The Labor Club Ice Arena was filled with excitement on Tuesday night as both Ukrainian and Syrian families strapped on skates. For many, it was their first time on the ice.
During the night, Marina Baybuz was translating for Liza Derkach, a newcomer from Ukraine.
“It’s my first ever experience on the ice in all my 14 years of life,” Derkach said.
Staff with the Lethbridge Speed Skating Association said it was incredible to see the smiling faces of families as they hit the ice.
“It makes me proud to be involved with the sport. It’s been a wonderful sport to be a part of over the last 10 years and I hope that our club continues to benefit, to grow and expand our reach into not only Lethbridge but all of southern Alberta,” says Tarek Adelman, president of the association.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization had 40 to 50 members, but as of late those numbers have dwindled down to about 13 or 14.
“Which is a far cry from where we’d like to be, but as I mentioned it gives our club an opportunity to reinvent ourselves, reposition ourselves within the community and extend our reach to create awareness around the sport, and to get new families to come out and see what we’re all about,” adds Adelman.
Many of the Syrian and Ukrainian families are also fairly new to Lethbridge, but have good things to say about their current homes.
Bassel Almohammad, the translator for a group of Syrian newcomers at the event said “They are happy to be here.”
Daria Zaitseva said her family has been in Lethbridge for six months.
“I think all my family like it. The people here are really nice and friendly,” she said.
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