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Perogy Work Bee Raises $14,126 to Rebuild Boian Church
Perogy Work Bee Raises $14,126 to Rebuild Boian Church
Debbie Bezovie and Jamie Lachance - Submitted
Numerous Church congregations and volunteers came together for a great cause!
On August 31, 2023, the Boian Ladies Club held a Frozen Perogy Fundraiser to help raise funds for the Rebuild of St. Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church of Boian. The Historic Church had burnt down on June 6, 2023 due to an electrical fire.
The vice-President of the Boian Ladies Club, Jamie Lachance had spearheaded the Frozen Perogy Fundraiser. Jamie’s goal was to make 2,000 dozen perogies; and sell them at $7.00/dozen. Pre-orders for perogy sales were taken in advance.
The BLC made the potato/cheddar filling at the Willingdon & District Recreation Centre. Thirteen Men & Women volunteered to help make the filling. Six hundred pounds of peeled potatoes were purchased from the Hairy Hill Colony. The 260 kg of flour, 125 lbs of onions, 50 lbs margarine, 8 litres of oil, and 83 lbs of cheddar cheese were donated by church families from Boian.
The Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church of Vegreville donated their many volunteers, Church basement, kitchen, dough sheeter, freezers, and an industrial mixer that 17-year-old Bailey Lachance used to make all the dough. Without the Holy Trinity’s help, this event would never have been done in one day. The BLC is so grateful to the Holy Trinity’s congregation for all their help, venue and supporting us to do this perogy work bee.
Seventy Men & Women came from many Churches and communities to help make this event a success. Volunteers came from the surrounding communities of Willingdon, Hairy Hill, Two Hills, Vegreville, Sherwood Park, Ardrossan, and Saints Constantine and Elena (Helen) Romanian Orthodox Church of Edmonton. A car load of ladies came from the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox church of Two Hills. Many volunteers were reunited with old neighbours, friends, co-workers, classmates, and family. It was a social event for many of our seniors, the laughter and the reminiscing of friends was a reward in itself.
The Baba’s were the die-hards! They were not going home that day until all the filling was gone. We started at 9:00 am and finished around 6:30 pm. The volunteers stopped pinching perogies to have coffee and squares that were supplied by the BLC and Holy Trinity. Lunch and supper were supplied by the BLC President, Vice-president, and Georgina Frankiw who made her delicious baked beans.
On that day 1,873 dozen perogies were made. Jamie’s goal was to make 2,000. So, on September 14, another perogy work bee took place at Boian Hall. Sixteen volunteers and the BLC members made the remaining perogies to reach the goal.
The BLC “Help Us Rebuild Boian Church” Frozen Perogy Fundraiser sold a total of 2018 dozen perogies. A total of $14,126.00 was raised towards the rebuild of St. Mary’s Romanian Orthodox Church of Boian. Without the help of all these volunteers, especially The Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church of Vegreville, this Frozen Perogy Fundraiser would have never been possible. May God bless all of you that helped in any way to make this fundraiser a success! We will rebuild our Church on the hill!
