Small-town Saskatchewan comes together for Ukrainian family

Montmartre is rolling out the small-town hospitality for a Ukrainian family that has just arrived, fleeing the war.

Marie Anne Fournier is part of the committee that got things rolling for the father, mother and two sons to arrive in the village. She said it started with a bit of a mix-up around bringing another family to the province, but the response from the community was so big, she decided to keep going.

“My post had gotten so much response that I thought, ‘OK, well, let’s get involved,’ ” said Fournier.

Residents formed a committee and asked around, eventually connecting with a woman who liaised with the Vovnianko family. Fournier said it all kind of fell together.

“The whole town has come on board,” she said.

They managed to find a house in the community that was empty and the owner agreed to let the family stay there rent-free.

“We just went to the community for donations of furnishings and just like that, the house is fully furnished, all with donated items – kitchenwares, everything,” said Fournier.

The family arrived on June 4.

“A couple of our committee members met with them and greeted them and they had the traditional Ukrainian bread, the greeting bread, to present them with,” said Fournier.

(Marie Anne Fournier/Facebook)

There have been lots to do since – Fournier said the family members have had to get Canadian paperwork, they’re looking for a vehicle, and the community is trying to get them in touch with people from the area who speak Ukrainian.

“We just want them to know that they’re not alone here and that there are other people from home that recognize what they’re going through,” said Fournier.

Fournier said the community wanted to help, given what people had been seeing about the war, but also because there are strong Ukrainian roots in Montmartre.

She said about half the village was from Ukraine at one time.

“The culture and the roots and the heart, it’s still all here and it just seemed to work really well for us,” said Fournier.

The Vovnianko’s are still settling in, getting settled and getting more comfortable with English and Fournier said the community is still coming out to help by donating sports equipment for the kids and offering to pay sports fees.

“They’re not looking for a handout; they want to help themselves as much as they can. But people just want to give and give and give. We just want them to know that we are here for them,” said Fournier.

Fournier explained that the community just wants the family members to feel they’re part of it.