Tradition brings Elkhart community together to fund Ukraine humanitarian aid

ELKHART, Ind. – On Sunday, more than 120 people took part in Pyansky, the Ukrainian tradition of dyeing eggs in many different colors with intricate designs.

The egg decorating took place at First Presbyterian Church in Elkhart, where Pastor Sally Wicks taught the large crowd the step-by-step process.

Pyansky begins by holding a kitska over a flame, dipping it into beeswax and then using the tool to draw the design on the shell of a plain egg. Then, a series of dyeing processes can begin.

The tradition was first brought to the church in 2022 when Russia first invaded Ukraine.

"Because I do this Ukrainian egg decorating, I thought this might be a nice event for us to have sympathy for the Ukrainian people." said Wicks, who has been decorating eggs since her childhood.

A free offering was also held Sunday, with the previous two years raising around $3,000 each for aid efforts.

This year, the money will be split between Ukraine and relief services in Gaza.

You can find out more information about the services of First Presbyterian here.