“Laskavo prosymo” means “welcome” in Ukrainian and is the best way to sum up the Ukrainian Community of Federal Way’s first meeting. The community celebrated a grand opening on March 30 with food, music, speeches and more.

The organization is meant to be a place for Ukrainians to come together, to welcome those more recently arrived from Ukraine, and also a way to share culture and build connections with the rest of Federal Way outside of the diaspora, Vitaliy Piekhotin told the Mirror.

Over 130 people attended the event at the Federal Way Community Center, located at 876 S. 333rd St. in Federal Way.

The new community group is partnering with the Ukrainian Association of Washington State, whose president, Liliya Kovalenko, spoke at the event.

In the context of the ongoing assault from Russia on the country, the organization will also work to support their families and communities abroad.

Piekhotin and his wife personally escorted two emergency vehicles filled with relief supplies to the front lines last year in Ukraine. They barely made it to their delivery destination, but a letter from Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell helped them gain approval from their final checkpoint.

Piekhotin is also a chaplain for South King Fire, two of the many reasons he was chosen as the Federal Way Mirror’s hometown hero in January 2025.

Since that story in January, he has acquired four emergency response vehicles and over 100 wheelchairs to support wounded soldiers. He is currently organizing to raise funds to ship those vehicles to the front lines through his organization Servants of Compassion. He is also working with the larger community to fill an 80-foot shipping container full of everything from the wheelchairs to construction supplies and more to help wounded soldiers and build a rehabilitation center and orphanage for children in Ukraine.

These projects are some of the efforts that the new Ukrainian Community of Federal Way organization will be supporting.

Piekhotin told the Mirror that it touched his heart to see how many people showed up for the event on Sunday.

“It’s very important to be around community…being together, we can move mountains, whether in our community here or in Ukraine,” Piekhotin said. He also said he is honored that the mayor and Federal Way City Council members attended and that he is looking forward to meeting other communities in Federal Way to share cultures, values, festivals, markets and more.

Piekhotin told the Mirror that he and many in the Ukrainian community at home and abroad are feeling betrayed by the current presidential administration’s statements, including statements that Ukraine started the war, changes in immigration programs for Ukrainians fleeing the war and more.

“Imagine how the rhetoric of the new administration sounds in the minds of the soldiers,” Piekhotin said, describing how it feels like a stab in the back for soldiers who often wear American flags on their uniforms, some delivered by the bagful by Piekhotin on his trips to deliver supplies.

As an example of an American leader whose support has not wavered, Mayor Jim Ferrell was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the community at the event.

“We really understand who’s our friend and who’s not, especially at this moment of history…who stands with us, and who’s supporting Ukrainian community in general,” Ukrainian Association of Washington State President Liliya Kovalenkosaid as the award was presented.

Mayor Ferrell was also presented with a large and ornate loaf of bread on a traditional embroidered cloth called a rushnyk. The bread is part of a tradition of welcome and hospitality where bread is offered to visitors who dip it in salt and eat it as a sign of trust and unity.

Food was consistent theme of the grand opening celebration and a variety of dishes and desserts were prepared by community members, with many items and ingredients provided by local Ukrainian grocery store Emish Market. Guests feasted on traditional dishes like dumplings called varenyky, a rice and meat dish called plov and honey cake (medovik).

Several Ukrainian singers performed, including Vashchuk Roman, who was featured in a Seattle Times article in 2022 when he performed the Ukrainian National Anthem at the Kraken game after getting stuck in United States.

Singer Olena Mayovksa performed with Olga Frantsevich, sharing songs including one that’s translated title is “Ukraine is me and you” that had the crowd singing along.

Olena Mayovska and Olga Frantsevich perform at the grand opening for the Ukrainian Community Organization at the Federal Way Community Center on March 30. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror

The first event of the Federal Way based Ukrainian community organization brought people together to celebrate community and culture. Photos by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror