The Anhelyk Foundation expresses its sincere gratitude to all donors who joined the charity evening dedicated to raising funds for the children of Ukraine whose parents died at the front. The event, announced in advance, took place on December 19, 2020, on St. Nicholas Day. Due to the pandemic, the celebration was held in a special format – online via the Zoom platform, which did not reduce its significance and heartfelt atmosphere.

The evening was opened by hosts Yarema Kuzyshyn and Lidia Stoykovich, who welcomed the participants and spoke about the features of the online format of the event. The event was organized by the non-profit organization Hromada, which has been engaged in charitable activities for several years in a row. Donations collected during the evening are sent to Ukraine to help the children of fallen soldiers receive the necessary things and feel the support that adds warmth and joy to their lives. The hosts called on everyone present to open their hearts and join the good cause, after which they introduced the participants to the evening's program.

The floor was given to Natalia Anyon, the head of the supervisory board of Hromada and one of the founders of the Angelik Foundation. Natalia congratulated everyone on St. Nicholas Day and expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the fundraising campaign. She shared personal memories: "I remember my childhood - St. Nicholas Day was always an expectation of a miracle, gifts, light and goodness. Warm emotions filled little souls. That is why it is so important that children who lost their parents in the war feel this warmth from us, know that they have not been forgotten, and receive gifts." Natalia emphasized that thanks to the joint efforts of the organizers, volunteers and donors, it was possible to create a "drop of goodness" for 600 children in Ukraine whose parents died in the war. She wished everyone well, peace in their homes and hearts, and also thanked them for participating in the charitable initiative.

Yarema Kuzyshyn presented the list of donors who made the largest donations in 2020, noting that the names of all benefactors will be published in the February issue of the Hromada newspaper along with the annual report of the Angelyk Foundation.

The floor was then given to Maria Medyukh, an ATO veteran and coordinator of the Angelyk Foundation in Lviv and the region. Maria participated in hostilities in Luhansk region in 2016–2017, and in 2018 she founded the Union of ATO Participants of the Hnizdychiv Community, which unites 60 veterans. She is actively involved in volunteer activities, in particular, organizing the distribution of funds for the children of fallen soldiers. Last year, with the assistance of Commander Oleg Vysochansky, children and their parents were invited to the Warrior's House in Lviv, where each child received $50. In total, over $15,000 was distributed. Maria expressed hope that this year the assistance would double, and thanked all donors and participants for their support of Ukraine, wishing them happy holidays and God's blessings.

The main event of the evening was a charity auction, announced by Yarema Kuzyshyn. The auction was handed over to Anna Zayachkivska, a young talented artist from New York, who congratulated everyone on the holiday and started the bidding. 9 lots created by the event participants were put up for auction:

  • Lot No. 1 - icon "Oranta", painted in tempera on wood, author - Lesya Castillo. Starting price - $300.
  • Lot #2 – a necklace of bells (handmade), author – Lesya Castillo. Starting price – $100.
  • Lot #3 – red corals (handmade), author – Lesya Castillo. Starting price – $100, sold for $125 at the time of the auction.
  • Lots #4–7 – four modernist paintings by Anna Zayachkivska: “Red Horizon”, “Welcoming a Stranger”, “Sunflowers” ​​and “Everything Will Be Fine”. Starting price for each – $300.
  • Lot #8 – a collection of arrangements of Ukrainian carols accompanied by bandura, prepared by Alina Ilchuk. Price – $10, unlimited content, sent by e-mail.
  • Lot #9 – a yacht trip across the ocean for a group of 8 people, ticket price – $125, offered by Natalia Anyon. Yarema Kuzyshyn, who participated in a similar trip last year, spoke in detail about this lot.

The hosts called on everyone to place their bets, after which the concert program began. Yarema gave the floor to singer Anichka, who always supports the initiatives of “Hromada” and “Angelika”. Anichka greeted those present, shared memories of her childhood and the joy of participating in the charity event, wished peace for Ukraine, and sang the carol “What a wonder!” Her performance elicited heartfelt applause and gratitude from the hosts and participants.

Suddenly, Yarema heard a knock on the door and assumed it was St. Nicholas. Lydia Stoykovich announced a performance by a bandura ensemble from Sacramento led by Honored Artist of Ukraine Olia Gerasimenko. The girls in Ukrainian costumes performed the beloved children’s carol “And who loves Nicholas?”

At this moment, Saint Nicholas, dressed in traditional clothes, with a white beard, a staff and a sack over his shoulders, entered the hall. He said: “I heard a beautiful carol and came to visit you. In this sack I carry gifts for children all over the world. I warmly welcome all the participants of this evening and thank you for not forgetting me. Last year I sailed to you on a boat and could hug everyone, and today everything has changed because of the pandemic. But the holiday has not changed, I see that you are celebrating it beautifully. I wish everyone good health, to you and your children. May your dreams come true. All the good deeds that you have done and are doing will return to you in good. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. And I have to travel further. See you next year! The concert continued with a performance by the famous singer Ivanna Taratula-Filipenko from San Francisco, who performed the carol “Silent Night, Holy Night” in English. The hosts thanked Ivanna for her wonderful performance and handed over the floor to Anna Zayachkivska, who announced the interim results of the auction. She paid special attention to Lot No. 8 – a sheet music collection-manual for music schools in digital format, created by Alina Ilchuk. Alina said that the collection is popular in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and now in America. She thanked her friends and congratulated everyone on the holiday. The Angelik Foundation once again expresses its gratitude to all donors, organizers, volunteers and participants for creating an atmosphere of kindness and support for the children of Ukraine. This evening became a real holiday, full of warmth, hope and unity for a common goal.