main content Borscht for Peace: Russian Club cooks Borscht in solidarity with Ukranian refugees in Portland

During parents weekend, the Russian Club hosted a very special event. On October 15th, students gathered in the basement of Howard Residence Hall to make Borscht together. The event was hosted by Alex Veselkov, our Russian Language Assistant and Feya Dawkins, the president of the Russian Club. This was an opportunity to advocate for students to support refugees from Ukraine, Russia and Easter Europe in the Pacific Northwest.

Borscht (борщ) is a unique tasting beet soup that has a complex range of flavors and has a deep ruby color! It originated in Ukraine. It’s so healthy and nutritious. Here is a recipe - you can also make it vegetarian!

Russian Club President Feya Dawkins explained that, to “pay” for this meal, members chose to donate directly to IRCO’s We are All in this Together - Ukraine War Relief Fund. Russian Section head and Professor Maria Hristova is familiar with the IRCO Slavic and Eastern Europe Support branch based in Portland and helped connect the club. This organization aids immigrants in the Pacific Northwest assimilate and become self-sufficient. Feya states: “As Russian Club President I am proud to associate with this organization and that my club could unite fellow community members to support a common interest while celebrating joint cultures in peace”.

Feya also advises those who are interested in getting involved can volunteer or donate to their cause through their website. Professor Hristova too, has additional resources for those seeking to get involved with IRCO.