On December 10th, the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy (CCPL) gave a hand to Ukrainian refugees coming to Williams Lake.
The group gathered at Fox Mountain Honey Apiary in 150 Mile House, where they ate Ukrainian cuisine and enjoyed each other’s company.
“It was amazing. We shared Ukrainian cuisine, and we sang a little bit of Ukrainian songs, and we’ve done circle of positive thoughts exchange and prayers.” says Katya Potekhina, Senior Immigration & Settlement Navigator for the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy.
“I think it went amazing, and people started feeling here a little like home.”
As for settling into Williams Lake, Potekhina said that it’s been a mixed response, with some refugees planning to eventually go back to Europe.
She added that the reason for this is that refugees came to Canada with varying levels of preparedness, English Level, different skills for their jobs and different mentality.
Despite those challenges, she said people in the community, such as their employers, have made an effort to help provide shelter, rides to work and back, and furniture for their homes.
The Ukrainian gathering was organized with combined efforts of the CCPL, volunteers and Fox Mountain Apiary who donated food such as honey, and car-pooling.
For more information on the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy, you can visit their website here.