The co-owner of the Lyndora Hotel decided to plan a small fundraiser to benefit the people of war-torn Ukraine, but due to social media, her small, casual event has been growing in popularity every day.

“It just exploded on Facebook,” said Laura Pawk Santoro.

She said the regular Wednesday night Open Mic Night with Donny Eozzo this week will be augmented to include the sales of carryout halupki, pierogies and kiffles, which is a flaky bread similar to a croissant; the sale of T-shirts lettered with “Stand With Ukraine”; and a basket raffle.

Donations also will be accepted.

All proceeds from the carryout food, T-shirts and wine basket will benefit a charity supporting the people of Ukraine following the invasion of Russian forces last month.

Santoro said she and her brother, co-owner Mike Pawk, are researching which charity would most efficiently benefit the people in Ukraine who are suffering the effects of the invasion.

The Pawk family is descended from a Ukrainian immigrant who bought the hotel with his wife in 1947.

The Lyndora Hotel opens at 4 p.m. and the event will continue all evening Wednesday.

The regular menu and bar also will be available, Santoro said.

She marveled that the small event she had envisioned has mushroomed on Facebook.

“People just want to support Ukraine and do anything they can,” Santoro said.

She said as is the case every Wednesday night, singers and musicians are welcome to perform during Eozzo’s open mic event as well.

“He just loves the Lyndora Hotel and always promotes us,” Santoro said.

Eozzo said he believes it would be difficult to find anyone not affected or saddened by the shocking events playing out against the people of Ukraine, and he will not be surprised if the mic night is packed tomorrow.

“I have always been proud to live in Butler County, where residents and local businesses are always to supportive of worthy causes,” Eozzo said.

Regarding the carryout foods, Santoro said it was a neighborhood affair.

The halupki was made by the hotel’s Ukrainian manager, and pierogies were provided by St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Lyndora and kiffles were provided by National Bakery in Lyndora.

Santoro stressed that the event is not about the Lyndora Hotel.

“Because we have this space that just happens to be in the Ukrainian part of town, we just wanted to do something to help,” she said.

Due to the event’s rapid growth and popularity on social media, Santoro is now planning a larger fundraising event to be held in the hotel’s second-floor banquet space.

“I think it speaks volumes about the community of Butler,” Santoro said of the increased attention toward the Wednesday event. “I just think it shows the goodness of the people of Butler and that they are searching for something (helpful) to do just like we are.”

The Lyndora Hotel recently stopped serving Russian-made spirits because of the brutal invasion in Ukraine.