A second charity auction to assist the war-torn country will take place in October at an auction mart in Olds, Alta.
Glacier FarmMedia – A retired cattle producer from central Alberta is teaming up with a humanitarian organization for a Calves for Ukraine benefit auction, the second one he has held.
The auction, organized by Al Rand in association with the Humanitarian Aid and Response Team (HART), will take place Oct. 22 at Olds Auction Mart. Calves designated for the special auction will be sold and proceeds earmarked for rebuilding infrastructure in war-torn Ukraine.
HART is a charity focused on need in Eastern Europe. The benefit is personal to Rand, whose maternal grandparents came from Ukraine in 1900. He has relatives in the country today.
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“I have a heart for Ukraine,” he said. “It’s been a very unjust thing that has happened to them and to the population and they’re hurting badly. It’s going to take a lot to rebuild the country. And if we can help, it’s an encouragement to people.
“I guess when it came right down to it, I thought, ‘well, what would Jesus do?’”
Last year’s event raised $8,000 plus thousands more from cash donations, said Rand.
“It could have been $10,000, $12,000, my guess would be.”
He’s unaware of the exact breakdown of materials purchased with the funds, but has learned that approximately $6,800 went toward the purchase of a mobile home to house internal migrants whose homes have been destroyed.
“They’ve got a number of these homes that are being bought in Poland and brought into Ukraine and people live in there. (It’s) just like a little trailer and yet it’s got the basics in it,” said Rand, who received a letter of recognition from a pastor in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, for his project.
Churches organized by HART have played an on-the-ground role helping displaced people find shelter, he said.
“So many of these people end up in churches because churches have the facilities, kitchens and so forth. They call them refuge hubs and people stay there as long as they need to because they’ve been bombed out of a certain area or they fled from a certain area,” he said. “The fact that I heard from one church in Kyiv, it was very encouraging.”
According to its website, HART is “a Christian relief and missions organization, whose purpose is to serve, empower and build the local church in Eastern Europe, to advance the gospel and serve the most vulnerable people in their communities.”
Donors are allowed to choose a project they would like to support, wrote HART founder Lloyd Cenaiko in an email.
“We have around 40 to choose from: from orphans to seniors, single moms to desperately poor families, summer camp programs to refugee aid.
“The last calve (sic) auction donation from Al Rand was designated toward refugee aid because of the war going on in Ukraine. This is a general donation as it can be used for so many areas of help we provide for displaced people.”
Ranchers wishing to donate calves can bring them to Olds Auction Mart Oct. 21, the day before the auction, to designate them for the Calves for Ukraine sale. Proceeds will be sent to HART, which will send a receipt for every donation.
Those planning to make cash donations can send them directly to HART. More information is available at hart.ca. For more information on the auction, contact Rand at 403-224-3112.
