As of Feb. 2, 2026, a local volunteer group in Gimli, Manitoba, has raised $1,360.90 toward a $5,000 goal to purchase and send an aid van to the frontlines in Ukraine. The vehicle is intended to help workers deliver medical supplies and move people out of high‑risk areas.
Organizers are selling raffle tickets for $5 each at local businesses, including Chudds Corner and area bakeries, to help reach the final target. These community fundraisers must be licensed and follow reporting and record-keeping rules set by the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (see LGCA guidance on social-occasion raffles: https://lgcamb.ca/gaming/social-occasion-raffles/), which requires licensees to maintain financial records and submit post‑event reports (and can request audited statements).
The group, known locally as Gimli Stands With Ukraine, has promised donors full transparency by providing receipts for expenditures. The $5,000 budget is intended to cover the purchase of a used high‑clearance van, mechanical repairs for rugged travel, and anticipated shipping/logistics costs to get the vehicle to Europe.
While some provincial coordination of larger efforts is handled by groups such as the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, this specific Gimli project focuses on a single, tangible piece of equipment for the community to support. CBC News and other coverage of Manitoba’s response to the conflict have documented similar grassroots efforts from 2022 onward.
Gimli’s history of international support is tied to the many families in the Interlake region with Ukrainian heritage. Organizers say the van will ultimately be turned over to volunteer groups working near conflict zones; however, they have not publicly named a confirmed recipient or last‑mile partner, so readers should be told which organization will receive the vehicle once that is confirmed.
