In June 1924, 116 Russian refugees arrived in Homeglen to start a new life after escaping the Bolshevik Revolution through Harbin, China. One hundred years later, between June 28 to 30, a group of 50 descendants, friends and family met at the Rimbey Drop-In Centre to celebrate the occasion. They came from across Canada and comprised multiple generations.
The reunion included a tour of the Peaceful Valley Provincial Park site overlooking the spot where the refugees were first deposited by the Canadian Pacific Railway on the banks of the Battle River. Here, they lived in tents until they were able to build dug-out or log shelters on communal land in Homeglen. There were also visits to the former site of the Bolshoi Dome (the large communal house), the Old Orthodox Cemetery, and the Convent of the Holy Protection of the Mother of God near Bluffton. Traditional Russian food, stories, laughter and tears were shared over the three days.
In 1924, Colonel Orest Dournovo was instrumental in making connections with Canadian Immigration and CPR officials to bring Russian refugees out of China to farm in Alberta. The first group sailed from Dalian, China to Yokohama, Japan and travelled on the Empress of Russia to Vancouver. They only had $7000 between them, short the full $25,000 required to stay in Canada. Through his connections, Colonel Dournovo was able to connect with the Russian Refugee Relief Society of America in New York to receive a donation that covered the cost. He brought the second group in September and others afterwards until the doors were shut to Russian immigration through China in 1929.
After the four-year commitment to the Government was fulfilled, many of the families travelled north to the Peace River country to file on homesteads there. Some families, including the Polushins, Osokins, Troitskys, Mishukoffs, stayed on and became successful farmers and important members of the community in Rimbey and surrounding areas.
A plaque has been donated to the Rimbey Historical Museum in gratitude and honour of these people and of Michael Andruff Jr., whose dream it was to celebrate these brave people and those who welcomed them to Canada. The inscription reads:
The first group of 116 Russian Refugees arrived in Vancouver on the Empress of Russia and by rail into Wetaskiwin, Alberta in June 1924. They were followed by a second group, arriving in Vancouver via the Empress of Canada in September,1924, and by still others over the next few years. The first families included Andreeff, Braetsky, Danilov, Dournovo, Gostenko, Kaelokov-Safonev, Klopov, Kozansky, Lebedkin, Lenshakov, Mihailoff, Mireleebov, Paltev, Polushin, Sharigin, Sidoroff, Starosadtchev, Tarasov, Tchirkov, Vodatyka, and Volinkin. They were followed by the Doumnoff, Evanoff, Ivanenko, Kalugin, Kosheiff, Kuzakoff, Mishukoff, Mastrosoff, Nasedkin, Osokin, Pallatoff, Pohaboff, Shiskin, Shtykoff, Solovieff, Spiridonoff,Troitsky, Zlatowsky families and others. Their descendants are grateful for their courage to come to an unknown land; for their hard work that helped build this great country; to Canada and Canadians for welcoming them, and for the kindness of strangers who helped finance their immigration fees. We continue to pay it forward through community service and by sponsoring refugees to Canada. Special gratitude and recognition are due to Orest Dournovo, whose tireless and selfless efforts brought them to Homeglen and to Michael Andruff Jr. for continuing the legacy.
The attendees were grateful for the warm community welcome, which emulated that originally received by their parents and grandparents.