I'm very excited to be here in Bonnyville as the Nouvelle's new editor. From what I've heard and experienced so far, Bonnyville seems to be a real community-oriented town, where people like to get involved and support each other. In my short time here so far, I've come to learn that I share a common heritage with many of the town's people. Being a Ukrainian-Canadian has always been an integral part of my identity, from attending Ukrainian school on Saturdays as a child to volunteering for Ukrainian organizations.
Before coming to Bonnyville, I spent this past summer in Ukraine, a country that touches my heart, but that also breaks it because of its poverty, corruption, and sense of hopelessness people there seem to have. I spent part of my time there as a volunteer with Help Us Help the Children, an organization that has been helping the country's orphans for nearly 20 years. It hosted its annual summer camp for the orphans, this year in the beautiful Carpathian Mountains in Western Ukraine. As hard as it is to pick out just one memorable moment, I'll share this one.
It was 3 a.m. and all was dark except for the streetlamps on the train platform. The children were all on the trains, waiting to begin the long, in some cases days-long, journey home. The old Soviet-era trains seemed so foreign to me. Faces of children and counsellors were tear-stained and swollen, mine included. No one wanted to say goodbye. How quickly camp had come and gone. After two weeks of bonding and living together, they had to return to their state-run boarding schools, while I would soon return home to Canada, a country many of them idolize and hope to visit someday, but likely won't ever get the chance to. The children had crammed themselves through the train's windows and leaned out, waving and reaching for our hands to squeeze. The remaining counsellors stood on the platform in a line and linked arms, left over right and holding the people's hands beside them. Like every night the past couple weeks, before the children went to sleep, we started to sway and sing the familiar goodnight song. Suddenly, the children in the windows linked not only each other's arms, but those of the children in the windows beside them until the entire train cart was decorated with the linked arms of singing children. We all knew it would be the last time we'd sing goodnight. Our voices carried through the night. The song describes the moon watching over the tranquil night and children who dream of the future of Ukraine. My favourite verse is the last that describes the children growing up, helping Ukraine, and their dreams of a better country coming true. Camp hadn't been easy. There were behaviour issues and language barriers. Getting not only children, but counsellors to get along and work together was no simple task. But at that moment, the sense of unity and the strength of community felt so strong. The way everyone just came together is a feeling that will forever live with me.
I look forward to experiencing Bonnyville's community spirit, whether it be at a Pontiacs game or at one of the town's charity events. How would you describe Bonnyville's community spirit? Write me at [email protected].
