Ukrainian softball team to play in Surrey after fundraising goal reached

It looks like a softball team from Ukraine will make it to Surrey after all, as thousands of dollars have been raised so they can participate in the Canada Cup this July.

“We have received the news that the Canada Cup has achieved the fundraising goal and our team will be travelling to Canada to represent Ukraine in this important tournament,” a member of the Ukrainian Women’s Junior National Softball team said in a video.

“We want to thank everyone for contributing, including the City of Surrey, and we hope to meet many of you when we will play for our country,” another added.

In a news release, the Canada Cup says it reached its $60,000 goal in just over a week.

This comes after the team announced in May that it was unable to make the trip due to the financial burden.

Read more: GoFundMe set up for Ukrainian softball team to play in Surrey’s Canada Cup

“We can’t thank the community enough for embracing Team Ukraine with open arms and helping bring them to our tournament. We have been blown away by the generosity of people from across the country,” Greg Timm, the event chair, said.

“These young women have faced tremendous strain during the ongoing war and your financial support allows them to come to Surrey and play the sport they love on an international stage.”

The tournament is scheduled to kick off on July 7 at Softball City and run until the 16th.

“The 2023 event will be the largest in the tournament and Canadian history with more than 1500 elite athletes already confirmed to compete, including the Canadian National team,” the Canada Cup adds.