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Joanne Fry’s grandfather came to Canada as a refugee from Ukraine, so it wasn’t a hard choice for her to decide to open up her home to anyone coming to Saskatchewan from Ukraine.
Two days ago, the retired psychiatric nurse got a call from the Ukrainian Consulate, making sure she was ready to host someone it matched her with from the Warsaw flight that landed in Regina on Monday night, carrying 230 Ukrainians fleeing the conflict in their homeland.
Now, Fry is waiting for the next phone call that will hopefully tell her who she’s matched with, and when she can meet them.
“I’m excited! I’m hoping I can help in some way,” Fry said.
Fry has a furnished basement suite with a bedroom, bathroom and living space all ready and waiting for the new-to-Saskatchewan arrival, or arrivals, she is matched with. Whoever goes to live with Fry will have access to the whole house, she said, including her backyard.
She initially volunteered to host only one person, but after being told many people on the flight had children, said she would be willing to take in someone with a child.
Hosting someone in her home doesn’t feel like a sacrifice, Fry said.
“I was so grateful that my relatives chose or came to Canada, and I was just so lucky to live in this country. I just wanted to help somebody else,” Fry said.
Fry said her grandfather came to Canada from Odessa more than 100 years ago. The rest of her Ukrainian family lived in a province bordering Romania and arrived in Canada a little later, in 1929.
Fry is grateful she had the opportunity to be raised in Canada — an opportunity she said she wants to provide for someone else with the same roots as her.
There aren’t many details yet for Fry on how long she’ll be hosting once she’s matched, or when exactly she can expect someone to move into her basement. However, Fry said whoever is chosen to stay with her can stay as long as they need to.
The retiree said she’s nervous, and more than a little excited. She said she has many questions, like who will be coming to live with her, what will they be like, and what the language barrier might be.
Despite her family’s heritage, Fry said she doesn’t speak any Ukrainian.
“I have no idea what’s in store,” she said.
If she’s paired with a young mother, Fry said she is sure her daughter will want to help out, as she has two young children of her own. Fry said she’s looking forward to helping her guest meet whatever needs they have in a brand new country, from getting transportation to understanding a new culture.
“I’m just really excited and waiting patiently for the phone call,” Fry said.
