Two benefit concerts for the people of Ukraine take place Friday, March 18 in Abbotsford.
The concerts start at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Bakerview Church (2285 Clearbrook Rd.) and are presented by Friends of the Mennonite Centre, Ukraine (FOMCU) and local musicians Betty Suderman, Calvin Dyck, Joel Stobbe, Stan Gubiotti and Alison Nystrom.
Oksana Druchynin, who has just arrived in Canada from Ukraine, will speak about the current situation and the ongoing activities of the Mennonite Centre.
The Mennonite Centre is located in the former Mennonite village of Halbstat (currently named Molochansk), and is a non-profit organization that has been supporting the people of Ukraine for over 20 years.
Their support includes meals, medical supplies, equipment and building maintenance for hospitals, schools and orphanages, as well as fire and probation services.
While the area is currently under Russian occupation, the Mennonite Centre is supporting the Ukrainian people in the immediate areas of Molochansk and Zaporizhzhya in the form of food, shelter and medical assistance.
The concerts will feature music from Ukraine and countries close to Ukraine such as Poland, Romania, Hungary, Germany and Czechoslovakia.
Selections will include Ukrainian hymns as well as classics such as the Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 2, the Romanian Folk Dances by Bartok, the Double Violin Concerto by Bach, and ethnic tunes such as Dark Eyes and Czardas.
Admission is by donation at the door (and is fully tax-receiptable), with all the money going to the Mennonite Centre, as all concert expenses are covered by a local sponsor.