Weekly Review of Ukraine Efforts
This past week was quiet with regards to Ukraine efforts. My husband is out of town at the moment and I’m just kind of hunkering down and taking care of things around here.
But I did do a few things.
Wednesday
A lady had called me and asked me if I still had another suitcase for Ukrainians. I did. I had one more. She came and got it on Wed. morning.
I asked for a photo from the lady as she gave it to her Ukrainian friend as she wanted to head back to Ukraine but a suitcase would really help. We’re finding that many are going back. Not all - but many have apartments and want to make sure their stuff doesn’t disappear or the whole apartment looted.
We heard from a lady at the local group in Otwock where 100+ Ukrainian ladies and children are that they need laundry detergent and cleaning supplies for the bathroom. They also need 6 small tables for children to do schoolwork.
So I ordered 6 small tables, 6 desk lamps (everything is so dark in these types of buildings and we are approaching our dark season), 6 extension cords (these types of buildings seem to have 1 or 2 outlets in the rooms), and 6 chairs. These rooms tend to only have beds in them, so I thought these things might be handy.
Thursday
I picked up the desk lamps at the package place.
Friday
The tables and chairs came. I called Rachel and we took them to the place where the 120 Ukrainians are. I had the courier people unload them directly into the back of the pickup. Why I’m driving the pickup and not the minivan - that’s a whole different story.
This photo is for my sis…
Note - the sweatshirt and turtleneck…yes, it has turned chilly and wet. I am sooo grateful!
I realized that the extension cords hadn’t actually arrived - actually I hadn’t picked them up on Friday before heading out. They had come to the package place but I had failed to check the app for them. So I picked them up on my way home. I told Tonia, the lady who is like the “House Mother” that we’d be back on Saturday with the extension cords. Rachel picked up some paintbrushes as well to give to the kids to use with their paints.
Saturday morning
We went back to the place where the ladies are and we were shown inside where one lady had put together the whole set for her kids and I was able to get a photo! We delivered the 6 extension cords which had USB plugs as well.
I wanted to give them an additional lamp because we are coming in to the dark season here in Poland and often these rooms simply don’t have enough light for doing schoolwork (IMO). So, extra light is wonderful. I bought things that had a lot of positive reviews and very few negative.
Thanks everyone for your help financially!
Rachel picked up laundry detergent and bathroom cleaning supplies too. I am grateful that we were able to help! It won’t be the last time - and while we want to help, we don’t want to ‘overhelp’ if you understand.
They’ve invited us over to meet the ladies and for tea and cake. I’m sure we will go and meet them more individually. Rachel, who has been living in Ukraine for 7 years can talk with them - something I really can’t do.
And that’s it. My husband is in Central Asia as I write this but is hoping to head to Ukraine in a couple of weeks. I will need to begin actively shopping for that once I know details.
I’m still working on charity quilting, however, and other projects. It’s so enjoyable these days to get back to sewing again.
I’m also going through stuff that was taken upstairs due to the suddenness of everything relating to Ukraine - which then created a hoard-like mess in my bedroom and sewing room. I’m beginning to dismantle the hoard a few things at a time. In my room, I’m making myself deal with 10 things a day - and getting them out of the room. I am tired of it all piled up here. Naturally each one is a decision and while it is tiring and not at all fast, I know that in 30 days, that’s 300 things - and I will get it done eventually. Right now I’m dealing with bags of scraps, but also tchotchkes. Oh, and some more quilts. I have simply a whole pile of them in the way and they must be removed to a different part of the house. I’m sure eventually I will find a new home for them.
This all takes time and at last I’ve had the time to do it. So thankful. In my sewing room I’m trying to once again check out random bags of scraps or pieces that ended up in it and look for scraps that need to be trimmed down into strips. I found several bags.
I tell you, I think they breed when I’m not looking. I was SURE I had dealt with them all. Once again - things just got thrown in there when I had to get the two downstairs rooms cleaned for company (my kids’ bedrooms) quickly. But still….where did these come from?
Anyway.
Have a great day wherever you are reading this! Thanks for coming along!
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