You will still see the bright shades of blue and yellow poured into glass containers at Door County Candle Company almost a year after the first Russian tanks pulled into Ukraine as a part of its invasion.

Just days after the Russian occupation began, Door County Candle Company owner Christiana Gorchynsky-Trapani took action to help support her family’s homeland by donating the proceeds of the blue and yellow Ukraine candles to Razom for Ukraine. With help from national media attention and local volunteers, the business shipped thousands of candles and raised more than a quarter million dollars in a month. That total has ballooned to over $800,000, and Door County Candle Company has made similar fundraising efforts for other causes, including the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Gorchynsky-Trapani says she certainly did not see this type of business coming when she took over in the summer of 2021, but she is thrilled she can shine a light on various causes as a result.

Her candle sales for the Turkey and Syria earthquake relief have already raised $2,000 for UNICEF. Gorchynsky-Trapani hopes to expand the program to benefit other organizations, including Door County non-profits, later this year.