Support Ukraine Booth at Main Street Festival Furthers Local Relief Efforts

A festival-goer looks at merchandise at the Ukraine boothStacey Doud

The Main Street Festival in Grapevine, TX is an annual affair that features many vendors, a chance to see buildings of historical significance, a carnival, music, and craft beer and wine. This is the 38th year for the Festival, which was held from May 20 until May 22. This year, they had a new vendor booth set up: Support Ukraine.

The booth was sponsored by several organizations, including Palm of Hope (a 501c3 organization), First Presbyterian Church of Grapevine, and Ukranian Cultural Club of Dallas. They were selling handmade crafts, jewelry, children’s clothing, yard signs, and more, as well as accepting cash donations and offering face painting. 100% of donations and profits will go directly to Ukraine relief efforts.

Several other booths were giving all or part of their proceeds to the Ukranian relief efforts. One of those booths was Daisy Baby/Toe Blooms.

“We're sending over clothing and accessory articles, and we are working with Franklin Graham with Samaritan's Purse who's currently over in Ukraine. So far today we've sent $29,000 to them, and we have another $20,000 going out on 6/1. The [clothing and accessories] are being shipped out from our Indianapolis warehouse directly to Ukraine,” said representative Sandra Reed.

Quite a few people volunteered their time at the booth at the festival all weekend.

Some of the offerings at the Ukraine boothStacey Doud

“I'm here because I have a lot of friends in Ukraine,” said volunteer Daria Tarassova. “I used to work in Ukraine for many years, and I got to know the culture, the people, and the stories. It's a beautiful country with welcoming people. My heart just breaks when I see what is happening right now. So, I support them as much as I can.

“I'm actually from Kazakhstan. It's a country next to Russia, so I am ethnically Russian, and I do speak some Russian. My family and I moved from Kazakhstan to the U.S. years ago. Now, I live in Grand Prairie.

“I'm here at the festival with my Ukrainian friends from Dallas, supporting them and supporting their cause, and hoping to do a little bit to alleviate the stress and the burden and the pain that people are suffering right now. We really hope this is going to end soon. And while it is continuing, we will go out of our way to spread awareness and to give support as much as we can,” Tarassova explained.

For more information about the war in Ukraine and how to help with local Ukrainian relief efforts, click HERE.

A volunteer holds a sign to direct people to the Ukraine boothStacey Doud