Cape Breton perogy fundraiser for Polish sister city nets more than $12,000

Rose Conohan and her team of volunteers in Sydney, N.S., have been hard at work to help people in need half a world away in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s sister city of Walbrzych, Poland.

"I was watching TV and overwhelmed by the sadness happening over there," Conohan said of the Ukrainian refugees taking shelter in the Polish city. “Especially the women with small children, I was worried about them not eating.”

It was over lunch with her son Chris that he suggested Conohan put her cooking skills to the task.

Using her friend Yvonne's recipe, she and her team got to work.

In the end, they sold 575 orders – along with sweets donated by Tony’s Bakery just a few kilometres down the road.

"When we tallied up, I cried," Conohan said. “Over $12,000."

Yvonne Bereta, one of Conohan’s friends and helpers, says her late husband was the son of Polish immigrants. To help those in his home country was special for the 85-year-old.

"I just wanted to help. It's a good cause, and you don't say no to Rose," Bereta said with a laugh. "I’m only too glad, because I feel for those people."

CBRM Mayor Amanda McDougall has been encouraging people to donate to their Polish sister city. She's been working with the consul general, and that city's mayor, to get the funds to those who need it.

"I'm able to jump on a Zoom meeting with the mayor of our sister city and say, 'How can we help?'” McDougall said. “We were able to set up a bank account. We have their banking information. We can direct any donations that come our way, directly to help refugees."

Now, Rose Conohan and her friends are busy whipping up a second batch of perogies, to fill 300 more orders for early May.

"And the money's already gone," Conohan said. “Yesterday, I wired it directly to our sister city in Poland. They said 24 hours, so today somebody in Poland is being touched by the kindness of Cape Bretoners. So, that just touches my heart."