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Prior to the pandemic, Wenger's great aunt traveled to Kyiv to be with her daughter who suffered a serious brain injury. After the invasion, Wenger’s family was uncertain if she would be able to get out of Ukraine or even have contact with them.
Fortunately, a wave of relief hit the family when they finally received some good news Wednesday, March 2: She was headed out of Poland and back to the US with her daughter.
Wenger realizes his family got lucky, and it's not the norm for every Ukrainian family dealing with the crisis. Therefore, he hopes that an event he's holding this week with his non-profit, Dnipro Ukrainian Club, will provide a sense of comfort, support and unity among local Ukrainians.
“It's just a very, very scary and serious situation,” Wenger said. “That's why we feel as though this Saturday is…a very small thing that we can do that we think can make a huge impact.”
The Dnipro Ukrainian Club in Baltimore promotes Ukrainian heritage and culture throughout the region. The non-profit is looking to support their fellow Ukrainians by hosting their “Help Us Help Ukraine” event this Saturday, March 5.
The organization was founded by Wenger’s grandfather, who immigrated to the United States from Lviv, Ukraine back in the 1950s. Wenger said his grandfather wanted to create a safe space where other Ukrainians could come together.
“Community, family, faith has always been a big part of his life and it was important to him when he came to this country that he made his mark and created a gathering place for other people that had a similar situation,” Wenger said.
With the support of the Ukrainian community in Baltimore, the Dnipro Club has gone from a brick-and-mortar operation to a central hub for members to gather and socialize.
As tensions continue to have a stronghold in eastern Europe, Wenger hopes to continue his grandfather’s mission of helping fellow Ukrainian families in need.
“We just want to look out for one another and try and do whatever we can to help them out,” he said.
This is also an ideal time for the club to get back into the swing of things after having multiple events postponed because of the pandemic. Wenger said he was taken back by the amount of support the community gave to help make the event possible.
“The Ukrainian community in Baltimore really just wants to help any way we can,” he said. “What better time now than ever to get together and raise money for what's a tremendous cause.”
The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the club, which is located 3103 O’Donnell Street in Baltimore. It will feature food, drinks, music and raffles and all the proceeds will go toward Ukrainian relief efforts.
Dnipro is also planning on hosting another event on Saturday, April 2, showcasing a film about Ukrainian heritage among the hockey community. Former NHL players are expected to show up as guest speakers and again all proceeds will go toward providing relief for Ukraine. More information about the organization can be found on their website.
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