As District Governor, and fellow Milford Rotarian, John Siemienowicz recently shared “It is hard to know what actions to take that will be fruitful and helpful in this difficult time of unprovoked violence against Ukraine.” Rotary International and many other local and internal organizations are stepping up with a myriad of opportunities to support Ukrainian relief efforts. The need is great and it is growing each day. Some of these voluntary opportunities are providing more direct support than others.
Please click the READ MORE below for photos and important information on how you can help Serve to Change Lives
Using their Rotary and personal contacts, DG John Siemienowicz and first lady Allise de Smet have championed an opportunity to provide direct and immediate financial aid to support refugee assistance programs organized within RI District 2231in Poland including by the Rotary Clubs of Lublin and of Zamość Ordynacki. As you can see from the map above, Lublin and Zamość are in close proximity to the Ukrainian border. Lublin is about 26KM from the border and members of that Club report being able to see the flames from the destruction raging in Ukraine. The Rotary Club of Zamość Ordynacki has an established history of collaboration with Ukrainian Rotary Clubs and of providing assistance to their Ukrainian neighbors. As the photos from their Facebook page show, the Zamość Ordynacki Club is actively engaged in relief efforts to help Ukrainian women and children fleeing their country in this time of unprovoked war.
The translated caption for the Facebook photo above was “Another thousand packages, including tubes with a second breakfast, juices, water, moisturizing tissues, coriander, bars and everything that adds strength. But also the feeling that someone remembers someone. All thanks to Rotary Club Ordinary. Packages are going to Ukraine, for mothers with children standing in line at the border - under the empty sky.” Many of the “care packages” are also being given to refugees as they board buses for the next stop on their journey. The bus in the photo above was about to depart from Poland bound for Denmark carrying Ukrainian women and children to their next destination.
If you, your Rotary Club, your business, your organization or your friends would like to take advantage of this opportunity to make an effective and immediate impact in humanitarian relief for the Ukrainian refugees, there are a couple of ways to do so.
You can send your donation directly to the District 7870 Foundation, a registered 501c3 organization, at Rotary District 7870 Foundation c/o Jeff Mobus, 19 Orchard Street, Springfield, VT 05156. Please make the check out to the Rotary District 7870 Foundation and include “Ukraine Relief Initiative” in the memo line to make sure your donation is directed to the relief effort.
You can also use the PayPal online donation link set-up through the Milford Rotary Club – all donations from this account will be forwarded to the RID 7870 Foundation. Note: Milford Rotary Club is also an IRS charitable organization.
Here is that link and QR code -
Please also note, due to administrative burden concerns, only donations of $250 or more will get a charitable letter from the District. And just to be clear, this opportunity set-up through RID 7870 to help change lives is not an “official” Rotary ask or requirement. It is simply offered as a way to help.
Amazingly, this initiative crystallized only a week or so ago, but already $25,000 has been raised and is ready to send to District 2231. DG John and the RID 7870 leadership team are in regular communication with representatives from District 2231 and the Clubs in Lublin and Zamość. They plan to continue to stay in regular communication via Zoom and other means, and to complete weekly donation transfers on Monday afternoons. The dedication and power of Rotarians working together is changing lives for the better.
Photos from the refugee center in Krasnystaw, Poland about half-way between Lublin and Zamość.
Excerpt from a message shared by Wojciech Wrzecionkowski, Governor of District 223, on behalf of the District 2231 Board of Directors
“Thanks to our joint actions, further groups of refugees, mainly women and children, find safe shelter in various parts of Poland. We are receiving more shipments of humanitarian aid. We store them temporarily in rented warehouses and forward them on to Ukraine. The effort of our Rotarians and Rotarians from clubs close to the Ukrainian border is invaluable. They are on the front lines of operations. We are also proud of the work of all the clubs that are helping refugees in various ways and on different scales.”