LEWISTON (WGME) — Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline and Ukrainian refugee Tetiana Cherednichenko are hosting a benefit dinner next month to highlight the needs in Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia.
Cherednichenko now lives in Lewiston and has family living in Ukraine.
“When I was leaving Ukraine, I thought about this, ‘If I leave, I should help from abroad. I should help somehow,'” Cherednichenko said.
The four-course dinner will be held at The Green Ladle, a culinary arts program for Lewiston students.
Cherednichenko thinks it’s valuable for students and community members to learn more about Ukrainian culture and food while helping the cause.
Culinary instructor at The Green Ladle, Tony Scherrer, agrees.
“We are trying to keep it as traditional as possible, so we are working with some of the Ukrainians that Tetiana knows,” Scherrer said. “We’re gonna get as many students involved as we cannot only with cooking, but we think it’s great to always get our kids involved in community service.”
Sheline says tickets for the dinner cost $75.
The money will be donated to three non-profits to benefit humanitarian effort in Ukraine: Nova Ukraine, Support Hospitals in Ukraine and United24.
“There are a number of Ukrainian refugees not just here in Lewiston-Auburn but throughout Maine. This is a way to support Ukraine in this time,” Sheline said.
Sheline says this money will support first responders, go toward medical supplies and other efforts.
Cherednichenko says it is much needed.
“Ukraine really has a lot of needs and people see life is not east right now because a lot of people lost their houses,” Cherednichenko said. “Ukraine cannot produce as much food as it would before the war.”
This event is November 16.
Click here to register for the Ukraine Benefit Dinner: https://business.lametrochamber.com/events/details/ukraine-benefit-dinner-21585.
