On January 6, Ogden resident Olga Radu was killed in a car accident on Route 31 in the town of Sweden. The mother of nine children had only arrived in the United States from the Ukraine the previous September. The family had recently settled in a rental house on Colby Street. Town of Ogden employees wanted to do something to help the children and, with Supervisor Gay Lenhard's approval, they took up a collection and raised $1,000. One of the town employees approached the Brockport Wal-Mart store for a donation. Store Manager Drew Coleman secured company approval to match the $1,000 highway workers had raised. Together on February 26, Wal-Mart and the Town of Ogden employees gave the family a gift card to Wal-Mart in the amount of $2,000. Some of the children and two family friends, Oksana Basisty and Ludmilla Khomitch, were on hand to accept the donations. The two interpreters have been instrumental in helping the family adjust both to the new country and with the loss of their mother. The children are living with their father on Colby Street. Extended family and close friends have been helping but their financial needs are dire. Spencerport Central School District will be hosting a spaghetti dinner on April 9 with proceeds to benefit the family. Donations can also be made through the Ukrainian Federal Credit Union, 544-9518, or the Slavic Pentecostal Church of Spencerport, 352-6690. |
