聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 For his donation to the people of Ukraine, a Kamsack man has been personally thanked by the Ukrainian ambassador to Canada.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jim Pollock, owner of Duck Mountain Ambulance Care at Kamsack and Norquay, was a special guest at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress at St. Mary鈥檚 Cultural Centre in Yorkton on June 9.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The keynote guest speaker at the event was His Excellency Andriy Shevchenko, the Ukrainian ambassador to Canada.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he ambassador wanted to personally thank us for having donated the ambulance that was shipped to Ukraine last year,鈥� Pollock said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Shevchenko, who is known in Ukraine as a civil activist and a defender of human rights had worked as a Kyiv-based correspondent for the Ukrainian News, an Edmonton-based newspaper. He is a sponsor of 60 legislative acts adopted by the Ukrainian Parliament and was an active participant in the EuroMaidan protests in 2013-14.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Canora is one of 19 branches of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress which works to promote linkages with Ukraine and identifies and addresses the needs of the Ukrainian community in Canada to ensure its continued existence and development for the enhancement of Canada鈥檚 socio-cultural fabric.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Also attending the function were Ken Krawetz, former Canora-Pelly 小蓝视频; Bishop Bryan Bayda; Cathay Wagantall, Yorkton-Melville MP; Greg Ottenbreit, Yorkton 小蓝视频, and Mayor Bob Maloney of Yorkton.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The former Kamsack-based ambulance was one of three from Saskatchewan and one from Alberta that were donated to Ukraine. The ambulances left the port of Halifax in August 2015 bound for Kyiv, Ukraine.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was only after several months of hard work and lobbying governments that the ambulances from Canada were sent to Ukraine for medical support to front-line health care workers.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Ambulances for Ukraine project was a co-operative humanitarian effort that got vitally important equipment to front-line medical and health care workers, said a release.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淧eople around the world have watched with dismay the crisis that has unfolded in Ukraine, a crisis that has had a devastating impact on the country, its infrastructure and its people,鈥� the release said. 鈥淭he ambulances are a practical, tangible way that Canadians, and in particular, the Ukrainian Canadian community, can help a war-torn country.鈥�
The Duck Mountain ambulance was a 2005 model which had been working in the Kamsack area for four years, Pollock said, adding that his company decided to upgrade his fleet, but instead of donating a less desirable unit agreed to donate this model.
The company鈥檚 previous three units that had been decommissioned were traded to an oil company for industrial safety work.
In addition to the ambulance from Duck Mountain, the other ambulances were donated by MD Ambulance in Saskatoon, Parkland Ambulance in Prince Albert and Associated Ambulance Services in Edmonton.
The event was held by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan, Yorkton branch, along with Wagantall鈥檚 office.
