'It's a high holiday': The Easter bazaar raising money for Ukrainian newcomers
Winnipeg's Ukrainian cultural centre hosted an Easter-themed sale this weekend to help people prepare for the upcoming holiday and teach English to Ukrainian newcomers.
Oseredok's Easter Bazaar took place at 184 Alexander Avenue E. Mar. 24 and 25. Customers browsed a special selection of candles, decorations, postcards, and Easter basket covers, among other things.
"We're trying to provide different kinds of merchandise that people can use during their Easter celebration," said Rozalia Rohalsky, Oseredok volunteer. "So everything you would put in your Easter basket - which you take to church to be blessed - we try to offer here."
The Bazaar sold out of its selection of babkas and paskas, Ukrainian Easter bread, but it also carried the baking forms used to make the bread at home.
A selection of locally-made pysanka were also available, as well as supplies to decorate the beautiful Ukrainian Easter eggs. "We do offer the dyes, and the wax and the kistka, which is the writing stylus," said Rohalsky.
Rohalsky said Easter is a very important holiday in Ukrainian culture. "It’s a high holiday in Ukraine, and we celebrate as Ukrainians in Canada."
All profits made from the Bazaar will go towards offering English language courses for Ukrainian newcomers who have fled the war with Russia. The classes are for beginners only, people who have very little or no understanding of English.
"It helps them start getting a little bit more comfortable and even being able to understand, never mind just speak," said Rohalsky.
She said the classes not only help newcomers learn about our language, but also our culture.
Rohalsky said the weekly classes are very much in demand, with a large waiting list. We're hoping that the more we can make as far as profits, we can then put towards having more English courses for the newcomers," she said.
She added Oseredok is always looking for volunteers to help. "It feels like family when you walk in here, with the people that are working, the volunteers that are here," Rohalsky said. "If (newcomers) have questions about anything, whether it be about jobs, churches, schools, we try to provide them that here as well."
More information can be found on the Oseredok website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.