A doctor and and two nurses from Grey Bruce are going to Poland to bring supplies to people fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
They are also going to help refugees who are staying in a large church dormitory in the Polish community of Uzstrycki Gorne, that is housing hundreds of people not far from the border with Ukraine. Grandjean and Troya will be in Poland for about ten days.
Nurse Tally Grandjean, who lives in Sauble Beach and works at the hospital in Southampton, Owen Sound ER Doctor Kseniya Troyan, and Nurse Shari Chambers are set to leave Tuesday. “It’s just something that we both want to do,” says Grandjean.
They are collecting items such as children’s Gravol, feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, and simple first aid supplies. “Lots of our local pharmacies have been incredibly generous with donations,” says Troyan, adding, the Markdale pharmacy has been helping with medications.
They plan to use the monetary donations to buy needed items for refugees when they get to Poland.
Troyan is Ukrainian. Her family moved to Canada when she was 16, and she has a lot of immediate family in Ukraine, whom she has been very worried about. Many are in Kyiv, which she says has become safer in the last couple of weeks compared to the beginning of the invasion.
Grandjean and Troyan have a limit as to how much they can take with them, but plan on buying more supplies when they reach their destination. What they can’t take with them, they say they will send with a humanitarian group.
If you’d like to make a monetary donation there is a new GoFundMe page set up for them called Grey Bruce Helping Ukraine.
You can also drop off items with Rhonda Kirk at 1875 16th Ave East in Owen Sound (old PPG building) or in Collingwood at 20 Balsam Street, Unit 12.
Grandjean says, “Thank you to the community, the outpouring of support has been absolutely amazing.”