Ukrainian refugee living in Ontario sending Christmas cards to the front lines

A Ukrainian refugee in Carleton Place, Ont. is calling on the town to write Christmas cards to Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines of war.

Olga Ialovenko arrived in Canada in May, fleeing the war in her home country. Settling in Carleton Place, she has spent the last four and a half months working at the local Staples store.

She tells CTV News she was inspired to start her initiative after seeing so many Canadians come into her workplace, preparing for the holiday season. Ialovenko is running this initiative independent from her employer, Staples Canada.

"Every single day, people are coming to my place of work ordering cards, greeting cards for Christmas, and usually they use very beautiful pictures of their families," says Ialovenko.

"But millions of Ukrainians right now are separated from their loved ones. They're probably not spending this time at their homes, and this Christmas will be tough for them."

Ialovenko has only been collecting Christmas cards for three days and has accumulated 17 just from a post in a local Facebook group.

She's hoping people in eastern Ontario will continue to support her home country with this small gesture.

"It's a brilliant idea to give some moments of hope and maybe a gift of support and share the Christmas spirit with those who are in the trenches of war who are separated from their families. And they also need to have a holiday."

The Ottawa Valley has been a major supporter of Ukraine and its refugees who have settled in the region.

Notably a fundraiser in the summer organized by the Eganville Leader newspaper raised $80,000 to send overseas. The Ukrainian ambassador to Canada, who made the trip to Eganville to accept the donation, honoured the generous act.

"It's a great thing to feel support. Not that you are all alone with your Ukrainian problems in Ukraine," said Ialovenko. "To know that somewhere in Canada people do care, they do support Ukraine."

Those interested in sending a Christmas card to Ukraine are asked to drop them off at the Carleton Place Staples at 555 McNeely Ave., by Monday, Dec. 19.