'We live in a community that understands': Hundreds rally again in Victoria Park for Ukraine

KITCHENER -

Hundreds of people gathered in Victoria Park in Kitchener for the second day in a row to call for more support for Ukrainian people and an end to the fighting with Russia.

Many of the attendees on Sunday brought Ukrainian flags and carried signs with messages of support for Ukraine.

“What's happening is devastating and just showing our support is just very crucial in this moment,”  said Sophia Gryshchenko, a member of the local KW Ukrainian community. 

“Anytime anybody here talks to their friends or families and says ‘hundreds of people gathered in Kitchener Waterloo,’ some people in Ukraine won't know where Kitchener Waterloo is, doesn't matter. They know it’s in Canada,” said Fr. Myroslaw Tataryn, a pastor for the Ukrainian Catholic Church of Transfiguration kin Kitchener. “It builds them in spirit, gives them strength.”

Father Tataryn said the rally helps build the spirits of Ukrainians who see it, while also showing the similarities of others in the local community.

“We live in a community that understands. I was just speaking to a representative of the Afghani Association, local accounting association, and he was saying, they've just gone through this in Afghanistan. They know what it's about. I know there are many other communities,” said Fr. Tataryn.

Local leaders who attended the event said they stand in solidarity with Ukrainian people and are open to helping refugees if that time comes. 

“I was specifically asked, did I think that we would welcome people from Ukraine? And I said absolutely," said Regional Chair Karen Redman. "I think that it's always been an all community response, and we would step up again.”

Oksana Seredynsky, a Cambridge resident born in Ukraine, said the rally was a chance to video call her mother back in Ukraine, to show her how much the Waterloo Region cares. 

“She was crying," said Seredynsky. "She was crying and was very happy we are doing something for Ukraine. My sister, my brother's family, my nephew. He's fighting right now. He's fighting in Kyiv, but he is not in contact so much with the family. He doesn't want them to know what he's going through.”

“I think it speaks volumes that there are people here from all different walks of life in the community to express our support,” said Redman.

Seredynsky said watching what’s happening in her birth country is heartbreaking. She hopes governments will provide more support to Ukraine. 

“They didn’t ask anything from Russia. Just want peace, leave Ukraine alone,” said Seredynsky.

Many at the rally say they plan to continue doing demonstrations until the fighting stops. Fr. Tataryn said any support people can provide helps.