Prince Albert distillery makes big donation to Ukrainian Canadian Congress

A distillery in Prince Albert is showing its support for Ukraine by selling vodka.

Over the past six weeks, Phantom Light Distillery donated $2 from every bottle sold to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

During that time, they were able to raise $20,136, which will help with supplying food, equipment and whatever else the people of Ukraine need in the face of Russia’s invasion.

Stephanie Thoms – partner Phantom Light Distillery (from left to right), Christina Rybalka, President UCC-Saskatoon Branch and Cory Thoms – partner Phantom Light Distillery. (Submitted)

Cory Thoms, one of the owners, said four of the five partners in the company have Ukrainian ancestry.

But Thoms said he found it difficult to learn about his family’s own history.

“I asked my baba all about it and honestly she got mad at me,” he said.

His family first came over in the late 1800s, and Thoms said his family agreed when they left Europe that they would never speak about their time in Ukraine and focus on life ahead in Canada.

When they started the company, Thoms said he and the other owners focused on finding ways they could give back to the community.

“That was the whole main reason and one of the main goals of opening the distillery,” he said, noting that the Ukraine donation is just the beginning.

“I think in the near future you’re going to see a few more things coming out where we can help out as much as we can.”

The donation was a lot of money for such a small company, but Thoms says they’d do it all again.

“It was a big cheque for us to cut. There’s no doubt about that, but (it’s) one that we’re extremely proud of and very happy to do,” he said.