Jackson Taylor flees Salt to Toronto to raise money for Ukrainian civil aid, Robert Peace helps refugees in war-torn country
After he started running from Sault Ste. Marie to Toronto on March 25 to raise money for a humanitarian effort in Ukraine, Sault’s Jackson Taylor wrapped up a grueling trip to the Ukrainian consulate in Toronto on Tuesday afternoon.
He ran a total of 1,017 kilometers.
“I hadn’t chosen a place to stop running until we got close to Toronto, and then running to the consulate made the most sense. We originally planned the Toronto road sign as our final destination, but then I knew I would eventually choose something more meaningful based on the nature of the run, “Taylor told SooToday in a telephone interview from Toronto after the run.
“I feel great, but my knees and ankles are glad I’m done,” Taylor said.
Taylor, accompanied by his wife Emily in a vehicle on the road, raised more than $ 5,100 for Ukrainian civilians affected by the war through a GoFundMe page.
This particular page no longer accepts donations, but a new separate page of GoFundMe currently accepts funds for Ukraine.
“Looking at the news and seeing the different things that are coming, I began to be disappointed with everything that is happening with the war. “It made me want to do something to make a difference and raise some money,” Taylor said.
Taylor was welcomed by friends and family at the consulate on Tuesday.
“I feel good about helping,” Taylor said.
He and his wife will take turns behind the wheel as they return home to Sault tomorrow, he said.
Another interesting aspect of Taylor’s efforts is that Saultite’s colleagues, Robert Pease, Rolling Pictures’ community relations director for the film company’s Sault Ste. Marie Operations is currently in Romania with the European non-profit organization ADE to deliver humanitarian aid to Ukrainians while helping others to leave the country, as previously reported.
Taylor, a local landscape business owner, and Peace did not know each other at first, nor did they know about their mutual interest in Ukraine.
“It was great when we made that connection with Robert. He saw one of our videos and contacted us and wanted to make an appointment to talk to him. “We had a video chat with him and we’ve been in touch ever since,” Taylor said.
“Diana Nistor from ADE and Jackson and I and his wife Emily talked on Zoom and we just felt this wonderful connection of four people doing something for the same cause and we decided we needed to join forces,” Pease said. in email.
The funds raised on the new page of Taylor GoFundMe will go to ADE, the humanitarian group Peace, with which it works in Ukraine.
Neither Peace nor Taylor have any family or hereditary ties to Ukraine, but they feel the need to help Ukrainian civilians affected by the war.
“It is heartbreaking to meet families at the station who have left only what they can carry. Homes and sometimes family members are lost. But then we see those who are already starting to make at least a temporary new life with families who have opened their doors and hearts to refugees, “said Peace.
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