CEDAR CITY — Grade-school children in Cedar City are using their baking skills to cook up some help for Ukrainian refugees.
Sophie Dotson, 10, Liberty Simmerman, 10, and Naomi Okerlund, 9, spent Wednesday afternoon baking pumpkin muffins to raise money for Ukrainian refugees at a bake sale this Saturday.
Those interested in showing their support will find the bake sale outside Bulloch Drug from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The group is selling a variety of baked goods, including cookies, muffins and bread.
In support of the girls, Sophie’s mom, Ivie Dotson, and aunt, Taya Okerlund, contributed to baking and organizing the event.
Taya Okerlund said Sophie thought of the idea after participating in a family conversation about the refugee crisis in Ukraine.
“She’s just so moved. She wanted to do something, and so she wasn’t just going to sit around and watch the news. She wanted to be a part of it,” Okerlund said.
Sophie Dotson said she noticed the Ukrainian refugees were in need.
“I just noticed that they needed money, more than things we could donate, like send to them,” she said. “And I just thought that we used to do a lot of lemonade stands, and I thought maybe that would be a good idea to raise some money.”
Taya Okerlund said they hope to grow in number and are encouraging other children to get involved. If the event is successful, she added, they may continue organizing charitable bake sales.
Sophie Dotson said proceeds would go to Ukrainians in need via charitable donation.
“Every single penny that we make is all going to go to the Ukraine, and we are going to be donating it by Americares,” she said.
Americares is a four-star charity that already has boots on the ground in Poland, Taya Okerlund said.
Americares’ website states their team, which is headed to Krakow, has “expertise in coordinating large-scale shipments of medicine and relief supplies and mobilizing emergency medical teams in crisis situations.”
Okerlund said she hopes the funds will support the charity in providing transportation and health care to refugees. Additionally, both Sophie and her aunt said they would like to see refugees given access to shelter and food.
“I hope it’ll be enough for them to buy tents that they can live in and anything they need, like food or blankets,” Sophie said.
For those interested in supporting the children but would like to do so without purchasing baked goods, Taya Okerlund said they will also accept cash donations.
“If people are just moved and want to help just encourage the kids, we’d be happy to, you know, accept any small (donations),” she said. “If other kids are interested, I mean, they shouldn’t be embarrassed by just wanting to give 50 cents. Any kind of small amount is welcome.”
Event details
- What: Bake sale to support Ukrainian refugees
- When: March 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Where: Bulloch Drug on 91 North Main Street, Cedar City
Update March 16, 3:20 p.m. Taya Okerlund contacted Cedar City News via email Wednesday, stating the bake sale raised $1742.
“We had excellent support from the community. We raised over ($1700). All the kids were ecstatic to be able to do so much,” Taya Okerlund said.
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