BRATTLEBORO — Siblings Christian Stromberg, owner of Saxtons River Distillery, and Kerry Secrest, Honorary Consul of Lithuania to Vermont, are holding a fundraiser and online auction to benefit those in crisis in Ukraine.
The online auction is open now, and the event will be held on Thursday, August 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Saxtons Distillery, 155 Chickering Drive in Brattleboro.
“More than 10 million Ukrainians have been dislocated, more than 10,000 are dead, and it doesn't look like the war will end anytime soon. We must not allow apathy and fatigue to numb us to what is happening there,” Secrest said in a news release.
At this event, Stromberg will be launching his new product, Snowdrop Vodka, as he said he saw an opportunity to develop a spirit that honored his family's Eastern European heritage during a time of unrest in the region. All contributions will support Ukraine via the nonprofit Blue/Yellow USA.
Seventy-five tickets are available for $60 per person and include a complimentary drink and food provided by Andrzej's Kitchen and other local establishments.
In addition, individuals can visit the online auction page, as well as bid on items at the event. This is an accessible and important opportunity to act locally in order to support those caught up in what organizers call “a devastating global emergency.”
“Today, the Ukrainian people are defending not only Ukraine; we are fighting for the values of Europe and the world, sacrificing our lives in the name of the future,” President Zelensky of Ukraine has said. “That's why today, the American people are helping not just Ukraine, but Europe and the world to keep the planet alive, to keep justice in history.”
To purchase tickets, bid in the online auction, or donate, go to lithuaniavermont.com.