Local donations fill a plane for Ukraine

By Mark Ribble

LEAMINGTON — In a little less than one week, the plan for the Fill a Plane for Ukraine relief effort came together nicely, with overwhelming support from the local community.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, March 1, Mandi Quiring was watching events unfold in Ukraine and remembered a story her grandmother had told her about being allowed only one pair of shoes during the Second World War.

That memory prompted her to want to help those in need over there.

“I wanted to see what I could do to help,” she said on Sunday, March 6. “I can’t believe this grew to what it is.”

What happened from there was nothing short of amazing, as Mandi set the wheels in motion to organize a groundswell of support from area residents that surpassed all expectations.

Her thought was to fill a truck with donations and she contacted DeGoey Flowers, who agreed to supply a truck and a place for rural donors to drop off clothing, sleeping bags and medical supplies.

Soon, the Municipality of Leamington came aboard offering the Complex as a drop-off point and the plan came together quickly.

By Friday, March 4, Quiring had contacted Meest, an international shipper located in Toronto, about getting goods delivered to Ukraine.

Volunteers at the Royal Lepage office drop-off location were busy packing boxes and applying Canadian flag stickers to them on Sunday, March 6. From left are Mike Diab, Deanna Diab, Mandi Quiring (with daughter Addy), Andy Stanton, Dustin Kossom, Ann Evers, Christy Irving, Michael Sharron and Tracy Sharron.

SUN photo

Mike and Deanna Diab got involved and added their expertise and networking skills to the mix as well, handling lots of promotion and leg work.

Local realtor Patricia Pedreira once again stepped up to the plate to offer the Royal Lepage office on Erie Street South in Leamington as a drop-off location.

St. Michael’s Church also opened its doors for donations and soon the area was abuzz with Quiring’s growing idea. The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers also came on board.

“I wanted to show my kids what you can do as a community,” she said. “This community is so beautiful.”

A large donation of brand-new clothing — valued at about $20,000 — came in from BDL Shopping Centre in Windsor, which put them over the top.

“We’ve got a lot of stuff here,” said Quiring, whose four children were also helping out at a couple of different drop off locations. “I’m just overwhelmed with good emotion.”

Diab says the area community is so generous.

“Once again, the area residents have come through in a big way,” he said. “What a community we have here!”

All volunteers at the drop-off locations were treated to free Dominos pizza courtesy of Dominos Leamington, keeping them nourished as they worked hard throughout the weekend.

According to reports, many of the area stores were sold out of medical supplies and toiletries as local shoppers flocked to make purchases to donate.

The plan over the weekend was to sort and pack items and have them ready for a Tuesday trucking to Toronto, where they would be taken over by Meest and loaded onto an aircraft heading to Ukraine.

Dozens of volunteers stepped up to help at the drop-off locations and Mandi Quiring was grateful for all of them.

“These people are amazing and have really pulled this off,” she said. “All I did was come up with an idea and put it in motion.”

Quiring’s idea grew in the course of one week and allowed local residents — who have all felt helpless as they watched the battle unfold in Ukraine — a sense of pride in doing what they could do to help.