On Saturday, February 21st, something truly remarkable happened at the Old Courthouse in Kamloops. What was organized in just a few days became one of the most moving and meaningful events our community has ever hosted, and it happened because of you.
To everyone who walked through those doors, put on the VR headset, stood before the children’s paintings, and let Ukraine’s reality touch your heart: thank you. From the steady flow that began at 11:00 AM until the very last visitor of the day, you showed up. You bore witness. You chose not to look away.
This event came together with remarkable speed, and that was only possible because of an extraordinary group of people.
To the City of Kamloops: thank you for responding so swiftly and making this happen. To the Old Courthouse: what an incredible, dignified space you offered to host such a profound exhibition. To Jeanne and Zonia from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Thompson Okanagan Branch: your leadership and dedication made this real. To Father Andrzej from the Ukrainian Catholic Church: thank you for rolling up your sleeves to help with setup and joining the cleanup crew: that spirit of humble service meant everything. To Brenda for volunteering, and to Dmytro for your support, you helped hold it all together.
To my colleagues, friends, and neighbours who came: your presence was a gift. To all who shared and responded to the Facebook posts, and to all the moderators of Kamloops Facebook groups who graciously allowed this news to be shared widely, you helped us reach our community in ways that mattered.
To MP Frank Caputo, MLA Ward Steimer, and City Councillor Steven Karpuk : thank you for showing up, for listening, and for standing with Ukraine in the most visible way.
To the media, the CBC Kamloops team, Curtis from CFJC, and Michael from Castanet, thank you for your exceptional, thoughtful coverage. You carried this story far beyond the walls of the Old Courthouse, and that reach matters enormously.
To David, who drove all the way from Kelowna for a single day, your passion for Sustain Ukraine and the extraordinary work of Kyiv’s students reminded all of us what courage and creativity look like in the face of war. Those young people weaving camouflage netting, building 3D printing labs, repairing vehicles, they are saving lives.
To Olena: your tireless dedication to bringing this exhibition around the world, and your decision to include Kamloops on that map, is a profound gift. Thank you for allowing us to host you, and for those midnight conversations in Westsyde about what it truly means to stand with Ukraine. Your work preserves truth. It will matter for generations.
To all who donated: your generosity is part of Ukraine’s story of survival.
To the children whose art graced those walls: your rainbows, your sunflowers, your colours painted in the middle of unimaginable loss, you taught us something no speech ever could. And thank you to Mukwa Mussayet for the reminder that stays with me: children are the most resilient humans on this earth. That a child can still draw a rainbow while Russia kills their parents is not just heartbreaking, it is defiant, and it is beautiful.
To everyone who shared their family stories with me, I carry them with me.
To all who sent emails, messages, and heartfelt regrets, you were with us in spirit, and that spirit filled the room.
And there is one more thank you that comes from the very heart of home. To Mama, whose warmth, grace, and quiet strength made our home a place of comfort and welcome even in the most demanding of times. And to Mama’s incredible caregivers, thank you for creating that warmth and safety that allowed our home to be a resting place for Olena during her visit to Kamloops. Your care is not separate from this work, it is woven into it. Without you holding things together at home, none of this would be possible.
To everyone whom I may not have named but who was part of this dream team: please know that no contribution was too small and none has gone unnoticed. Every shared post, every kind word, every hour volunteered, every dollar donated, every conversation that opened someone’s eyes, you are all part of this. Together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.
Because that is ultimately what this is about. Solidarity matters. When people find ways to connect: across languages, cultures, distances, and differences, they make a difference. Your efforts allow the people of Ukraine to continue defending not just their own land, but freedom, democracy, and the kind of world we all hope to build together: just, peaceful, and free from tyranny and misinformation.
I know there is still a long road ahead. And I know that some people still refuse to believe, or cannot bring themselves to admit, what Russia is truly doing in Ukraine, reaching for any imaginable justification rather than simply acknowledging the truth: Russia kills. Those children whose parents died to keep them free are not a tragedy to be forgotten. They are our hope. They are the future of this world. And they deserve a world that was brave enough to stand up when it mattered.
We will keep raising awareness. We will keep documenting russian crimes against humanity. We will keep showing the world what it means to Stand with Ukraine.
Kamloops: You are incredible. Дякую. Merci. Thank you. 💛💙
Slava Ukraini. Heroiam Slava.
#WarUpClose #SunflowerDreams #SustainUkraine #StandWithUkraine #Kamloops #KamloopsStandsWithUkraine #RussiaIsATerroristState
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