RCSC Breakfast Meeting Friday 24 Oct 2025

Speaker - Tetiana Stawnychy

Tetiana Stawnychy, president of Caritas Ukraine, will be talking about the programs Caritas has been providing in Ukraine supported by our RAWCS funding.

Tetiana Stawnychy is the daughter of political refugees who fled Ukraine as teenagers in 1944 to escape Soviet communism during the second world war. Now, she is on the frontlines helping thousands of other Ukrainian families who are trying to escape.

“This is the only place I want to be right now,” Stawnychy said, speaking to Crux. “I can’t say there isn’t fear, there’s fear and there’s tension, and your emotions go up and down, but there’s nowhere else I’d want to be right now.”

Born in Maryland near Washington, D.C., Stawnychy was well aware of her roots, and grew up speaking Ukrainian. She moved back to her ancestral nation in 2001 and stayed until 2016, obtaining a business degree.

She returned to Kyiv in 2022 and is serving as president of the Caritas Ukraine, which is at the forefront of efforts to support and care for the nearly 1.7 million Ukrainians who are attempting to flee across international borders in the wake of Russia’s invasion.

Our Club Breakfast venue is moored at the King St Wharf in front of Bungalow 8, Lime St, which is a 7 minute walk through the pedestrian walkway from Wynyard station. Please note we don't leave the wharf.

To assist Captain Cook Cruises with catering, Coves & Guests wishing to attend the meeting must register and pay beforehand - $27 in person or $7 on Zoom (no booking fees).