As the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine approaches, a Langford humanitarian group is preparing to return to the battle-scarred country for a fourth time to deliver much-needed aid.
鈥淣ow more than ever the Ukrainian people need our help and support,鈥� said Bob Beckett, team leader and former Langford fire chief.
For their fourth trip in March, Vancouver Island Supports Ukraine (VISU) has committed to several projects in five western Ukrainian municipalities with which they have built close working relationships.
Projects include the provision of a school bus for a small rural community, used laptops for hospitals and municipalities, and diesel generators for schools and bomb shelters.
鈥淎ll of which have been requested by those Ukrainian communities,鈥� explains Beckett, who will be joined on the upcoming trip by retired RCMP staff sergeant Bruce Brown and videographer Brendan Strain.
They have also partnered with two hospitals.
Medical supplies and an orthopaedic drill set will be delivered to Kivertsi Hospital to support the treatment of military personnel and citizens who require acute rehabilitation.
For the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Children鈥檚 Hospital, the team will provide equipment for a breast milk bank, which will support premature babies.
It's a need that resonates with grandfather-of-two Brown, who remembers seeing the struggles of the Ukrainian hospital to care for premature infants on a previous trip.
鈥淭he need that the hospitals have caring for premature babies is so great 鈥� I've got two little grandbabies who are healthy and well looked after and we鈥檙e lucky to have the services we have here 鈥� I wanted to be able to sort of give that back in some small way to the people of Ukraine,鈥� he said.
To help meet all their goals for the trip, the group is appealing for help from the public to raise $11,000.
Brown and three other local donors 鈥� Keycorp Developments, Stew Young and MLA for Langford-Highlands Ravi Parmar, have together pledged to match any money raised up to $11,000, bringing the grand total to a hopeful $22,000.
鈥淓very dollar we get we put into the projects and that makes a huge difference,鈥� said Beckett. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 our communities, primarily the Greater Victoria area, truly making a difference.鈥�
As well as their humanitarian aid trip, VISU has other projects in progress on the West Shore, including working with Sooke School District to create a 鈥榞lobal citizenship鈥� initiative, which aims to build relationships between local students and Ukrainians.
The group has also been working with the school district鈥檚 PACE Musical Theatre Academy, who have written letters of support and signed Canadian flags, which the team will present to students during their March trip.
鈥淚t's important that our students recognize the value and importance of seeing the world as a global community, not just as Langford or the West Shore,鈥� Beckett said.
Feb. 24 will mark three years since Russia invaded Ukraine, recalls Beckett, who is worried recent world events have overshadowed the ongoing war.
鈥淚t feels like people have forgotten about Ukraine 鈥� but the war continues and the need continues,鈥� he says.
And with U.S. President Donald Trump seemingly excluding Ukraine from his negotiations to end the war with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Beckett is worried about what will happen next.
鈥淲ith the change in the U.S. administration, I think it's even more important to show the Ukrainian people that there are lots of people who do care, because I'm not sure that message is coming out via the United States any longer,鈥� he said.
For nearly three years, the group has built strong friendships with a number of Ukrainians, including Oleg Atamaniuk, a surgeon helping to facilitate the breast milk bank project.
On a recent visit to see his family, who fled to Greater Victoria in 2022 to escape the war, Atamaniuk told the VISU team about the repeated serious attacks endured by the western Ukraine city of Ivano-Frankivsk.
鈥淲e don't have a safe place all over our region 鈥� often we have rocket attacks, drone attacks in our city,鈥� he said.
Deaths are a common, if not daily occurrence, says Atamaniuk, who describes the hundreds of tributes to fallen soldiers lining the streets of Ivano-Frankivsk and other towns and cities across the country, with many running out of space.
鈥淭hey're everything from a 20-year-old kid to a 59-year-old out-of-shape grandfather, it's just awful,鈥� adds Beckett.
While Atamaniuk鈥檚 words paint a dangerous picture for the trip ahead, the VISU team remain committed to their mission.
鈥淭here's a risk,鈥� said Beckett. 鈥淎nd our families are more than aware of those risks, but they support what we're doing because they know how important it is not only to us but to the Ukrainian people.
鈥淚 feel very strongly about this 鈥� we鈥檝e got to get off the couch if we're going to make a difference.鈥�
鈥淭hey're amazed that we're standing there with them,鈥� adds Brown. 鈥淭hat you've made this trip to show solidarity and support.
鈥淵ou get caught up in the realization that this is providing hope and without hope you have nothing.鈥�
To find out more about the work of Vancouver Island Supports Ukraine and to donate, visit the website: .
