WATCH: Eat, drink, and have fun … for Ukraine

• If you feel helpless there are ways to help
• Local manager got out of Ukraine days before the invasion

Many organizations and individuals around the Okanagan have stepped up to support Ukraine following the invasion by Russia. Whether it’s through a national charity, or residents raising funds on their own, there has been a lot of community generosity.

Lakesider Brewing Co. in West Kelowna is joining the cause with a charity benefit this weekend.

From Apr 8 to 10, 100 per cent of net proceeds from food, beer, and fundraising activities will go directly to help two organizations in Ukraine. Those activities include live music, a 50/50 draw, and a silent auction.

The first is the Ohmatdyt Hospital in Kyiv. It was once a children’s hospital and now acts as a primary care centre for treating children physically and mentally affected by the violence that’s happening.

The second is UA Animals, an animal advocacy organization giving financial assistance to shelters, providing food and other supplies to animals in need, and helping evacuations to neighboring countries.

Lakesider owner Kieren Armour told Kelowna10 he had been thinking for a while about how he can contribute to help those affected.

“It’s incredibly saddening and you feel helpless, and you want to do something. But it’s hard to do something from thousands of kilometers away,” he said. “We really felt we wanted a way to pool the interest from the whole community and give the entire community a way to come in and celebrate Ukraine and hopefully raise some money for a good cause.”

He worked the idea with his manager Kateryna Chernavska, who was in Ukraine two days before the invasion began, and still has family in Kyiv.

Chernavska said her family is still alive and safe. But she added despite the global effort from everyone, there still can be more done to help directly.

“During the war, unfortunately children and animals suffer the most because they can’t protect themselves,” she said “I think it’s important to help the children’s hospital as much as we can. Not just through the different charity channels, but directly to the hospital because they know what they need.”

Chernavska said this tragic time has affected her personally and it’s difficult to imagine what a lot of people have been going through there.

“It’s not going to be easy to build what was destroyed. But what’s important is a lot of people are alive including my family, and they’re safe as they can be,” she said. “But there are a lot of people who aren’t as lucky, who are injured or who died. It is not a good thing.”

The goal is to raise $20,000 this weekend. More event details can be found online.