We’re excited we raised more than $220 for the Ukrainian Foundation selling our latest Bash & Lucy book, Bash and Lucy Say, “Love, Love, Bark!”
We ran the fundraiser in April and May, and appreciate all the readers who purchased our book and ebook during that time period.
Yesterday, I (Lisa) attended the Ukrainian fundraiser, “The World is With Ukraine,” during which musicians from all over the world performed to help raise money for the Ukrainian Foundation.
During the event’s intermission, Tatiana Terdal–daughter of Vera, pictured below–called me to the stage to present a check for $222.70.
Vera accompanied me to the stage, and I explained, while Vera spouted tears, why we raised the money for Ukraine. We wanted to support our heroine and her home country.
The heroine of Bash and Lucy Say, “Love, Love, Bark!” is Ukrainian Grandma Vera, and she is modeled after the real Vera, who is a smart, kind, opinionated and resilient do-gooder. We wanted her to be our heroine because she is a great role model for readers of all ages.
In real life, Vera grew up in Soviet-occupied Ukraine.
Vera and her family members were always hungry, she says. To help keep her children fed, Vera’s mother planted a special kind of edible grass, as well as sugar beets.
“They would give us a ticket for one loaf of bread for one week,” Vera recalled in a story I wrote for The Immigrant Story. “When I was very young, I went at night and stayed in the long line to get bread.” She wrapped herself in scarves and lay in the dirt to hold her place in line.
After graduating, Vera worked in a shoe store, married, divorced, and became a single working mom. At night, after putting her children to bed, she often knit and sewed clothing to make extra money. She did this in the bathroom because she didn’t want to wake her children.
When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, Vera lost all her savings: $10,000. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Soviet banks didn’t give Ukrainians their money.
Now, Vera babysits and sells her home-cooked food to raise money for Ukraine. During the pandemic, she sewed masks for essential workers. She’s always looking for ways to help others.
Vera passed on her tendency to do good to her daughter, Tatiana, who is a leader in the Portland Ukrainian community. Ever since the war with Russia began, she has organized rallies on a bridge in Portland on Saturdays. She hasn’t missed one Saturday! You can learn more about Tatiana in another story I wrote for The Immigrant Story titled “Portland Ukrainians’ Plea: Do Something.”
We were very happy to support this amazing family and their efforts to raise money for Ukraine.
Don’t forget to watch Michael dedicate our last Bash & Lucy book to Vera: