McHenry County shows solidarity with Ukraine in the form of art, donations, cooking

When Roman Tsallagov’s home country of Ukraine was invaded by Russia, he took the opportunity to help out how he could.

Originally from Kyiv in Ukraine, Tsallagov is a sous-chef at Bold American Fare in Algonquin. When both Tsallagov and the restaurant owners expressed a desire to raise funds to aid Ukraine, it provided him a chance to show his roots in his cooking.

The chef in recent weeks has turned his focus to producing a four-course traditional Ukrainian meal, with the proceeds donated to Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit geared toward helping Ukraine prosper, according to its website.

“My whole childhood was spent in the kitchen watching my mom and grandma cook,” Tsallagov said. “I searched through recipes for a few days and chose the most Ukrainian dishes we could have.”

Tsallagov moved to the U.S. with his parents when he was 16, and said he got his U.S. citizenship two years ago. Tsallagov also said he was able to help bring his grandfather and another friend to the United States before the current war began.

“I’ll always be Ukrainian and always be proud of it,” Tsallagov said. “We talk everyday about what is going on there.”

The effort lasted from April 12 through Thursday, Tsallagov said. The dishes included staples like borscht, holubtsi cabbage beef, banosh and Ukrainian-style crepes.

It’s been almost two months since Ukraine was invaded by Russia, but efforts to help them continue. Like Tsallagov, many McHenry County residents and organizations have been looking for ways to show their support.

Efforts in the form of art and solidarity, along with thousands of dollars being sent overseas to help aid those in need, are some of the many ways people in the area are getting involved.

Since Ukraine was invaded by Russia on Feb. 24, many parts of the country have been destroyed and more than 10 million people have been displaced. In response, those around the world and in McHenry County have turned their focus to help the country weather the barrage.

Donation Efforts

The Rotary Club of Crystal Lake Dawnbreakers has raised $10,000 for Ukraine relief among its members and is challenging the community to match the donation to double the funds, past president Sue Dobbe-Leahy said.

“People really want to help, but they don’t know where to turn because they may not know the organizations involved,” Dobbe-Leahy said. “Rotary has been legitimate for more than 100 years.”

The club has raised north of $800 from the community in just the first few days, Dobbe-Leahy said. The expectation is to have the full $10,000 match gathered in a short time period, she said, giving them $20,000 total to send off.

The effort is part of a broader donation effort from Rotary Clubs across the Chicago area. Once gathered, the money will go through the Rotary Club of River Cities out of Mount Prospect, which will give the money to the Rotary Club of Kyiv International, Dobbe-Leahy said.

The money will ultimately be used to fund medical supplies, food and transportation for refugee families, according to a news release from the Dawnbreakers club.

In the partnership with the River Cities chapter, more than $40,000 has been raised since the beginning of March, according to a release from River Cities. That money has provided 485 tons of chicken and 200 tons of humanitarian aid to more than 52,000 people in Ukraine. That includes food, bandages, first aid kits, beds, blankets and gasoline.

“These are people just like you and me,” Dobbe-Leahy said. “We can’t imagine our lives if someone just started lobbing bombs at us.”

Local Polish businesses and organizations have also been a large part of the effort, as Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine, has been one of the main countries taking in refugees and offering assistance.

The Deli 4 You Market in Algonquin donated thousands of dollars in March, store manager Greg Zielenski said. Although Zielenski, who is Polish, did not know the exact figure, he said the store staff and owners, who are also Polish, were proud they were able to contribute.

Also in Algonquin, the Rev. Peter Sarnicki at St. Margaret Mary Church said he felt a responsibility to help other Franciscan friars both in Poland and Ukraine.

“The friars are helping many refugees,” Sarnicki said. “They’re suffering because of the war. People need immediate help, and so we pray and we help because that is what we can do.”

In many cities including Boryspil, near Kyiv, Franciscans have organized kitchens to help cook for families and soldiers, Sarnicki said.

Sarnicki, who said he is from Krakow, said he thinks St. Margaret Mary parishioners have raised more than $20,000 for Catholic humanitarian organizations that would assist Ukrainians and has been in constant contact with friars in both Ukraine and Poland.

FaithBridge, a nonprofit centered around bringing local religious institutions together for faith services and dialogue, has multiple members in its consortium that are hosting donation efforts, chairperson Suzanne Martinez said.

The organization has more than 15 religious institutions, including from the Christian, Muslim and Buddhist faiths, she said.

While the organization played a small role by asking its members to help in the efforts of Ukraine, many have taken the initiative into their own hands, Martinez said.

“This has been taking a life of its own in the truest sense,” she said. “We just made the call.”

First Congregational Church in Crystal Lake, one of FaithBridge’s members, has raised about $8,000 in support of Ukraine, church member Mike Chakoian said.

Another member, Faith Community United Church of Christ out of Prairie Grove, has raised a few hundred dollars for Ukraine, the Rev. Catherine Erwin said. Being a small congregation whose members are on a fixed income can make it hard to find room to donate, Erwin said.

“For them to chip in even $20 or $30 on their income is a pretty big deal,” she said.

Martinez said she thinks the autonomy each institution has over their efforts is helpful because it allows each of them to focus their efforts on something they think is pressing, such as shelter, clothing or food.

“It is a beautiful reflection that within each of the faith communities, they can reflect their own expression of love, caring, that presence, and listening,” she said.

Other members, such as the United Methodist Church in Fox River Grove, have been focused on aspects like disaster relief, Martinez said.

Showing Solidarity

While many efforts have been monetary, some are geared toward support and solidarity.

Art students at McHenry High School recently completed a slideshow project depicting support for Ukrainian citizens, district spokeswoman Amy Maciasezk said.

The slideshow featured photos of their art, while the physical pieces will be made into a quilt, Maciaszek said.

“We’re coming together to try to spread some love, care and support in any way possible,” art instructor Jessica Metropulos said. “It was a way to connect with art and show support.”

FaithBridge and its religious communities have participated in solidarity efforts too. At the start of the month, several of its members across Lake and McHenry counties held a bell-ringing ceremony in support of Ukraine.

Erwin and Chakoian’s churches were among those who participated.

The Faith Community in Prairie Grove, in addition to its donation efforts to help Ukraine, has helped to resettle refugees in the Chicago area in the past. Most recently, the church has settled Afghan refugees, but they are eager to help any Ukrainian refugees if the need arises, Erwin said.

As it stands, refugees from Ukraine have yet to make their way to McHenry County, Erwin said.

Exodus World Services, the organization Erwin’s church works with to help resettle refugees, calls on them and others when a family is needing to be settled. But instead of helping specific countries, those families can be from anywhere, Erwin said.

Many in the congregation are also holding their money for when a refugee comes through and needs help, Erwin said. Many would rather prefer to use that money for something concrete they can see, she said.

At First Congregational, the church set aside some of its donation money in case refugees come through so it is able to help, Chakoian said. If that does happen, Chakoian said they don’t expect it being hard to get the funds needed to help the family establish themselves.

“We’re willing to host a family,” Chakoian said. “From what I hear, most of the people are hoping to go back home to Ukraine, so they’re not going as far away. They’re staying in Europe.”

Even with the efforts, several involved in helping said that it’s only the beginning. Even when the conflict ends, there will be work to repair the country.

“Everything is in a desperate situation,” Dobbe-Leahy said. “People’s homes have been destroyed. Things are pretty drastic. … This is going to be a need for a long time.”

CORRECTION: This article was updated Friday morning to correct the city Roman Tsallagov is from. He is from Kyiv.