A sweeping family history, chronicling the journey of a group ofRussian refugees who settled in rural Alberta in 1924, this book paystribute to countless people who have found a safe haven in Canada overthe past 100 years.Every refugee has a story. Thisbook follows the life of Nikifor Andriev, driven from his homeland in1924, to settle in Canada as part of a group of 116 privately sponsoredRussian refugees. Their new home, the aptly named Homeglen, Alberta, wasa symbol of promise and prosperity. With a newly Anglicized name,Nikifor–now Michael–embarked on the Canadian dream, raising a family andeventually leaving Alberta for a better-paying industrial job in BC.Likecountless other refugees and immigrants, Nikifor faced the obstaclesand opportunities of life in Canada with a determination to succeedagainst all odds. Reinventing himself time and again following numeroussetbacks and tragedies, he watched his family grow and disburse topursue their own dreams, with the hope that each succeeding generationwould have an easier life than the one that came before it. Nearly acentury after Nikifor’s arrival in Homeglen, his son and namesakeMichael Andruff, reflects upon his family’s history, the legacy of therefugee experience, and the parallels of his father’s generation ofrefugees with people fleeing conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, and, mostrecently, Ukraine, today.As the son of a refugee who hasbenefitted from the stability and prosperity of life in Canada, Andruffshares this story as a call to action. The descendants and friends ofthe original group of 116 refugees who settled in Homeglen are asked tocontribute to the Homeglen Legacy Fund, with the goal of raising $30,000to privately sponsor a refugee family of four prior to June 2024 (thehundred-year anniversary of the original group’s arrival in Canada).Andruff is donating his royalties from the sale of this book to theHomeglen Legacy Fund.

The Russian Refugees: A Family’s First Century in Canada PDF

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