By Rebecca J. Barnabi
For Augusta Free Press
When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Rachel Haddad of Mount Crawford was heartbroken and cried for several days.
In 2009-2011, Haddad was a Peace Corps volunteer in the eastern region of the country called Luhansk.
“I still have friends there. I’m still in communication with people from my town,” she said.
Haddad had three choices of where to volunteer, and placement in Ukraine fit her timeline.
“It was a wonderful time,” Haddad said of being in her early 20s, learning a new language, meeting new people, and learning a new culture’s foods. “It was just so informative on so many different levels.”
Haddad, who grew up in Pennsylvania, said the people of Ukraine are wonderful.
“I can’t tell you the amount of grace you receive from people when [you don’t speak their language].”
After Feb. 24, Haddad felt powerless and began to think of ways to help the people who had been kind to her.
“I just feel like what’s happening in Ukraine, no. 1, is so horrific, and it’s topical right now,” said Haddad.
Haddad’s friend suggested hosting a virtual event to raise funds to help while also teaching Americans how to make Haddad’s favorite Ukrainian food: a root vegetable-based soup called borscht that is purple.
On Sunday, April 24, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. registered participants are welcome to collect ingredients and learn how to make borscht or just watch as Haddad and other Peace Corps volunteers who volunteered in Ukraine make the soup.
“It’s a staple of Ukraine cuisine,” Haddad said. Borscht is also an affordable soup to make. She hopes the reunited volunteers will tell stories about Ukraine.
Participants are asked to register sooner rather than later, and donate whatever they are able to donate. All proceeds will go to A Family for Every Orphan, which Haddad has been director of programs and grants for since December. The organization has 12 Ukrainian partners and began in Ukraine.
“We already have a very strong footprint in Ukraine,” Haddad said. Proceeds from the virtual fundraiser will specifically benefit the organization’s emergency relief fund for Ukraine.
Haddad said she chose this organization to raise funds for because she knows meetings are held to determine where funds should go.
“I can see definitively that 100 percent of donations are going back in the field,” she said.
Ingredients for borscht and registration are available on the event page at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/make-borscht-with-us-virtual-fundraiser-for-ukraine-registration-302920051027.
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Rebecca Barnabi
