From the symphony to the nightclub, here's how people in N.L. are supporting Ukraine

A techno party may seem like an unusual way to fund raise for Ukraine, but for Shauna Gilpin and Jenesta Power it was obvious.

Gilpin and Power are the co-owners of St. John's nightclub Lavi Seks and co-curators of techno event platform Selenium. On Friday night, Selenium hosted a dance party that lasted until early Saturday morning, raising about $1,000 for Fight for Right, an organization helping people with disabilities in Ukraine.

"The morale was really high because people are very excited to get out and, obviously, for a good cause," Power said Monday. "It lasted until about 3 a.m. and yeah, it was a good response."

The party was called Slava, a nod to the Ukrainian national salute, and joined a growing list of creative and unconventional fundraisers for Ukraine across the province, as Russia's invasion enters its second month.

Inspired by European club culture, Selenium holds events at undisclosed locations with local DJs; Friday's event took place at Eastern Edge gallery.

Gilpin said about 100 people came through the event over the course of the night. Though Selenium specializes in parties with flashing lights, fog and thumping music, Gilpin said its ethos is similar to many other community organizations.

"We just realized the importance of giving back and trying to help others whenever we can," explained Gilpin. "[A fundraiser] doesn't necessarily have to be, you know, a car wash or something."

WATCH| The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra perform the Ukrainian national anthem:

NSO performs Ukrainian national anthem

2 years ago

Duration 2:02

The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra performs the Ukrainian national anthem during a concert on Friday in a showing of solidarity with the country.

Slava wasn't the only musical eventthatshowed support for Ukraine on Friday the Newfoundland Symphony Orchesta played the Ukrainian national anthem during its Big Ticket concert.

Different kinds of flowers

Glass artist Urve Manuel says her Estonian heritage inspired her to sell suncatchers in support of Ukraine.

The United Nations estimates about 10 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes due to the war. Manuel, based in Rocky Harbour on Newfoundland's west coast, said her parents and grandparents were forced to flee Estonia under similar circumstances; Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union after World War II until the late 1980s.

'Lucky enough, we came to Canada, and this is where myself and my brothers have been raised," Manuel said. "We live here and we have beautiful lives, but there's still so much trauma attached to all of that history."

Manuel is selling blue and yellow glass flowers, invoking the colours of the Ukrainian flag. She says it takes about two hours to create 25 flowers; the process involves cutting strips of glass, assembling them and melting them in a kiln.

Manuel said she's selling the flowers for $50 each and donating 100 per cent of the proceeds to a few different recipients, including a Kyiv bakery, the Red Cross and animal shelters. Her goal is to sell 1,000 flowers.

"I really felt strongly about the situation and was hoping I could do something to help," she said.

Kristna Adamov is also selling flowers in support of Ukraine, though hers are of the non-glass variety.

After a week of donating all proceeds from her business, Newfoundland Floral Design, to UNICEF and the Red Cross, she decided to continue the fundraiser indefinitely by donating 20 per cent of each purchase to Ukraine.

As of Monday, she's donated more than $8,000 and that number is still rising.

"I had never even dreamt about raising that much money," she said. "[Through] a micro-business, such a tiny little flower studio, one person."

Adamov, who experienced the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia as a young girl, said watching the invasion unfold from afar has been emotional and difficult. She said the support she's received from the community has been inspiring, and she hopes to continue the fundraiser for as long as possible.

"I've heard from my customers and my donors that I gave them hope," she said. "I'm really humbled by that."

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