'That's the Ukrainian way': Edmontonians help Ukraine with monetary, material donations

Edmontonians continue to show support for Ukraine by sending aid and raising money to help those directly affected by the Russian invasion.

Booster Juice CEO Dale Wishewan is on the ground at the Ukrainian border helping with the humanitarian effort. His company is raising money as well, and he's willing to match donations totaling six figures.

He and his eldest daughter have been based in Poland since March 15, making daily trips to communities near the Ukrainian border. From Krakow, it's a little over an hour to Przemysl, where they've helped welcome refugees to humanitarian centres.

"Two women. There were seven kids between the two of them and one grandma. I know they had seen devastation where they came from," said Wishewan.

Booster Juice is accepting customer donations, and Wishewan hopes to raise $200,000 and he'll donate $200,000 himself regardless.

All money raised will go to Med-Air, an organization helping people flee the conflict and find somewhere to go.

"I can't even emphasize how… how bad it is," said Wishewan.

Wishewan says he's encouraged by the global support after working with volunteers from around the world. They return to Canada in a few days but he said he'll continue to help however he can in the weeks ahead.

'THE UKRAINIAN WAY'

Given the chance, Bradley Basaraba will tell you all about his mother Phyllis.

"She's done more than I could ever do, and she did it in a wheelchair," said Basaraba.

Paralyzed at 33 in a helicopter accident, Phyllis never let her wheelchair slow her down. She began her political career in the early 80s, and eventually was given a lifetime position as a returning officer for Elections Canada in her riding of Edmonton-North.

She got her Masters of Arts in Ukrainian linguistics and was recruited by the United Nations to be an observer for Ukraine's first election. Phyllis observed two of Ukraine's following elections.

Phyllis Basaraba's observer badge from a Ukrainian election. (CTV News Edmonton)

Basaraba said Phyllis always found her way back to the "bread basket of the world" with her work for Elections Canada, because it's where her mother was raised before immigrating to Canada.

Phyllis made the trip 27 times in 30 years, even becoming former Prime Minister John Turner's head attache in Kyiv.

Phyllis died Sept. 13, 2021. She was 74.

"She was in a lot of pain, and had a lot of issues that went along with being a parapalygic. But you wouldn't know it, she just carried on," said Basaraba. "She just did it. Tough as nails. I don't know how she did it, but she did it."

It's part of the reason he's donating her wheelchair – sending it to Ukraine. He said he knows it's what she would've wanted.

"My mother always gave, no matter what little we had, we always shared it. And that's the Ukrainian way. So I want somebody to use my mother's wheelchair to get around."

He hopes her legacy will live on, helping someone in a place that meant so much to her.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Carlyle Fiset and Jessica Robb