Caring Hearts and Busy Hands
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Our Directors
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Bonnie Spence-Vinge
President Bonnie has worked in the field of Education for over 40 years. She has had opportunities to work in B.C and Nunavut as a teacher, Director of Instruction, Superintendent of Schools and Executive Director of Education. Currently she works as the Interior Region Manager for the B.C. Schizophrenia Society. Bonnie enjoyed Chairing the Cranbrook Hub for Refugees and supporting refugees as they settled in Canada. |
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Marko Maryniak
Vice President After moving to Fernie in 1998, Marko founded Rockies Law Corporation in 2004. Marko, a fluent Ukrainian speaker, and his family are based in Cranbrook. Marko is very involved in the community, having been a Hospital Trustee, a director of the Fernie Hospital Foundation, a Trustee and the Treasurer of the Fernie Heritage Library, an auxiliary firefighter with Fernie Fire Rescue, a Lecturer and Chair of the Board of Governors of the College of the Rockies, and an amateur soccer coach. Currently, Marko is a Director and Vice President of Shelter for Ukrainians Society. In his spare time Marko and his family can be found exploring and enjoying the mountains, whether on a trail, river or ski slope. |
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Sharon Cross
Secretary Sharon is a retired educational administrator and former City Councilor. She manages Joseph’s professional art career. She’s President of Wildsight Kimberley-Cranbrook branch; V-P of Kootenai River Network (Montana); a core member of EK Climate Hub and represents them on BC Climate Action. Food security, human and animal rights are issues she is passionate about. |
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Ruth Huffman
Treasurer After teaching for ten years in northern Alberta, where she grew up, Ruth, her husband and two children moved to Fernie. She purchased the H&R Block franchise - operated it for three years before looking for less seasonal work. Ruth turned to financial planning, earned her Chartered Financial Planner designation. She worked as a financial planner for almost 20 years. In 2014, Ruth and her husband moved to Cranbrook to retire. Soon after that, she joined the Cranbrook Hub for Refugees and enjoyed the rewarding experience of helping three families start new lives in Canada. |
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Gerald Kent
Gerald practiced law in Cranbrook for over 30 years. Now retired. In the past, served on several not-for-profit boards including the Community Foundation of the Kootenay Rockies. Past treasurer of the East Kootenay Regional Hospital. |
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Dawn Fenwick
Dawn is a retired teacher and counsellor in Cranbrook. She currently works part time and volunteers at Cranbrook and District Arts Council. She is also an artist and occasional art instructor. Her drive to get involved with helping Ukrainians arose because of her Ukrainian heritage. |
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Mike Ortynski
Moved to Cranbrook from Vermillion in 1995. After arriving he promptly opened Flooring Superstores, and subsequently built his first Mike's Auto Wash in 2014. As a third generation Ukrainian, Mike and his family are committed to helping reduce the suffering of those displaced by the war in Ukraine |
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Father Andrew Applegate
Born in Calgary in 1954 to Dorothy Tkachuk, the daughter of Ukrainian pioneers from Bukovina who arrived in Canada in 1898. Fr. Andrew (Brent) spent much of his life in various businesses. Both he and his wife Sonia’s life has always been Christ and the Church. He was ordained an Orthodox Priest in 2013, and assigned to St. Aidan Orthodox Church in Cranbrook, BC in 2015, which takes inspiration and strength from St. Aidan's example, having a heart to help the poor and marginalized here in our area, providing free Monday and Wednesday morning breakfasts, and welcoming all from any ethnic background. |
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Wayne Stetski
Wayne has lived in Cranbrook for 32 years, serving as Member of Parliament; Mayor; RDEK Director; Kootenay Regional Manager for the Ministry of Environment; and as Chair, Director, Coach, Manager and Volunteer on many community organizations. His interest in SFUS comes from his Ukrainian heritage, visiting Ukraine with Canada's Foreign Affairs Committee in 2017, hosting a Ukrainian Intern in his Ottawa office, and having relatives he has never met who live in western Ukraine. |
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John Hudak
As a retired RCMP member and Cranbrook City Councilor, John embraced the opportunity to be be of service to these Ukrainian people while they seek a safe haven from this destructive war with Russia. John comes from a family with a background as immigrants from former Czechoslovakia. His father's life was not easy, being the only member of his family to leave his home country, and his relatives have shared how oppressed life was when Russia invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968. It is through this knowledge and his experiences, that led John to be involved with the Society . |
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Chris Murray
Chris and his family moved to Cranbrook a year ago. He currently is the Co-Owner of MTE with his partner Cassandra. With a lifelong focus on community improvement, Chris has been involved with many community boards, groups and organizations over the last 20 years. |