Excela kicks off aid campaign with Ukrainian-inspired menu

Krystyna Lewczenko couldn’t be more proud of her nieces.

Hailing from Wroclaw in the southwest of Poland, Lewczenko said they recently drove all the way to the Ukrainian border to help take in some of the women and children fleeing the country, as Russia’s invasion continues taking lives and displacing citizens.

“They got together with a friend, who has a house she isn’t doing much with right now,” Lewczenko said. “My nieces helped furnish the home with the help of some other local families, and they got supplies, food, everything ready.”

Lewczenko is a cashier at Excela Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, where she has worked for the past decade. This week, she was able to offer her own support to those affected by the war, helping to choose Tuesday’s Ukrainian-influenced menu at the hospital as Excela kicks off a fundraising campaign to support humanitarian aid for the war-torn country.

“My husband’s grandfather emigrated to Poland from the Ukraine, and that is why my last name is Ukrainian,” Lewczenko said. “I’m originally from Poland, and Ukraine has a similar food background.”

Visitors and staff could choose from chicken Kyiv (butter-stuffed, breaded chicken), holubtsi (stuffed cabbage), varenyky (potato pierogies), deruni (potato pancakes) and nalysnyky (filled crepes).

“I think the idea of doing this was to help provide some focus for employees to show solidarity with Ukraine, and to also be a visual kickoff to the fundraising campaign,” Excela spokesperson Robin Jennings said. “Our donations will be channeled through Brother’s Brother, an organization that already has a mechanism for international humanitarian aid.”

Lewczenko is happy her family is helping in an even more direct way.

“Now the whole neighborhood is looking out for the refugees at the house, donating food, clothing and organizing play times for the kids,” she said.

Check donations to Excela’s aid campaign can be sent to The Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation, 532 W. Pittsburgh St., Greensburg, PA 15601, noting “Ukraine Relief Fund” in the memo line.

Click here to donate online.