WGNO

Parlay’s Bar hosts fundraiser after Ukrainian DJ returns home with parents

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Support for Ukraine continues to pour in as the Russian invasion carries on.

In New Orleans, several businesses are getting involved on the humanitarian end.

The staff at Parlay’s Bar in Lakeview hosted a fundraiser on Sunday with all proceeds going to Ukrainians who have fled their country.


Attendees were able to snack, shop, and donate clothes and household items.

“I think this war is abominable, and I think that anything we could do to support the Ukrainian people is a positive thing,” said Areme Marks, who attended the fundraiser. “I think we all have to stick together and help them. It’s just a humanitarian crisis.”

Parlay’s dj, Vladimir Sergeyev, just returned to New Orleans from Poland after retrieving his parents who fled their home in Ukraine.

“People knew that I went there. It was kind of a sudden, but when they found out, they decided to do fundraisers and help because [my family] just had one suitcase,” explained Sergeyev. “They had just one suitcase, basically nothing, so everything helps.”

Sergeyev says much work is ahead of him to ensure his parents feel some sort of normalcy but that the help he’s received is making the process a little bit easier.

“I feel support from people. I feel that people care. There’s humanity left in humans,” said Sergeyev. “I’m very, very grateful to New Orleans. To everybody, thank you so, so much. Thank you.”

Sergeyev’s parents are also feeling the love.

“[Mom speaks in Ukrainian.] Vladimir translates, ‘Thank you to Poland, thank you to America, thank you for support, thank you, New Orleans.’ [Dad speaks in Ukrainian.] Vladimir translates, ‘Hail to Ukraine.’”

For information on an upcoming fundraising event, click here.