Ukrainian newcomer to support host Fergus arts and crafts camp

FERGUS – A flourishing friendship makes a fresh new begin for a Ukrainian mother of two.

Olena Mikhalchenkova and Katarina Zanelli from Fergus will host a Young ones Arts and Crafts March Break Camp, some thing that will supply children the prospect to develop some crucial abilities which includes essential sewing, painting and a little bit of cooking, Ukrainian type.

Mikhalchenkova and her two young children are settling into their new daily life in Fergus after fleeing the war in Ukraine a yr ago.

With aid from her newfound pal Zanelli, Mikhalchenkova seems forward to earning a new begin. And as a result of her possess adore of sewing and artwork, she hopes to share her society and inspire others.

“When Olena started off chatting about crafts for little ones and wanting to do a craft camp, I believed properly I want to aid. So now, we are in this with each other,” Zanelli reported.

“I believe the camp can offer a excellent option for young ones to study some vital skills. We’ve had about 9 or ten young ones indicator up so much. And we’ve had other inquiries.”

The camp is open up to all kids that want to sign up for in.

“For me, I have experienced a like of art considering that childhood. I would seize a piece of cloth and want to make a thing. And what I seriously appreciate is recycling outfits, discovering a new life for outdated points,” Mikhalchenkova reported.

“I assume for young ones, stitching is an crucial ability to have. And there will also be cooking at the camp which adds to the expertise.”

In Ukraine, Mikhalchenkova would sew extra in the summer months and do painting and crafts with youngsters throughout the winter.

“In the summer months, I would choose children groups out on mountaineering adventures together rivers, and do crafts out in the open air,” she said.

Mikhalchenkova hopes to proceed instructing kids in Fergus and has presently provided a private lesson.

“A youthful female was seeking to master how to sew. She was a little bit bewildered and panicked at very first, not being aware of what to do,” Mikhalchenkova said.

“For me, it is art when two men and women get collectively and realize just about every other. Soon plenty of the woman just calm and loved what she produced. We concluded, and we will continue classes.”

Zanelli and Mikhalchenkova fulfilled in January. Their Ukrainian lifestyle is a thing the two buddies share.

“I am Ukrainian, on my mother’s aspect. Each individual calendar year we celebrate Ukrainian Orthodox Christmas. My great-grandparents were refugees and fled Ukraine in the course of WW2. This year, my mother imagined to invite Olena and her family members to be a part of us for Ukrainian Christmas,” Zanelli explained.

Zanelli also teaches at St. Joseph’s Faculty, wherever Mikhalchenkova’s small children attend.

“Once I listened to that Olena sewed in Ukraine and she confirmed her photos, we commenced seeking at finding her a stitching equipment. She did get a career at a community pizza location. But we understood that she was hoping to sew and we didn’t want her employing her very own cash considering the fact that she had to make a living,” Zanelli said.

Zanelli and her family made a decision to commence a GoFund Me website page for Mikhalchenkova.

“Now, she has an industrial serger and stitching equipment and a domestic stitching device and serger. It felt fantastic to be equipped to get these machines for her and ideally now, she can start off up her business enterprise, which my mother started on Facebook, ‘Olena’s Stitching Corner in Fergus’,” Zanelli claimed.

“She’s currently had a couple buyers now for factors like alterations and hemming.”

Together with stitching, Mikhalchenkova enjoys designs, introducing attractive factors, hand embroidery, and portray material.

Mikhalchenkova moved to Canada in September with her two youngsters, Arina, 13, and Yegor, nine. The spouse and children has lived in Fergus because January.

“We remaining dwelling a calendar year back, just 10 days after the war broke out. Ready at the train station, it was so tricky. But we had been extremely fortunate. We lived only 10-15 minutes from the station,” Mikhalchenkova mentioned.

“Six of us still left, me and the little ones, my mother and sister and my five-yr-aged nephew. It was cold and wet. We had to devote the night time at the rail station.”

Mikhalchenkova and her spouse and children concluded a 23-hour educate ride to Poland.  

“We lived in Warsaw. I had a friend dwelling there. I known as him and he assisted us,” she reported.

Her family members in Poland hopes to return house to Ukraine a single working day.

“My mother is content we are in this article but my sister, misses me. We are 5 years aside. She more youthful and misses her more mature sister who allows her with life’s conclusions,” Mikhalchenkova claimed.

Olena states arriving in Canada was complicated at very first.

“Everything was just so new for us. It’s is always weird at to start with, in particular the very little issues,” Mikhalchenkova claimed.

“But now, my son is on a soccer team, and Arina plays volleyball at faculty and she just picked her classes as she will be commencing superior school future year. She was incredibly excited about that.”

Language was a little bit of a barrier, but Mikhalchenkova states the two Arina and Yegor have caught on swiftly.

“Kids want to be protected. They need to have to have a potential. In Ukraine ideal now, young ones are discovering on-line, if they have hydro” she claimed.

Mikhalchenkova is now doing work at a community restaurant and claims she hopes to keep in Fergus.

“I do strategy on keeping. I really don’t want any more alter, specifically for my young children. Previous calendar year, they had been in 3 methods of training. And all are so quite different,” she said.

“I’ve experienced to commence yet again, one phase at a time. I just want to just take issues working day by day and love the smaller times. I sense inspiration in this article.”

 Mikhalchenkova is grateful for the guidance she has been given variety Zanelli and the two appear ahead to the camp next week.

“It’s crucial to know how to do issues and work with your fingers. It is so practical. There are normally chances,” Mikhalchenkova stated. 

“When little ones discover and see how lengthy it will take to sew anything, they will know how extended it requires other individuals.”

Zanelli claims she is joyful Mikhalchenkova feels settled into her new everyday living.  

“Customers are starting off to appear and are inquiring Olena for her sewing solutions. A community artwork gallery will also be using a couple of her items. And ideally the camp will be a results also,” Zanelli said.

“I like arts and crafts. I might not be as fantastic at generating them, but I do adore operating with children, and I just want to support Olena.”

In the long term, the buddies hope to keep a different camp, most likely through the Easter period.

“I just want to just love every working day. Our life are hidden in the smaller, gorgeous things” Mikhalchenkova explained.

“And in art, when we do a little something from adore, it fill our souls.”

For more facts about the Little ones Arts and Crafts March Crack Camp and Olena’s Stitching Corner in Fergus, pay a visit to listed here.