In 1998, I took a trip to Ukraine and have been yearning to go back since. The people there are so excited about their freedom. When the war broke out in February, I felt a strong call to do something to help these free-spirited people. I had been hearing about the massive destruction and wanted to do more than make donations.
When Chris Brand, a member of Rotary and President of Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) in Tucker, Georgia, USA, called me one morning to tell me there was an urgent need to take Stryker Drill Sets and other medical relief supplies over to the war-torn country, it was just the call I had been waiting for. Without hesitation, I said, “I’ll go.” On 6 June, I boarded a flight to Bucharest, Romania, and began my journey to Ukraine.
The list of needs will continue until peace is reached in Ukraine. The rebuilding of this beautiful country, rich with history and culture and home to 41 million people, will take years. Our efforts are now focusing on 24 August, Ukrainian Independence Day.
We are holding a 24-hour telethon to collect donations from around the world. We are especially appealing to the many Rotary clubs who have already demonstrated their support for Ukraine through their generous donation of more than $15 million to The Rotary Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund. Together, we are united in this cause.
The 24-hour broadcast will tell the story of life in Ukraine today, those who have escaped the country and those who are still held hostage within the boundaries of the war-torn country. We are working with Voice of America to share our broadcast with their daily audience of 30 million people. Isn’t that incredible? Please join us by tuning in online and by learning more about our effort at helpingukraine.us.