The 177 refugees arrived shortly after 8.30pm on Tuesday night on a flight arranged by the provincial aid office in Warsaw, Poland. As they were leaving the plane, a welcome group led by Immigration Minister Jerry Byrne led the newcomers to their previously arranged accommodation. The first to arrive. @ VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/PtngknQypT – Noah Sheppard (@ SheppardNoah14) June 14, 2022 Among those waiting for the arrival of Ukrainians was Pamela Ryder-Lahey, a retired chief executive of the Supreme Court who has done two rule of law projects in Ukraine. When the war broke out, an elderly colleague from the war-torn country reached out to see if the Newfoundlander could find her daughter a safe place to finish her master’s degree. Ryder-Lahey was able to arrange five students to take the road to the countryside. She says her colleague was happy. She says she will act as a surrogate mother for the five students and her friends in the court system have been able to raise enough money to set up a one-year lease on a four-bedroom house near Memorial University for them. Ukrainian Angelina Shevchenko had brilliant words to describe Ryder-Lahey’s work. When asked by the media why he came to New Earth, he replied: “Because of this great woman.” Pamela Ryder-Lacey (right) welcomes Angelina (left) along with four other Ukrainian college students to attend MUN. Pamela was working with her mother Angelina, who came in contact with her. @ VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/Ej45BxU31f – Noah Sheppard (@ SheppardNoah14) June 15, 2022
