Twelve-year-old Oscar Oliver, who is Ontario's current pre-novice figure-skating champion in singles and pairs, is going to Poland on a journey for a lifetime to help refugee children fleeing Ukraine.
The Barrie resident has launched his “Buy a Backpack” campaign for Ukrainian refugee children in Poland. A $50 donation to the cause buys a new backpack filled with school and educational supplies, toys, candy, toiletries (boys), cosmetics (girls) and various gifts, which Oliver will deliver for the children via refugee contact centres across the country.
Each backpack will be personalized with an inspirational card in the name, town and country of the individual donor and with a message of love, peace and hope to the child and their family.
The Children’s Foundation in Poland, Fundacja Dziecięca Fantazja, will purchase the backpacks, supplies and cards on behalf of Oliver, who will spend the week after Easter driving through Poland with his mom, delivering them for the children.
The $50 donations to “Buy a Backpack” in support of Oliver’s endeavour can be made by e-transfer or credit card at his donation page on the foundation’s website, which can be accessed by clicking here.
Oliver says he hopes he can provide at least 200 backpacks for the children, hopefully many more, and there is no limit to the number of backpacks each person can “buy.”
Oliver, who lives and trains in Barrie at the Mariposa School of Skating and attends Warnica Public School, is a dual Canadian/Polish citizen.
“For many years, Oscar has helped to brighten the lives of sick kids in Poland by taking them toys and gifts and spending time together in their homes," his mom, Kamila Rybicka, says in a news release.
“Now the crisis in Ukraine has brought hundreds of thousands of refugee children to Poland, who are now homeless and scared," she added. "Many of the children have chronic illnesses and disabilities. They are without their fathers or uncles who stayed behind to defend their country. Oscar understands what is happening and he wants to help and show his support for the kids."
Oliver is following in his family’s footsteps. In 2014, his parents were awarded the Canadian Governor General’s Medallion for their charity work and for “strengthening relations between Poland and Canada." His sister Olivia, who is the current Polish national junior ice-dance champion, has brought joy and happiness into the lives of hundreds of less-fortunate children over many years through her own cause called Skating for Young Heroes
“Our family lives by the motto 'Kids for Kids'. There is no better way to live your life, than to help others in need," Kamila said. “And that is what Oscar is doing.”
