75-летний советник города Лэдисмит отправится в Украину на грузовике с медицинским оборудованием

Ladysmith’s Duck Paterson heads to Ukraine to deliver ambulances and supplies Published 11:30 am Thursday, September 3, 2026 At 75 years old, Ladysmith city councillor Duck Paterson has decided he’s not quite done trying new things. This fall, Paterson will climb behind the wheel of an ambulance in Germany and drive it nearly 2,000 kilometres across Europe and into war-torn Ukraine, where the vehicle will be turned over to Ukrainian forces. The ambulance won’t be carrying patients. Instead, it will be packed with medical supplies, generators and other equipment destined for hospitals and people affected by the ongoing war. “I don’t know, it just interested me, something different,” Paterson said. “And it sounds like a holiday, but it’s also, the ambulances are going to help people. So I can do that.” Paterson became involved after writing about local resident Peter Shepherd who had taken part in one of the trips. The idea was planted and the rest is history. Volunteers are responsible for their own expenses, including transportation, accommodation, food and fuel. They are also asked to contribute towards the cost of the ambulance itself, which can run between $10,000 and $15,000. Paterson expects the trip to cost roughly $10,000 to $12,000. He will leave for Munich on Oct. 2, before getting into the ambulance the following day and beginning the drive east. The convoy will travel through the Czech Republic and Poland before entering Ukraine and continuing to Kyiv. The journey is expected to take several days, with the volunteers travelling in smaller groups rather than as one large convoy. “It’s too big of a target,” Paterson said. Once they reach Kyiv, the supplies will be unloaded and distributed to hospitals, while the ambulance itself will be handed over to the Ukrainian armed forces. Paterson expects to leave Kyiv by train on Oct. 14, travelling to Warsaw and then back to Munich before returning home. For someone who says he doesn’t even know how to put a Band-Aid on properly, the assignment is less about medicine and more about getting desperately needed resources where they are needed. “If you look up how many ambulances are being blown up in Ukraine by the Russians, they need them,” he said. The trip comes with obvious risks, something Paterson’s family has had to come to terms with. His wife, Tracy, initially wasn’t thrilled with the idea. “She said, well I’d rather you didn’t, but if it’s something you want to do, I’m not going to get in your way,” Paterson said. His daughters have been more openly opposed, particularly because of the ongoing attacks in Ukraine. Paterson, however, said the danger hasn’t deterred him. He points to the last 15 years of taking chances, including skydiving, bungee jumping and a motorcycle accident that left him with broken arms and a split chin. Paterson has followed the news closely and knows the risks are serious. Still, he sees the trip as a way to help people who have little control over the circumstances they have found themselves in. “People, innocent people that live in an area that isn’t the wealthiest are getting the shit kicked out of them for no reason other than greed — it isn’t right,” he said. He also knows that some people have questioned why he would travel overseas to help where there are people struggling in Canada. “If you can help people, you help people.” Paterson is raising money to cover the cost of the trip and his contribution toward the ambulance. He plans to have his long hair shaved off on Sept. 12 at Johnny’s Barber Shop in Ladysmith. He is also accepting donations via etransfer that can be sent to [email protected]. Until then, Paterson has a few more weeks to prepare, including figuring out what music to take for the long drive. His playlist already includes Slade, Status Quo, The Beatles and some bagpipes.