Team

Gift Of Walking

Oksana Nyzhnyk

Financial Director

In my free time,
I embroider and knit

Also, I love hiking and I have a certificate as a junior instructor of hiking tourism.

My name is Oksana. I came to Canada in 2017.
Also, I love hiking and I have a certificate as a junior instructor of hiking tourism.

When the war began in 2014, I finished the quick course “Assistance on the battlefield”, but the military commissariat said that accountants are not needed now, especially on the battlefield. I volunteered at the Kyiv military hospital.

I hike, read, embroider, sew, or do some knitting when I have some free time.

Before the pandemic, thanks to Ukrainian school T. Shevchenko, where I work as an accountant, I began to draw using traditional technics Petrykivka.

When I heard what Oleks proposed to help Ukraine, I understood that this was a great project of a person with a big heart. May God give strength to all of us, inspiration, intelligence and caring people so this project will be long-lasting and help many children and victims of war. I try to help where I can and when I have time. I hope that my small contribution to this cause will be helpful. In my opinion, everyone in their city should do what they can, even if it’s a small part, but thanks to this small step, we are moving forward.

Kyryl Bindyukevych

Executive Director

A person
like you.

I looked for a way to support Ukraine. Oleks’ idea resonated in my heart, and I decided to help in implementing this project

That is how the Gift of Walking came about

I am Kyryl. Everyone calls me Kira. I have lived in Canada for 12 years now. I’m a guy from Troyeshchyna in Kyiv. I studied a lot for the past ten years and lived in Quebec. For the last three years, I worked in the tundra in northern Quebec in a quarry to extract minerals by purifying industrial, drinking and sanitary water.

I am an employee just like you!

I’ve traveled a lot and maintained a close relationship with my Motherland Ukraine.

From the beginning of Russia’s brutal and despicable aggression against Ukraine, I have been in Eastern Europe at the borders of Ukraine, at train stations, checkpoints and refugee reception points. Since the beginning of full-scale Russian aggression (war), I spent 3-4 weeks in Europe helping refugees, purchasing and distributing humanitarian aid at my own expense. I used all my savings during this time, but I have no regrets!

Then I looked for another way to support Ukraine. Oleks’ idea resonated in my heart, and I decided to implement this project. That’s how Gift Of Walking came about.

My task in this project is to help organize and run this promotion in order to repeat the deed of the unsurpassed yet Terry Fox in 1976.

There is a considerable need for help to support all Ukrainians, civilians and military defenders who lost their limbs in this terrible conflict.

When the war ends, it will be necessary to rebuild Ukraine and people’s lives. Everyone who cares about someone else’s grief can support us in this!

Oksana Kyyanytsya

Vice-President

I can hear the wisdom that children tell.

Hello! I am the mother of Sashka (Olek) and three girls. I work as a teacher in an elementary school. My passion is reading, drawing, writing, and the great outdoors. And not so long ago, I became a yoga instructor.

My name is Oksana Kiyanytsia. My aunt calls me Sana. I like this, and it helps in the big international world I live in now. Funny, a name that is so common in Ukraine is not always so easy to pronounce here. I was born near Kyiv and graduated from university there. However, destiny, or better to say our propper decision, transferred my family and me to Canada. My Canadian home, the charming city of Montreal, is full of greenery, just like my hometown. The difference is that people are not very fond of squirrels and dandelions, a problem that never existed back in Ukraine.

I am the mother of Sashka (Olek) and three girls. I work as a teacher in an elementary school. My passion is reading, drawing, writing, and the great outdoors. And not so long ago, I became a yoga instructor. This education helps me in communication. I can hear the wisdom that children tell.

I joined the project for my son, who came up with an incredible task of a frightening scale. But when you are told at eighteen that your child is disabled, you learn not to be afraid and live, no matter what. On my phone, Sasha is recorded under the tag My Gifted Son because that’s exactly who he is. He has encouraged me to evolve and learn new things all his life.

When Russia treacherously attacked Ukraine, incredible pain pierced our hearts, and we lived with only one desire: to help our Motherland. So my son came up with the idea to make a long hike, to draw the attention of Canadians to the disabled and their potential, and most importantly, to raise funds for Ukrainians who became people with disabilities in one moment. My son knows how to live and find his place when you are not like everyone else. He surely understands how scary and the painful world is for such people. Immediately, Sasha made his choice. He chose to help hospitals and their patients.

Our entire team is working hard to make my son’s project come true, and I believe we will succeed because we act sincerely and with love.

Anrii Korvach

Creative Director

The God is my Godfather.

God is a sculptor; he organised the whole space. Also, an artist is not the one who knows how to draw or sculpt but the one who has such a profession, just as God does. This is what I like about my profession.

I am a sculptor, an artist, a cinematographer, a designer – and just a person who is in love with everything beautiful …

I am interested in various types of art – I draw game and cartoon characters, design packaging, websites, even special equipment for “Roshen” and Elenberg teapots for a Dutch company. After all, a teapot is also a sculpture, like a car and so on.

I was engaged in cinematography, in particular, I took part in productions with the Ukrainian director, author of “The Guide” and “Mamaya”, Oles Sanin. Together we created a promo about the Holodomor for the American channel CNN. I am also the author of the brand – Watch Ukrainian.

The war changes everything… The war fundamentally changes everything… While my Kyiv and Ukraine were being bombed, I received powerful help from the family of my friends from Canada – Vitaly and Kyril Bindyukevich. I was invited to this project by one of them – Kyrylo. He told me, “here you will find yourself again!!!” Absenteely, I got to know Sashko – his Mother, friends who take part and support his idea of this 200-kilometer march..

I took on a powerful responsibility – to create a website and all the visual production that will identify us. This is how a very unusual logo was born – which set a new concept for the site and project. Thanks to Kyryl Bindyukevich, we worked through this immense workload, and organized all project tasks, and were also able to find agreement with all the group mates.

It is very gratifying that the team that gathered around Sasha Kiyanytsia is not weak, but powerful and patriotic.. God is with us – We will defeat the devil and heal our wounds! Glory to Ukraine !!!

Liza Eidelman

Communication Optimizer

We all do what we can.

I am a design account manager by day and a naturopath and nature lover all the rest of the time. Mother of two boys, I spend most of my free time inventing new recipes, studying and learning from nature or wandering in the forest on foot or by bike, observing yet another tree trunk, herb or mushroom.

Hi, my name is Liza Eidelman.

I was born in Kyiv, Ukraine but came to Canada at 10 with my parents. I chose to keep the native (Russian) language alive because I firmly believe that healthy roots are what make us all grow strong.

I don’t speak Ukrainian. But Ukraine is my motherland. No matter the political changes inside a country or where one decides to relocate, the homeland is where the sky, air, and sounds vibrate in the same way as your heart does.

I decided to join this project because we all do what we can in the fight against the absolute evil that is trying to spread into Ukraine. We all do what we can. Also, I believe in Oleks; he has what it takes to make our world a better place.

Viktoria Kalynovska

Editor

I saw and heard the war...

All my relatives remain in Ukraine, my husband and brother serve in the Ukrainian armed forces. I am here to help my loved ones and my homeland.

Hello! My name is Victoria.

I am an open, energetic and empathetic person who loves communication, sports and music. I ran a few half marathons, overcame several hundred bikes, conquered the mountains of Ukraine, Romania and Poland by bike.

I came to Montreal a few months ago. One of them came. All my relatives remain in Ukraine, my husband and brother serve in the Ukrainian armed forces. I am here to help my loved ones and my homeland. I am here to channel my energy into important projects and, earn money, support my family.

I saw and heard the war. To the sound of rocket strikes and the purple of explosions, we left our home. We saw thousands of frightened eyes, eyes with a blank look of people leaving their homes thinking this forever. I know for sure that war is the most tragic and terrible thing that can happen to humanity. There’s a war in my house.

I joined this important and inspiring initiative of Sasha, because I cannot stand by, I want to remain useful to Ukraine even at a distance of thousands of kilometres and support Sasha.

Olena Verbeska

Chief Assistant
Executive Director

The city of Odessa is currently suffering from bombing.

My heart cannot stay indifferent; it remains with my suffering people

I am Olena Verbetska; I came to Quebec from Odessa. My beautiful sunny

city on the Black Sea coast is suffering from bombings today. The beaches,

so beloved by the city’s guests, are mined, and the streets of the city resemble the photos of the Second World War.

I couldn’t stay away from Oleks’ project. My heart cannot stay indifferent; it remains with my suffering people. I cannot defend it with a weapon in my hands, but I will do everything I can to help the Ukrainian people.

Andrew Miller

Photographer

A moment is an element

His attention attracts a wide range of interesting personalities

Andrew Miller is a photographer who documents great things that come
from people who go beyond their limits or think outside the box. A range
of things catch his eye from the vivid imaginations of Burning Man
Artists, the extreme abilities of circus performers, and the
compassionate determination that Oleksander is channelling into his
trek.  

www.AwesomePhotography.ca will tell you all you need to know
about Andrew as a photographer.

Lorena

Translation Adaptation Support

I have never been to Ukraine

My main contribution to the project is the translation and adaptation of texts.

I have never been to Ukraine, and I don’t have any family in Ukraine. I speak no Russian or

Ukrainian. But that doesn’t deter me from taking part in this project to help unknown people who haven’t even asked what’s happening to them right now.

The Gift of Walking to help unknown people who have not asked for anything to happen to

them. This fundraising has also allowed me to reconnect with a Ukrainian friend

from high school who is also involved in this project. Having a passion for languages, I know French, English, Spanish and Chinese (standard), which explains my interest in

this project. My contribution covers linguistic aspects of the walkathon, mainly in French, by

translating and adapting texts.

Anna Soboleva

Public and press relations specialist

I am a journalist

I graduated from Kyiv International University with a degree in Journalism.

I graduated from Kyiv International University with a degree in Journalism. Аlso received an MBA as Marketing Director. I have 16 years of experience working with texts as a journalist, editor, and copywriter. I`ve been working with top Ukrainian media.

I have expertise in PR and marketing and extensive work experience as a public relations and press specialist. For more than five years, I worked on the TV channel “Ukraine”, engaged in information support of state projects (in particular, “Sports for All” – an initiative of the President of Ukraine), and implemented more than 200 international projects.

Victoria Novak

certified translator.

Glory to
Ukraine !

With the help of Alexander’s initiative and the whole team

With the help of Alexander’s initiative and the whole team, which comes from a sincere heart and a pure and courageous soul to help those who need it so much, Alexander understands this like no other.

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