B.C. humanitarian team to deliver hundreds of hand-written cards to wounded soldiers in Ukraine

Carol Brown, a retired teacher on Vancouver Island, reads from a card with a message of support for wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

A retired schoolteacher on Vancouver Island has been collecting cards with emotional messages of support that will soon be delivered to wounded soldiers in military hospitals in Ukraine.

Carol Brown shared the contents of one of the cards, written by a 25-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, with CTV News,

“People sometimes thank me for my service to my country,” the card said. “That doesn’t come close to the thanks due to you for your service to Ukraine.”

More than 150 cards for wounded soldiers will be delivered by Vancouver Island Supports Ukraine on their next mission to the war-torn country in a little more than a week.

The messages inside those cards are simple.

“We care, we want you to have a future with peace and security, e want you to get back to your families,” said Brown, describing the notes.

Brown has been collecting the cards for the past few weeks. Some she has picked up personally, while others have been dropped off at the Langford legion.

Bob Beckett will lead the team’s upcoming mission to Ukraine and says the card project is a way for those on Vancouver Island to lend their support, even if they don’t have the financial means to do so.

“A lot of folks have poured their hearts into these cards,” said Beckett. “We’ll be proud and honoured to present them when we are touring the hospitals.”

The team has been fundraising for various projects on its next mission, the largest being to establish a blood bank within a children’s hospital in the west of Ukraine. The cost of that project is roughly $50,000.

“We are about $7,000 short, so we have approximately one week to secure that funding,” said Beckett.

On Wednesday Norm Scott, president of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 91 in Langford presented the team with a $2,000 cheque bringing the team that much closer to its goal.

“We like to do what we can to help,” said Scott.

The legion president said when Brown approached members about using the location as a drop-off site for the cards everyone jumped at the opportunity.

“(Ukrainian soldiers) need to be reminded that people are there to remember them and to give them their hearts and souls,” said Scott. “Hopefully that will help them fight for another day.”

Brown said the cards have been written by members of the community, children, local mayors and councillors—as well as many Canadian veterans.

“Canadians are really reaching out to them in a very physical way,” she said.

“I have to admit that when I read those cards it was pretty hard not to cry,” she added.

The Langford legion will be collecting cards until the end of the month.

Donations to support the team’s blood bank project can be made on the Vancouver Island Supports Ukraine website. https://vancouverislandsupportsukraine.ca/