Here & Now reporter Marisa Wojcik shares how one day after Ukraine was invaded, an artisan candle business based in Sturgeon Bay moved to sell a blue-and-yellow solidarity candle to raise money for a medical charity — tens of thousands of orders later, this fundraiser turned into a community effort.
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Door County Candlemakers Mobilize for Ukraine
Frederica Freyberg:
On the war front, it has been three weeks since the Russians invaded Ukraine. The personal stories of brutality and survival get worse as the onslaught continues. The death toll for civilians is rising. It can be heartbreaking to watch, especially for one Door County family with deep Ukrainian roots. As Marisa Wojcik shows us, they are heart broken, but not helpless.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
I remember I was sitting and watching the news two weeks ago, and I was so mad, I was hurt. I was upset. I was feeling helpless.
Marisa Wojcik:
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani wanted to take action as she saw images of Russian forces brutally attack Ukraine and its people.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
I was talking to my family. I was like, I need to do something with this anger.
Marisa Wojcik:
As a second generation Ukrainian, her mission was personal.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
I knew I wanted to do something to help so I figured, well, I know how to make candles. We have a candle company. Let’s use this.
Marisa Wojcik:
Owner of a small artisan shop called Door County Candle Company, she began making candles with blue and yellow wax, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
So I wrote a post on Facebook and I was like, I just did a little preview that I’m going to be launching a fundraiser tomorrow, stay tuned. Woke up and we’re like, “Oh, my god, a thousand, okay, 2,000, okay, 3.”
Marisa Wojcik:
The orders have now reached 20,000.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
That’s like what we typically would sell in a year.
Marisa Wojcik:
20,000 candles that are made by hand, in this small shop in Sturgeon Bay.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
I think I cry every day just hearing, like, the stories and I could cry now. It means so much, and it means that so many people want to help, and so many people were feeling helpless and just didn’t know how to help.
Marisa Wojcik:
Moved by the news and Christiana’s energy, volunteers in the community have turned out in support, including the shop’s founder, who sold the business to Christiana just last summer.
Mike Felhofer:
We saw she had sold 3,000 candles in a day. I said, “Well, I think they’re going to need a little help.”
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
He was like, “Can I help?” I’m like, “Yes, when can you be here?” He’s like, “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
Mike Felhofer:
Been here ever since and that was a couple of weeks ago.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
He’s indefinitely out of retirement for now.
Mike Felhofer:
I’ve never experienced anything quite like this. I’ve made a lot of candles in my day, but never anything like this.
Marisa Wojcik:
To handle the new volume of orders, Mike is helping implement new ways to streamline the labor and time-intensive process.
Mike Felhofer:
I find it heartwarming, the degree of support that we’ve gotten. It’s amazing. I’ve seen a lot of good things in this community, but this type of support has been just utterly amazing.
Marisa Wojcik:
This project means a lot to another volunteer: Christiana’s father.
George Gorchynsky:
I have to be here. I have to help.
Marisa Wojcik:
When he’s not doing 12-hour shifts as an ER physician, he’s doing 12-hour shifts helping his daughter.
George Gorchynsky:
I’m first generation Ukrainian. My parents emigrated from Ukraine right after World War II. I was raised Ukrainian. In fact, I spoke Ukrainian until first grade.
Marisa Wojcik:
He and Christiana’s mother passed the language on to their children.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
It was my language. I learned Ukrainian before I learned English and that’s how I talk to my grandparents, only in Ukrainian. It’s kept me really close to my culture and my heritage.
Marisa Wojcik:
Christiana’s maternal grandmother took the news of the Russian invasion hard.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
My grandma was born in Ukraine so she is the only grandparent of mine left. We were sitting with her, and she just started to cry and shake and just relive war when she was a kid. I never thought that something like that could happen in 2022.
George Gorchynsky:
It’s just heartbreaking. It’s an absolute catastrophe what’s going on. It’s World War II all over again. That’s what it is. And in fact, my wife’s mom has memories of, you know, things that happened during the war and as a child when she was there. And it’s just brought tears to her eyes. She’s in total disbelief. She’s at home right now here, and she’s stickering bags and doing things. She’s 82 years old and she’s helping out as well. So it’s all hands on deck.
Marisa Wojcik:
All of the profits made from selling the Ukraine candle are being donated to a Ukrainian non-profit.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
It’s called RAZOM for Ukraine. So it’s helping provide bandages, tourniquets and medical supplies to those that are in Ukraine and need it most. Our first donation was on Monday for $125,000. A lot of tears were flowing after that. It was just incredible. That’s the first of many donation installments that we’re going to make.
Marisa Wojcik:
At the onset of the project, Christiana’s goals were modest.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
I really thought we’d only sell like 100. I really didn’t think we’d sell more.
George Gorchynsky:
We still laugh when Christiana said, “You know, if I could sell 300 candles, I’d be so happy.” Well, that ship has sailed.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
Good job!
Mike Felhofer:
I couldn’t be more proud of her if she were my own daughter. I’ve mentored her, but now she’s taking this to another level. I’ll tell her she’s got a tiger by the tail. Now she has to figure out how to bring that under control and I’m here to help however I can.
George Gorchynsky:
We’re so proud of her. We never expected this kind of a response. Never. A lot of good comes out of evil, in many ways.
Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani:
Just saying we’re standing with Ukraine and providing light in the darkness. Slava, Ukraini.
George Gorchynsky:
Slava Ukraini. Heroyam slava. Glory to Ukraine. Glory to its heroes.
Marisa Wojcik:
For “Here & Now,” I’m Marisa Wojcik in Door County.
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