USUF aid to Krasnodon tops $12,000 Perth Amboy school is largest contributor (07/16/00)

USUF aid to Krasnodon tops $12,000 Perth Amboy school is largest contributor

by Olenka Dobczanska

WASHINGTON - Since the March 11 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.

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

The Ukrainian Assumption School's effort began in 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, Sister Vladimyra Leskin, Missionary Sister of the Mother of God (MSMG), the 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 service for the repose of souls) to be offered for the 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 iconostasis 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 Melanie Lawrence, decided to dedicate its 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 25. Over $400 was collected from proceeds at the door.

All of these funds, totaling nearly $1,250, were sent from the Ukrainian Assumption School to the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation for delivery to Krasnodon.

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 - the 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.

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 USUF's Krasnodon Fund. Its St. Olga Sisterhood contributed $200. The parish also held a separate toy drive for Krasnodon.

During his recent visit to Washington Ukraine's Prime Minister Viktor Yuschenko 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," said USUF Financial Administrator John A. Kun.

On May 13 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 U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), had 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 of 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 Franciscan Monastery in Washington. 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 and 15 who have been affected by the disaster to spend two to three weeks this summer at children's camps in different parts of the country. CPP partner-cities Kamianets-Podilskyi and Berdiansk have offered accomodations at summer camp for several children. Cities throughout Ukraine alas 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 the Barakov Mine expressed their gratitude in a letter of thanks to the USUF: "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."

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