By Page H. Gifford
Correspondent
Lou Lamb and her six generous friends gathered on St. Patrick’s Day at the Scrappy Elephant in Palmyra for a fundraiser for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.
“We had a wonderful time learning the traditional Ukrainian art of egg decoration called Pysanky. Valerie Goodman of Charlottesville led the session, sharing her expertise and supplies, all part of her Charlottesville Egg Aid for Ukraine.
Pysanky is a method of egg decorating that is unique to the Ukrainian culture and has been a tradition for centuries. The oldest known egg found was from the 17th century but the technique and art form harkens back to ancient times.
When gazing at the uniqueness of each egg, its design, and precise execution it is surprising to learn that they are not all painted with traditional folk designs but the designs are “inscribed” in beeswax. Pysanka comes from the verb pysaty to write or inscribe. Similar to the ancient Asian wax-resist method of Batik, Ukrainians use a tool known as a kitska to apply the beeswax.
The seven friends were not only learning about the art of another culture and its Easter tradition but they also knew they were helping by donating to a humanitarian effort. The group raised $500 for Heart To Heart International, (www.hearttoheart.org/ukraine-crisis/), an aid organization that seeks to improve healthcare access in the U.S. and around the world by ensuring quality care is provided equitably in medically under-resourced communities and disaster situations. “Heart To Heart has had a long history of assisting Ukraine,” added Lamb.
Goodman’s goal is to continue to offer Ukrainian Egg parties to raise funds until Easter. Lamb hopes they will inspire others to support relief efforts in Ukraine, in any way possible.
