Humboldt charitable baker gifted new oven from anonymous donors

Christmas came early for a charitable baker out of Humboldt after her oven stopped working properly.
Erika Rybinski founded her charitable bakery Pastry and the Piano in 2020.
“All of the proceeds that we collect go to different families in need in Saskatchewan or other charity projects,” said Rybinski.
Since its creation she’s raised approximately $20,000 for local and global projects, including relief for James Smith Cree Nation and school supplies for children in Ukraine. Currently she’s raising funds for 14-year-old Charlie Neilsen from Melfort who is battling Leukaemia.
“I know that her heart is in it, she’s not just doing it for the recognition. She’s doing it to help out and that really means a lot,” said Charlie’s grandmother Cyndi Neilsen.
Rybinski was inspired to help others by her grandmother Stella Powalinsky, who passed away in September. Powalinsky and her husband founded the Haven of Hope Home in Kinistino for children with intellectual disabilities.
“Stella is probably my greatest inspiration,” Rybinski said. “Grandma spent her entire life caring for the residents of the Haven of Hope Home until she could no longer. The residents called my grandma mom.”
While trying to carry on a legacy of helping others through baking, Rybinski noticed her oven wasn’t working correctly.
“Four minutes...and the cookies are supposed to bake for eight. So I tried turning around the cookies in the oven and nothing worked,” said Rybinski.
She took to Facebook calling on people to share deals they saw for ovens, or asking if anyone is looking to offload theirs after an upgrade.
What happened next was a Christmas miracle.
A-Line Furniture in Humboldt received a call from a buyer looking to remain anonymous.
“Somebody looking to make a purchase for Erika,” said A-Line Furniture co-owner Justin Lockhart “They picked a stove, arranged delivery, and we gave Erika a call.”
Last week they left a voicemail with Rybinski, which she played twice to make sure she heard correctly.
“I think it was a group of people that came together and purchased this oven for me and put the warranty under my name which is amazing,” said Rybinski. “Totally moved and touched to the bottom of my heart.”
When Cyndi Neilsen heard of the good news, she was overjoyed.
“For us the fact that there’s so many people that are supporting her, and in turn supporting us, that all means so much to us,” said Neilsen.
Rybinski calls the people who purchased her oven, her “Christmas Angels.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Tyre Nichols' brutal beating by police shown on video
Memphis authorities released video footage Friday showing Tyre Nichols being beaten by police officers who held the Black motorist down and repeatedly struck him with their fists, boots and batons as he screamed for his mother and pleaded, ''I'm just trying to go home.'

CRA head says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to review all ineligible pandemic payments
The head of the Canada Revenue Agency says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to fully review $15.5 billion in potentially ineligible pandemic wage benefit payments flagged by Canada's Auditor General.
Lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan fulfils dream of seeing first game, passes away next day
Mike Davy always dreamed of going to a Toronto Maple Leafs game, and once it finally happened, he passed away the night after.
'This is too much': B.C. mom records police handcuffing 12-year-old in hospital
A review has been launched after police officers were recorded restraining a handcuffed Indigenous child on the floor of a Vancouver hospital – an incident the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has denounced as "horrendous."
WHO decision on COVID-19 emergency won't affect Canada's response: Tam
The World Health Organization will announce Monday whether it thinks COVID-19 still represents a global health emergency but Canada's top doctor says regardless of what the international body decides, Canada's response to the coronavirus will not change.
Canadian university faculty getting older, more female compared to 50 years ago: StatCan
Canadian university professors are mostly older and increasingly more female compared to 50 years ago, a new report from Statistics Canada has found.
Canadian Hyundai vehicles unaffected by theft issue in the U.S., company says
Hyundai cars in Canada don't have the same anti-theft issue compared to those in the United States, a company spokesperson says, following reports that two American auto insurers are refusing to write policies for older models.
Grizzlies, other NBA teams speak out on Tyre Nichols' death
The outrage, frustration, sadness and anger was evident around the NBA on Friday, the day that video was released showing how Nichols, a 29-year-old father, was killed by five Memphis police officers. Several teams released statements of support for the family, as did the National Basketball Players Association.
Video shows struggle for hammer during Pelosi attack
Video released publicly Friday shows the husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struggling with his assailant for control of a hammer moments before he was struck in the head during a brutal attack in the couple's San Francisco home last year.