Perogies and vodka part of Kelowna, B.C. business effort to help Ukraine

Long before lunch hour on Tuesday, Little Hobo ran out of its Kelowna, B.C.-renowned perogies.

The lineup for the traditional Ukrainian dish that was being sold by the eatery to raise funds for the war-torn country had snaked around the building as the morning got underway and by noon, the 18 trays or 32 dozen perogies were long gone, said co-owner  Crystal Dougan.

She’d started making them and borscht at 2 a.m. and by midday was half-covered in flour and determined to start even earlier next Tuesday, when the next fundraiser was set to run.

In addition to selling out the already popular dish, she had two envelopes bursting with donations.

6:06 Nova Scotia Couple Starts Pierogi Fundraiser for Ukrainians

It wasn’t until much later that she learned she and her team managed to raise $3,490.45.

“Delivering another big (cheque) to the Red Cross on Friday, folks,” she said in a statement on social media.

“Wow! Truly, that’s amazing! We are going to do it again next Tuesday but I am (going to have) have to get up a lil earlier than 2 a.m. to start rolling.”

The aim, she said, is to raise $10,000 at least and anyone who wants to order should call ahead.

This isn’t the only Okanagan business trying to chip in.

Okanagan Spirits is also doing its part to help.

2:08 Maritimers using pierogies, chocolate to raise funds for Ukraine

For the month of March, the company is donating 100 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of all lines of Okanagan Spirits vodka.

“In the hopes of lessening the plight of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion, we will be donating all proceeds from every bottle of vodka sold from our family distillery throughout the entire month of March, and we are hoping to inspire our wonderful spirits community to join in,” the Okanagan-based company said in a press release.

At the end of the month, the company will tabulate the sales of all of its three vodka lines and will be donating 100 per cent of the proceeds to the Ukraine Emergency fund through Canada’s branch of the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR.