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BRAMA, June 22, 2000, 10:00pm EST


USUF Aid to Krasnodon Tops $12,000!
-- by Olenka Dobczanska, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (USUF)

Washington, June 22, 2000 -- Since the March 11 Barakov coal mine disaster that killed 81 miners in Krasnodon, Ukraine, the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation has raised over $12,000 for the families affected in a special fund-raising campaign.

Standing proudly next to a shipment of clothing and toys headed for Ukraine are Benjamin Ruiz, Bryce Houser, Nina Gera, Caitlin O'Neill, Dana Leitauser, Jeremy Rosa, and Christine Iacuzio, with their principal Sister Vladimyra.

The largest contributor has been the Ukrainian Assumption School of Perth Amboy, NJ, a Catholic elementary school of 204 students - most of whom are not of Ukrainian ancestry - has raised nearly $1,250 for the Krasnodon mining families. But the story of how they raised this sum is truly heart-warming.

The Ukrainian Assumption School's effort began in Mrs. Miroslava Moriak's fifth grade. Mrs. Moriak placed an empty coffee can on her desk where students could place their spare change. After two months the can contained $102. This was a great effort, but the children realized that it was inadequate to meet the needs of the victims of the disaster. With the support of their principal, Sr. Vladimyra Leskin, Missionary Sister of the Mother of God (MSMG), students collected and sent about 2,000 pounds of toys and clothing directly to Ukraine. They also arranged for a Divine Liturgy and Panakhyda (a prayer service for the repose of souls) to be offered for the Barakov Miners on May 11. A special cross, decorated with flowers made by the school's children to represent their prayers for the miners and their families, was constructed and placed in front of the iconostas of in the church. Each student designed an envelope for his or her donation to place in baskets at the foot of the cross when entering the church for the memorial service. In this way, an additional $565 was raised.

The Glee Club at the Ukrainian Assumption School, under the direction of Mrs. Melanie Lawrence, decided to dedicate their spring concert, Seasons of Song, to benefit the families of this disaster. The public was invited to attend the concert in the school auditorium on May 25th. Over $400 was collected from proceeds at the door.

All these funds, totaling nearly $1,250, were sent from the Ukrainian Assumption School to the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation for delivery to Krasnodon. Locally in the Washington area, the Foundation held a toy drive with the cooperation of the Taras Shevchenko School for Ukrainian Studies, and local Ukrainian Churches (Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family and Holy Trinity Particular Ukrainian Catholic Church). For two weekends volunteers placed containers at all the sites to collect new or used toys (in good and usable condition) for the children of Krasnodon. Seventeen large bags of toys were collected.

Brooke Biloholowski and Timothy Leahy place their envelopes in special baskets in front of the isonostas at Ukrainian Assumption Church in Perth Amboy, NJ.

Inspired by the Foundation's activities, St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of Silver Spring, MD, held its own special collection, donating $500 to the Foundation's Krasnodon Fund and its St. Olga Sisterhood also contributed $200. The parish also held a separate toy drive for Krasnodon. During his recent visit to Washington, Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko graciously agreed to transport nine large boxes of toys collected by USUF to Kyiv at no cost. "The response from people both within and outside the Ukrainian community has been heartening," says USUF Financial Administrator John A. Kun.

On May 13, 2000, a delegation from Birmingham, Alabama arrived in Krasnodon as part of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's Community Partnerships for Local Government Training and Education Project (CPP). This project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), established a partnership between Birmingham and Krasnodon in mid-1998. During their visit, the toys and funds collected to date were presented directly to each family. Scott Colson, Assistant to the Mayor of Birmingham and CPP Project Coordinator, Emanuel Ford, a housing official in Birmingham, and Volodymyr Bilous, Acting Mayor of Krasnodon officiated at a special ceremony for the miners' families. Recalling his Sunday School classes where he learned "those who are blessed are expected to give back," Mr. Colson said he was happy to do what he could for the people Krasnodon, "a tough and resilient people" whom he is proud to know.

The task of matching individual toys to each child fell to Ludmyla Dudnyk, USUF staff member in Kyiv, Ludmyla Izvarina of the Executive Committee of the Krasnodon City Council, and Volodymyr Fuks and Hryhoriy Akhremeshyn of the Barakov Mine Humanitarian Aid Commission. The Birmingham delegation also presented the women of Krasnodon with tulip bulbs and an Angel Trumpet plant donated by the Washington, DC Franciscan Monastery. CPP Special Projects Coordinator Chrystia Sonevytsky arranged for the donation of the bulbs and at her suggestion, the City Council of Krasnodon planted 80 trees as a living memorial to the victims along a road leading into the city. In addition to the donation of money and toys, USUF is also trying to arrange for children between the ages of 9-15, who have been affected by the disaster, to spend 2-3 weeks this summer at children's camps in different parts of the country. CPP partner-cities Kamianets-Podilsky and Berdiansk offered summer camp places for several children.

Cities throughout Ukraine offered condolences and assistance. Among CPP partner-cities, Rubizhne sent medical staff and two ambulances, Donetsk sent a rescue team, and Romny and Pervomaisk donated food to assist relief efforts in Krasnodon. Several others, including Artemivsk, Kalush, Komsomolsk, Slavutych, Kherson, Kharkiv and Nikopol, made cash donations. Representatives of Barakov mine expressed their gratitude in a letter of thanks to USUF in this way: "May our land be blessed with such wonderful people who with their lives and through their actions brighten our days and nights and bring us goodness, peace and harmony."

The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting democracy and free-market reform in Ukraine, will be closing the Krasnodon Mine Disaster Fund on July 15. For more information about the work of the Foundation, or if you would like to contribute to the Krasnodon Fund, contact the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, 733 15th Street, NW, Suite 1026, Washington, DC 20005. (Tel.: 202-347-4264, Fax: 202-347-4267, E-mail: usuf@usukraine.org, Homepage: www.usukraine.org.)


 


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