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Ukrainian newcomers to Cochrane get helping hand from service groups

The Rotary Club of Cochrane, Lions Club, Bow RiversEdge Camground (BRECS) and Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) have partnered up to offer relief to Ukrainian families settling in Cochrane. 

The Rotary Club of Cochrane, Lions Club, Bow RiversEdge Camground (BRECS) and Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) have partnered up to offer relief to Ukrainian families settling in Cochrane. 

It's estimated that 60 to 65 Ukrainian families are now living in the community, mostly billeted in private homes, with 10 families living independently, according to a press release from the Rotary. 

Communications director for the club, Keith Johnson, and FCSS Family Resource Network (FRN) coordinator Wendy Farnsworth said the earliest challenges some families are facing involve basic transportation, learning English and having the means to participate in family activities. 

"A lot of the newcomers we're seeing from Ukraine are very anxious to get to work," said Farnsworth. "Transportation certainly impacts their ability to find and retain work if they can get employment.

"We also have to be very aware that these families have suffered some trauma from their experience and we want to really create a safe space place for them and help them attain their goals."

In an effort to take some of the weight off the shoulders of Ukrainian newcomers, the Rotary, Lions and BRECS have donated a total of $20,000 to FCSS, which the organization is authorized to use to provide free monthly COLT passes, English-language learning materials or classes and one-day family passes to Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre.

Not every family will need or want a free COLT pass, Johnson added, but the service groups involved want to help break down barriers the families may be facing where they can. 

"We've been trying to figure out what we could do as a rotary club for the Ukrainian situation, for the war that's going on," he said. "When this idea came up, we decided this is what we can do - we can do it right here and we can help Ukrainians get resettled in our area, in our community."

As Rotarians, the club's members believe in serving other people, Johnson added. He highlighted past club president Kevin Shier, whose family has taken in a family of five from Ukraine.  

"I just talked to [Kevin] yesterday, he's away with his own family and they took the whole Ukrainian family with them for the trip," said Johnson. "These are the simple gestures we're trying to do to help."

Johnson said the Rotary is planning to host a meeting for members in August where they'll be inviting community members that have taken in or helped evacuee families to speak more about the current situation in Cochrane.  

Chantal Barber, a local volunteer who has helped evacuee families from Ukraine secure travel to Canada and assists hosts offering housing in the Cochrane area, will be among them. 

In addition to their regular support programming, the FRN will also be offering new programs to Ukrainian newcomers beginning next month. One will be a café-style meet-and-greet and the other will be a walking group. 

The café will run Aug. 18 and 24 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the FRN building. The walking group is set to go ahead Aug. 8 and 29 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Riverfront Park. 

"This programming is specifically for them so that they can meet each other and speak in their own language," said Farnsworth. "We're just scratching the surface with these new offerings, we've been trying to keep up with the number of evacuees entering Cochrane and it's taken us a little while to figure out how to best support everybody.

"We don't know how many more newcomers we will receive so we're doing our best to meet the needs as they come."

Monthly COLT passes and SLSFSC one-day family passes are available at the FRN building at 127 1 Avenue West and at the FCSS building located at 209 2 Avenue West. More information about English language learning opportunities is also available at both locations. Ukrainian newcomers will be asked to produce their landing papers as the offerings are exclusive to evacuee families fleeing the country. 

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