NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky continues to pour out their support for refugees amid the Ukraine-Russia war. Nearly 10 million Ukrainians have already fled according to Filippo Grandi, the U.N. refugee chief. Ukrainian Pentecostal Church in Nicholasville did their part by hosting a food and bake sale to help raise money for refugee aid.
Leskiv cut vegetables for meals she grew up eating. Those same meals and desserts were offered to community members in return for donations to be made to help people flee Ukraine during the war.
Leskiv is a mother and wife who fled Ukraine for America thirty years ago. It’s something she was scared to do but is thankful to have been so brave.
“I’ve been here for 30 years and in Kentucky 20,” Leskiv said.
Which means Leskiv left her home of Lviv, Ukraine at the age of 21 with her husband. New Jersey became her home first in America for ten years, then she moved to Kentucky making Versailles her home.
When the Leskiv family fled Ukraine, it was on the brink of their country gaining independence from the Soviet Union. That makes today’s war triggering for Leskiv and many refugees.
“I could dream of war almost every night. Like I wake up and think about it, how they lived through that night and what was happening that night,” Leskiv said.
Leskiv has eight other siblings. She’s worried and haunted about their safety in Ukraine as war intensifies. Those thoughts are why Leskiv is helping the Ukrainian Pentecostal Church in Nicholasville raise money for refugee aid.
It’s at the same church that welcomed her as a refugee 20 years ago. Hundreds of Kentuckians showed up at UPC for refugees fleeing Ukraine.
Victor Selepina, a member of UPC, coordinated the fundraiser.
“I think if I show this to the people of Ukraine that our going thorough what they’re going through it would make them feel a lot better,” Selepina said.
The support was so clear that Ukraine's national flower sat in centerpieces inside of UPC.
“When you see those flowers, how beautiful they’re made, how gentle they are. You see that God is so powerful. We are going to grow new ones, new life if God provides, God helps us and God stops this war,” Leskiv said.
The Ukrainian Pentecostal Church says $147,193.83 dollars was raised for Ukrainian refugees during the food and bake sale and 100% of donations will go to food, transportation and humanitarian aid for refugees.