Tara Rosling doesn’t like war.
Seeing what’s happening in Ukraine, the Niagara-on-the-Lake actor and her daughter Eliana wanted to do something to help.
“It feels kind of silly in a way to hold a bake sale, but at the same time it feels super important to do something,” Rosling told The Lake Report.
But right now, “I think there's such a profound sense of helplessness and powerlessness, that we all wish to help in some way.”
While she doesn’t have ties to Ukraine, Rosling said her world view is that we’re all cut of the same cloth.
“This might sound really, really bizarre and hokey, but I just believe in helping people in need. And I think that really (the world is) one in the same in terms of environmentalism and humanitarianism,” she said.
“It's treating others with respect and love, as well as the planet.”
She also wants to see the community come together.
“It feels really important to gather as a community. So I think that's part of the initiative or the impulse behind having a community event. I could just go online and donate 500 bucks myself, but it feels really important that the community gather.”
The sale will take place in a pop-up tent in Rosling’s driveway on Shakespeare Avenue on Sunday, March 13 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
It will happen rain or shine, and if necessary, she’ll move it into her garage.
The baked goods won’t have price tags, but are available for whatever donation people want to leave. All proceeds from the sale will go to the Canadian Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal.
After Rosling posted her idea for the fundraiser on Facebook and asking for bakers, people have been reaching out with offers to help, she said.
“People are donating gluten-free cookies, muffins, banana bread, lemon squares, chocolate peanut butter squares, peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, OMA bars — who knows what those are? — cupcakes, brownies, scones — it goes on and on and on. Somebody donated calligraphy. It's great. I'm profoundly moved by the response of the community.”
Rosling, who also owns a small eco-friendly business called the Little Green Shop, will also be selling her items and 40 per cent of proceeds will go to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
This isn’t the first time Rosling and Eliana have stepped up for humanitarian causes. The two have also helped raise money for residential school survivors and for Gillian’s Place in Niagara.
On a shared planet, we all need to come to each other’s aid sometimes, she said.
“I think we've lost sight of a really fundamental truth in that none of this belongs to us, that we are all visitors,” Rosling said.
“The planet gives us Earth and sustains us, but we're just passing through. And war is like the antithesis of (that). It's people deciding that they're going to go out and claim more territory that doesn't even belong to us. It's just so asinine and so devastating,” she added.
“So I just, I truly believe it's all one and the same in terms of how we treat the planet and how we treat each other. We're all made of the same fabric.”
