-ukraine-supporters-rally-in-smithers-6063643
Flint, L. (2023a, February 23). Smithers to rally for Ukraine one year after Russian invasion. MyBulkleyLakesNow. https://www.mybulkleylakesnow.com/55834/smithers-to-rally-for-ukraine-one-year-after-russian-invasion/
Flint, L. (2023b, February 24). Smithers residents rally in support of Ukraine. MyBulkleyLakesNow. https://www.mybulkleylakesnow.com/55855/smithers-residents-rally-in-support-of-ukraine/
Haasen, P. (2022a, August 30). Six months into the war on Ukraine, Smithers Ukrainian supporters stand up. Canada-Info.Ca. https://canada-info.ca/en/6-months-into-the-war-on-ukraine-smithers-ukrainian-supporters-stand-up/
Haasen, P. (2022b, August 18). ‘Trail time for Ukraine’ raises funds for much needed frontline supplies. Canada-Info.Ca. https://canada-info.ca/en/trail-time-for-ukraine-raises-funds-for-much-needed-frontline-supplies/
Newman, L. (2022, March 18). Smithers Ukrainian man reunites with mother after eleven years. MyPrinceGeorgeNow. https://www.myprincegeorgenow.com/157662/news/smithers-ukrainian-man-reunites-with-mother-after-eleven-years/
Restaurant Guru. (n.d.). UFO – Ukrainian Food Owesome – P – Smithers. Restaurant Guru. Retrieved February 9, 2024, from https://restaurantguru.com/UFO-Ukrainian-Food-Owesome-P-Smithers Smithers BC Helps Ukraine Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/263770499282208/